Club Benefits
As a New Yorker who was born and raised in Queens, I quickly learned what separates a mediocre slice of pizza from a truly amazing one.
Over the years, I’ve taken the train and bus just to fulfill my appetite by munching on a Grade A slice from the likes of Cuts & Slices, Macoletta and New Park Pizza. My never-ending journey for the best pizza in the city, best known for its slim slices, eventually lit a lightbulb over my head and pushed me right back into the world of AI.
Ever since Gemini got attached to Google Maps, it’s become a handy tool for those times when I need hands-free directions via chatting while I’m driving, a heads-up about the traffic conditions for my next route and an identifier that gives me verified info on any special places I come across. It’s also great on the recommendation front, which is why it’s become my best buddy when I need to know where to eat next.
When I used the “Ask Maps” chat feature with Gemini in Google Maps and requested a list of the best pizza places in NYC, it mentioned a popular tourist hotspot. My expectations for those sorts of places tend to be low, but to my surprise, it was a lot better than expected.
Making my way to Joe’s Pizza
Once I verbally demanded that Gemini in Google Maps put me on the path to cheesy, tomato-fueled heaven, it brought up a bunch of highly-rated pizza spots from every corner of the city.
It even split them up into different classifications, such as “Modern Champions" (best pizza in the city AND the world!), “Historical Icons” (legendary pizza spots that are cornerstones of NYC) and “Classic Favorites” (go-to spots every NY'er should go to) to make my next pizza destination a bit easier to discern. Thankfully, it didn't bring up any pizza chains like Pizza Hut (which is a plus when you remember AI hasn't had the most positive effect on the popular restaurant brand as of late).
The main pizza spot that caught my attention was Joe’s Pizza, which Gemini offered a very enticing description of stating, "For the ultimate classic NYC slice, Joe’s Pizza is the gold standard." It also stated that it's known for:
- Fame: Famous for its on-screen cameos (including Spider-Man 2) and photos of celebrity fans lining the walls.
- The Slice: Known for thin, foldable slices with just the right amount of grease and a perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio.
- Convenience: Open until 3 AM or later, making it a legendary late-night destination.
It must have been fate that Joe’s Pizza ended up catching my eye because it turns out that it’s a block away from the office here in Times Square. So on a rainy and unusually chilly Thursday, I stepped away from my desk and headed downstairs to see if all the hype about Joe’s Pizza was justified. After waiting 30 minutes in a long line full of locals and out-of-towners, I left with two slices and high expectations.
Two slices of greatness
As someone who can be overly judgmental about pizza (Sbarro’s is not, ladies and gentlemen!), I came away from my mid-afternoon pizza journey with high marks for Joe’s Pizza. Gemini in Google Maps’ lofty overview of what makes the actual location such a cool destination and why its pizza tastes so good were on the money — those two slices I ate made the long wait in the rain worth all the trouble. Once again, AI performed admirably when the time came to lead me to another delicious location that I'll be sure to mention to my fellow pizza addicts.
Final thoughts
Having a quick chat with Gemini in Google Maps just so I can stuff my face is now one of my favorite pastimes. Asking it to point me in the right direction of 4-5 star pizza restaurants is one of the best ways to use Google’s chatbot on the Google Maps app.
After finding out just how good Joe’s Pizza is based on Gemini’s lofty promises, I’m more keen on trusting its other pizza recommendations. It’s safe to say that I’ll be making a few stops to Una Pizza Napoletana, John’s of Bleecker Street and Di Fara Pizza real soon.
If Gemini in Google Maps says it's good, who am I to question it?
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