Mediterraneo pizza

Where to drop in for pizza along St Nicholas? Mediterraneo pizza on the Upper Manhattan stretch fits the bill with an un-self-conscious menu of small plates and counter service. The slice-and-go rhythm suits solo diners jonesing for vegetable-loaded options or more than one pass through the dessert case, and it’s just as easy to swing by during lunch as it is once the dinner rush starts.

You’ll find the place tucked inside a stretch that’s neither tourist strip nor food hall, keeping the mood local on a block that hums with neighborhood energy after school lets out. The kitchen keeps a steady rotation of comfort food, quick bites, and the odd catering-sized order for days when the counter line grows three deep, and you can count on something green on the plate—vegetarian selections are part of the regular lineup.

Save the address—1593 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10040—and call (212) 927-0282 before a late shift or a 2 p.m. hunger spike. If the line’s busy or the sidewalk’s crowded, pull up the directions and cut through the side streets to beat the crush.