A welcoming and delicious no frills pizza join serving up classic slices and unique Italian quick bites.
Xeno’s Pizza is a casual joint serving up artisanal slices in the populous Midtown East. With its bright interiors, top-notch service, and mouth-watering collection of Italian classics, it is no wonder that the new spot is already a local favorite. Located at 163 E 52nd St, it is the perfect mid-day snack break tucked between the corporate buildings of Manhattan.
Pizza from Xeno’s. Photo credit: Lindsay Cummings
Not only has Xeno’s mastered the classics of Margherita and Spicy Vodka slices, but they also have a selection of square slices, Italian plates of pasta, hearty sandwiches, and a variety of appetizers. During our visit, we had the Spicy Vodka and the Rocky Road split pie, the perfect balance of tangy goodness and rich meat heartiness to feed the soul. For an entire pizza made fresh from scratch, we waited no more than 15 minutes, and everything came out cooked to perfection.
To make the most objectively judgment of the food, we also made sure to get our hands on their sandwiches and brand new released Italian roll. The chicken parm sandwich is the ultimate lunch option for those craving something crispy and saucy. The showstopper of our meal was definitely the Italian roll, though. It was such a unique creation that tastes like a perfectly sauced pizza inside a crispy pastry roll.
Margherita Slice, photo credits: Lindsay Cummings
If you need your greens, Xeno’s Pizza also offers a vegetarian pizza (accurately named Bugs Bunny Veggie) and a surprisingly tasty vinaigrette mix salad with chickpeas and croutons. Outside of the mains, they also offer a variety of appetizers and desserts like the classic mozzarella sticks, garlic knots and tiramisu cake.
Appetizers, photo credits: Lindsay Cummings
Now you must be wondering, there are so many great pizza places in NYC, what makes Xeno’s unique? Unlike the rough around the edges places around town, Xeno’s employees always welcome you in with a smile. There is never a rush to get you through the door, as there are several sit down tables for you to enjoy your meal fresh out of the oven. The great hospitality is thanks to the founder’s decades-long dedication to food and beverages. Xeno’s is run by a team of brothers whose family have been veterans of the New York food scene for over four decades. Evan and Alex Xenopulous have dedicated their lives to bringing fresh ingredients and high quality food with unique flavors to NYC.
Make sure to grab your slice of artisan heaven at Xeno’s next time you’re in Midtown East.
