Pizzanista Pizza Slices in Shibuya, Tokyo

If you looking for a good slice of New York-style pizza in Tokyo, you actually have a lot of options.  As our list of NYC-style pizza slice shops in Tokyo continues to grow, we bring you one of the best; Pizzanista, in Shibuya’s Cat Street neighborhood, is a cool shop that makes a tasty slice.

Packed into the block that includes RVCA, FTC Skateboards, and the Trunk Hotel, Pizzanista is about 2 minutes off of Cat Street, not far from Streamer’s Coffee Company.

Pizzanista is great spot; a simple, dead-on American pizza slice joint. There are a lot of good reasons to be in this part of Tokyo, and when you are in the neighborhood you should swing by for a slice.

If you happen to come by Pizzanista when the pizza case is full, you’ll have a full stack of choices: Margherita, Mushroom Cheese, Cheese, Pepperoni, Meat Jesus, Mac n Cheese, Vegetable, something called “the Tokyo,” and maybe a “Special” Pizza.

The first time I came by (at 4 PM) I was a little too late for lunch and a bit early for dinner; as I was there at a low-demand time of day, the pizza case was almost empty (and the pizza that was left had been sitting around for a while).  I had just a few choices to choose from, but I ordered up:

Two slices and a sudsie PBR (…Pabst is so “blue-collar Americana,” a perfect pairing with a pizza slice).

As I waited for my slices to be re-heated, I took in the vibe of the shop; their skateboard theme is tight. They have a miniramp (clack-clack, clack-clack) bench with oak coping.  The sink in the bathroom is miniature replica of a empty pool (a reference to skating backyard pools).  As an old parkrat, I was easily charmed by all this.

The reason for the skateboarding references seems to be that this shop was started by a famous 1990’s skater named Salman Agah (he rode for Real). This Cat Street Pizzanista is the Tokyo incarnation of the original Pizzanista pizza shop – located in Los Angeles, California.

While the standard spin on New York slices offered by the most Japanese slice shops includes skateboards and hip hop, at Pizzanista that afternoon the music was all rock n roll.

After a few minutes, my pizza arrived:

First bite was the Mac n Cheese pizza. Is it really a good idea to combine macaroni and cheese on a pizza? I’m gonna say, “not really.” Was it tasty, though? Yeah, definitely.

It was what it sounds like; soft, rich mac and cheese, baked onto a sturdy slice.  That overall mix came to something like an American school cafeteria pizza.  If that sounds like a dis to you, you obviously have no idea how popular “pizza day” was when I was kid at school. It was low-brow, but good.

My second slice: Jalapeno Cheese Pizza.

I didn’t actually order the Jalapeno Pizza.  I wanted to try that Meat Jesus (I mean, who wouldn’t?), but when I pointed I must have had a stray finger, because I ended up with the wrong slice. However, if you’re gonna botch my order, serving up anything with jalapeno is the best possible blind replacement.

Probably a better choice than the cheesy noodle pizza. Great slice.

“Great sauce.”
— My notes from my first visit

I was in a rush that first visit, was loving the taste but didn’t have time to eat it all. Before I left, I tore off a bit of the crust for one last bite. Crispy exterior, but soft (almost chewy) in the center. A dabbed at a bit of that sweet sauce and it hit the spot.

The pizza that day at 4 PM was not technically “fresh,” and already had that “refrigerator leftover” taste-texture -which pizza lovers know is still a very good thing, but maybe not “the best” thing.  I loved every bite of that meal, and I was excited to come by again, so…

I did. A few weeks later, I was back to take a second run at the Pizzanista line up of Tokyo slices.

On my second visit to Pizzanista, I came by around 6 PM.  I assumed that would be a better time of day for a fresh slice, and I was correct; the pizza case was packed with options this time, and many of the pizza were just out of the oven.

Finally; I got to Meat Jesus (or so they say).

An excellent, easy pizza.  Sauce was sweet, but not too sweet.  Slice had been sitting around for a while but came out of the oven reheated-hot and crispy; crust was still soft in the middle.

Does the Pizzanista crust pass our infamous “Pizza Czar” Pizza Test:

Yes, it does; you can easily pick it up.

For my second slice on my second visit I went after the Spicy Chicken Pizza slice (the “Special”).  That was a very different, original concept for pizza slice.  Hot and spicy. The chicken was shredded (Maybe it was originally stewed? Then shredded, and gets crispy in the pizza oven?). The flavor was “red chili flakes.” The addition of the onion gave it some depth.

Once again; that classic NYC dough, that great sauce, was killer combo with a PBR. Hittin’ the spot.

On this second visit the music was all really bad, punk rock Christmas songs.  It was April, which made the occasion of punk-versions of Holiday songs extra bad (but perhaps Christmas in April is also extra “punk?”). Maybe when you love punk, but don’t really understand all that much English you might not notice it’s a “Christmas Album?”

Anyway…

Rumor has it, they even serve up pizza on a budget:

Three-Coin Thursday! We’re offering our delish Cheese pizza for ¥300 (tax incl.) a slice on Thursday!
— From the Pizzanista website

I like this shop.  It’s in a great location, it’s comfortable, and the pizza is good.  While a lot of the pizza in Tokyo is “fancy” and high-end, this is place where you and your crew could hang out. For the best pizza slice in Tokyo, we think (the two locations of) The Pizza (in Hiro-o and Shimizuda) offer higher quality pizza and a better taste, but… Pizzanista is a good alternative in this part of town.

Recommended.

Pizza Slices in Tokyo

— The Pizza Hiroo, in Shibuya, Tokyo
— New York style pizza slices at New York Tonyz Pizza in Tokyo
— Rocco’s NYC Pizza in Kita City, Tokyo
— NY pizza slices at Nim’s Pizza in Asabujuban in Minato City, Tokyo
— Pizza Slice Cat Street in Shibuya, Tokyo

For more Tokyo Pizza see:

— Marumo Pizzeria in Ebisu, Tokyo
— Pizza Bar on 38th’s omakase pizza at the Mandarin Hotel in Chuo City, Tokyo
— Massimotavio Pizza in Suginami City
— Rippongi PST Pizza in Minato City, Tokyo
— Savoy Asabujuban Pizza in Minato City, Tokyo
— Simple, excellent pizza at Frey’s Famous Pizzeria, in Rippongi, Minato City, Tokyo
— Pinsa at Bonta Italia in Sarugakucho, Shibuya, Tokyo
— Pizza Strada in Azabujuban, Minato City, Tokyo
— Devil Craft Pizza in Kanda, in Chuo City, more Chicago pizza at DevilCraft Gotanda in Shinagawa, Tokyo
— Shibuya pizza at Kevelos, in Tokyo
— Sabasu Pizza in Akasaka, Tokyo
— Komazawa Pizzeria da Peppe Napoli Sta’ Ca” in Setagaya City, Tokyo
— Deep-dish pizza at Pizzakaya (Detroit style) in Minato City, Tokyo
— Seirinkan Pizzeria in Meguro, Tokyo
— Risto Pizza in Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo
— Butcher Republic in Ebisu, Tokyo