I’m confused. There are three pizza joints with the name “Champion” that are in close proximity to one another in Lower Manhattan. The Snob previously scored a decent slice at Champion Pizza Soho over on Cleveland Street. While the one on Ludlow Street remains unexamined, I was recently lured into the Champion Pizza on Essex Street when I could not resist the urge to challenge their sign which boasted “The Best Slice in Town.”
After my experience on Essex Street, the connection, if any, between the three Champion places still remains a mystery. But, I can now attest to the fact that the slice on Essex Street is not the best in town. In fact, I can say that it is one of the worst.
If there is a link to the Soho spot, the difference might be that this spot on Essex is meant to be a cheap slice place. Their signage advertises slices for $1.00, but the price doubles to a deuce after 10pm which is when I arrived.
Stuck in the middle of a busy city block, Champion’s closed-in counter is just two steps from their open front door. The only place to sit with your slice is two small bright blue benches in a tiny cramped area between the front door and the sidewalk–a rather grungy dining area.
My slice had the normal NY look, but as for the taste all I could say was “Yuck!” It was just terrible. Soggy throughout and made from the kind of ingredients you probably need to use to sell pizza on the cheap. I couldn’t even finish it all, and what I did eat left a nasty taste in my mouth.
This was just bad dollar pizza, and I should have known what I was getting into. Don’t waste your time and two bucks like I did.
PIZZA SNOB RATING *1/2 Thinking About the Trash Can
Champion Pizza
123 Essex Street
New York, NY 100002
[no phone or website]
The Pizza Snob 
I went to Champion Pizza yesterday.
Here’s my take. Their pizza sauce and marinara sauces are amazing.
There one of the best pizza sauces and marinara sauces i’v tried.
The first slice i got came out of the oven and you could tell it had to much cheese on it.
The Slice and dough was soft as a pancake.
So i waited 5 minutes and got another slice and marinara slice. I told them to heat it up to see if the dough would be crunchy.
The dough was much better after being heated up. It was a thin crust dough that was crunchy.
The mozzarella cheese was good but it was a little to sweet.
My take on this pizza is i would get a thicker dough. I love the dough and crust at Rosa’s pizza in Penn Station. The best dough i’v tried is Pizza Suprema right behind Madison Square Garden.
The other thing is, Champion Pizza should put less mozzarella cheese on the pie when they make it. There is just way to much cheese on this pizza and the ratio to pizza sauce was not good.
The Marinara slice was good. But i wish it had a thicker dough.
The best marinara slice i’v had is at Fanatico in Jericho Longisland.
The best pizza in NYC are Joe’s on Carmine street,, Amore in Flushing, Patsy’s in Harlem.
You can buy a pie at Patsy’s for 11 bucks and it tastes amazing.