Pizza is a New York staple. Whether you’re coming back from a late night out or you just want a quick bite to eat on your way home from class, you can find a pizza shop on any given street corner. Unfortunately, not all pizzas are created equal. We know you’re busy college students who do not have time to test every pizza place to find your favorite, so we did you a favor and tried out cheese pizza from several different places near NYU for you.

Lunetta Pizza

245 3rd Ave.

Despite Lunetta’s variety of flavors, its simple cheese pizza did not deliver. The cheese was a little too thick, and it overwhelmed with almost every bite. I would have liked to taste more of the sauce to at least even it out, but it was lacking. I was almost willing to give Lunetta a three slice rating, but the crust did not finish it off enough — it almost hurt my gums to bite into it, and I did not feel satisfied after my slice. Lunetta is not a great first choice, but if you live in Gramercy Green Residence Hall and simply cannot be bothered to walk farther for your cheesy needs, you will have to settle for Lunetta.

Joe’s Pizza

150 E. 14th St.

Joe’s is a popular spot, and I have to admit that it used to be my favorite. However, the huge slices were overwhelming, and they dripped with oil. The cheese on Joe’s pizza is, in fact, incredible, but unlike Lunetta, Joe’s piles on the sauce almost to the point that it overpowers the cheese. Their sauce is fine enough, but their real selling point is the cheese, and as such it should have had more emphasis. Additionally, Joe’s is not exactly the type of shop you can sit in to relax with your friends and enjoy pizza — you go in, quickly pay for your slice and head out to eat somewhere else. However, Joe’s is close to several NYU dorms — University Hall and Palladium Residence Hall, to name a few — and is still worth the walk, despite the imbalance of ingredients.

Gotham Pizza

88 3rd Ave.

Gotham Pizza is truly a wonder. Their cheese pizza’s thinner crust and lack of excessive oil kept me from feeling gross after eating it, and its cheese-to-sauce ratio is amazing. The crust truly topped it off perfectly — it was crispy, but not so much so that I felt like I was just eating a cracker. Gotham goes above and beyond by providing a cute, diner-style environment to sit in and spend time with your friends while eating. Gotham is near Third North Residence Hall and Founders Residence Hall, and it is absolutely worth the walk for students living in dorms on Union Square.

99 Cent Fresh Pizza

388 6th Ave.

A slice of cheese pizza from 99 Cent Fresh Pizza will never let you down. The sauce-to-cheese ratio will never leave you feeling regretful in your choice, and the crust is delightful — not so thick that it overpowers the cheese and sauce, but thick enough that it provides a wonderful base for your toppings. Every single aspect of the pizza is taken into account at 99 Cent, and thus, every single slice comes out perfectly.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Sept. 25 print edition. Email Natasha Roy at [email protected]