Everything you need to know about Di Fara Pizza -- Brooklyn's most legendary pizzeria, open since 1965. Dom DeMarco's hand-made pies with San Marzano tomatoes, imported Italian cheeses, and fresh basil snipped tableside have made this a global pilgrimage spot. Below: the menu, what to order, how long to wait, and why people line up for hours.
Signature items
The four most important things first-time visitors want to know about Di Fara.
The foundational Di Fara experience. Sauce, cheese, fresh basil.
Thick, crispy-bottomed. Sells out -- arrive early.
No cards, no exceptions. ATM nearby but bring your own cash.
Weekend afternoons are longest. Weekday lunch is shortest.
The Di Fara menu is intentionally short. Here are the most-recommended choices, ranked by how consistently they appear in visitor reports and food writing.
Prices are approximate estimates based on publicly available reporting as of May 2026. Di Fara does not publish an official price list. Confirm before visiting.
Di Fara's menu is focused: whole pies, slices, and toppings. No frills. That's intentional.
Di Fara is not a grab-and-go operation. Here is what experienced visitors recommend.
Di Fara is cash only -- no exceptions, no card reader, no Apple Pay. There is an ATM on Avenue J, but it is sometimes out of service. Bring more cash than you think you need.
The shortest waits are at opening time (around noon) on weekdays. Saturday afternoon is peak chaos -- lines of 1-2 hours are common. Sunday hours vary; call ahead.
The square pie sells out faster than the round. If you want it, ask when you get in line -- not after a long wait. Some visitors specifically come only for the square.
The Q train to the Avenue J stop is the easiest way to get there. It is about a 5-minute walk from the subway exit. Street parking exists but is competitive in this residential neighborhood.
Di Fara has irregular hours and sometimes closes without notice, especially for family events or Dom's schedule. Check difara.com or call the restaurant before making a special trip.
Part of the Di Fara experience is watching Dom (or his family) make the pies. The snipping of fresh basil from the counter plant is a signature moment. You are not just eating pizza -- you are watching a craftsman at work.
Di Fara Pizza is located at 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230, in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is a 5-minute walk from the Q train Avenue J stop.
The neighborhood is residential and low-key -- do not expect a flashy storefront. Di Fara is a classic corner pizzeria: Formica counters, a few booths, and the oven at the center of everything.
Visit difara.com for the most current hours and any announcements about closures or special events.
How Di Fara stacks up against other frequently compared New York City pizza destinations. All are worth visiting; they are different experiences.
| Category | Di Fara | Grimaldi's | Lucali | Prince St. Pizza |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Round + Sicilian | Coal-fired thin crust | Coal-fired thin | Round + square |
| Single slice | ~$6-8 | No slices (pies only) | No slices | ~$5-7 |
| Whole pie (est.) | ~$35+ | ~$28-32 | ~$30+ | ~$25-30 |
| Cash only | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Reservations | No | No | Limited | No |
| Wait (busy day) | 30 min - 2 hrs | 15-45 min | 1-2 hrs | 15-30 min |
| Neighborhood | Brooklyn (Midwood) | Brooklyn (DUMBO) | Brooklyn (Carroll Gdns) | Manhattan (Nolita) |
All prices are estimates based on publicly reported visitor data. Verify before visiting any location.
Domenico DeMarco arrived in New York from Caserta, Italy, and opened Di Fara Pizza on Avenue J in Midwood, Brooklyn in 1965. For the first several decades, Dom made every single pizza himself -- a level of personal dedication that became the foundation of the shop's legend. His technique: hand-stretched dough, San Marzano tomatoes, a blend of imported Italian cheeses including fior di latte and aged Grana Padano, and fresh basil snipped from a plant kept on the counter for each pie.
Di Fara has never expanded, never franchised, and never modernized its storefront. It remains a no-frills corner pizzeria -- a few booths, a counter, and an oven. The shop has been featured in nearly every serious survey of American pizza and is frequently cited as the best in New York City by food writers, chefs, and pizza obsessives worldwide.
Dom's children now work alongside him in the shop. The Ave J location remains the only outpost.
If Di Fara is on your list, these other celebrated pizzerias are frequently mentioned in the same breath.
Answers to the questions people most commonly ask about Di Fara Pizza before making the trip to Brooklyn.
Di Fara Pizza has been called the best pizza in New York City by numerous food writers, critics, and pizza authorities -- including the late Jonathan Gold, New York magazine, Eater, and the New York Times. Whether it holds that title today is a matter of passionate debate among New Yorkers, but it is consistently ranked among the top five and has maintained that reputation for over 60 years. The consensus among serious pizza eaters is that it is at minimum a must-visit experience.
Domenico DeMarco was born in Caserta, Italy, and opened Di Fara Pizza on Avenue J in Brooklyn in 1965. For decades he personally made every pizza himself -- stretching the dough, ladling the sauce, layering the cheese, and finishing each pie with fresh basil he snips from a plant kept on the counter. That level of personal involvement and consistency over six decades is virtually unheard of in the restaurant industry. Dom has been celebrated as a living legend of American pizza. His children now assist with operations, though Dom continues to be a presence in the shop.
Di Fara is not a cheap slice shop. As of recent reporting (2025), a whole round pie runs approximately $35 or more, and individual slices have been priced around $6-$8 each (higher with toppings). Square Sicilian slices command a premium. Prices change and Di Fara does not maintain a public menu with pricing -- always confirm with the restaurant before your visit. Cash only.
No. Di Fara Pizza is cash only. There is no card reader at the counter. Bring enough cash before you go -- there is an ATM nearby on Avenue J but lines can be long and the machine is sometimes out of service. This is one of the most important practical details to know before making the trip.
The wait at Di Fara can be substantial -- anywhere from 30 minutes to over 2 hours on busy weekend afternoons. Because Dom (or his family) makes each pie largely by hand, output is intentionally limited. The line moves in waves as pies come out of the oven. Tips: arrive when they open (typically around noon), avoid Saturday afternoon peak hours, and consider a weekday lunch visit. The line is part of the Di Fara experience, and regulars say the wait is worth it.
Di Fara Pizza is located at 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230, in the Midwood neighborhood. The nearest subway is the Q train to the Avenue J stop, a short walk away. Street parking exists but is competitive. The shop is a no-frills counter-and-booth setup -- the focus is entirely on the pizza.
Di Fara's hours are irregular and have changed over the years. As of 2025-2026, they typically open around noon and close in the early evening (hours vary by day). They are known to close early when they sell out. The shop has historically been closed on certain days of the week -- check difara.com or call ahead before making the trip, especially on a weekday. Do not assume posted hours are current.
Several things set Di Fara apart. First, the personal involvement of Dom DeMarco himself -- for most of its history, every pizza was made by one person. Second, the ingredients: Dom uses imported Italian flour, San Marzano tomatoes, a house cheese blend that includes imported Italian fior di latte and aged Grana Padano, and fresh basil snipped directly from a plant kept at the counter. Third, the consistency: despite minimal changes over 60 years, the pizza has sustained its reputation. Fourth, the location and setting: a non-descript corner shop in a residential Brooklyn neighborhood -- no marketing, no expansion, just the pizza.
Di Fara briefly opened a location inside the DeKalb Market Hall in downtown Brooklyn (at Dekalb Avenue), which closed. The Midwood Avenue J location remains the original and only permanent outpost. There have been no successful franchise expansions, which is intentional -- the identity of Di Fara is inseparable from its singular location and Dom's personal involvement.
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