Morningstar’s New York Pizza Menu

  • Starters
  • Salad
  • Entrees
  • Combination Entrees
  • Pizza Slices
  • Calzones
  • Hot Heros
  • Cold Heros
  • Lunch Specials
  • Imported from New York
  • Kids
  • Desserts
  • Soda

Healthy Meal suggestions for Morningstar’s New York Pizza

  • Starters
  • Salad
  • Entrees
  • Combination Entrees
  • Pizza Slices
  • Calzones
  • Hot Heros
  • Cold Heros
  • Lunch Specials
  • Imported from New York
  • Kids
  • Desserts
  • Soda

Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.

Visit below restaurant in Lawrence for healthy meals suggestion.

  • Tiffinie F.

    I'm with Scott T. I don't get it either. We ate here about a month after they opened. I have to get straight to it. It was horrible. We very much wanted to find a new spot near us for some great Pizza. We also love to support a good local business. Unfortunately this is not one we can show love for. First the pizza took a good 45 min to come to the table. Our beer even took an unusual amount of time to come out. There were maybe 3-4 other tables there. Some had already ordered one ordered after us. That's it. This part is what bothered my husband the most. The employees were more busy chatting it up with another "famous" local who came in than taking orders and delivering food. We also didn't get our garlic knots in a timely manner because they "forgot" we had ordered them. When they did come out my kids didn't want to eat them because they were so greasy and over seasoned. The sauce tasted like it came out of a can. They were very chewy as well (probably d/t grease). When the pizza finally came out. It was just "ok" My expectations are never high for a good NY pizza in the middle of KS but really this was below expectation. I would say the only thing they can claim to be similar to NY pizza was the size. The crust was too thick. The sausage had an odd taste. They didn't drown the pizza in sauce which was a plus. Would not waste a pizza night on this one. I'd go to Tad's or JOHNNY"S of all places for a better pizza. We wish we could have a place like Grimaldi's pizza in Brooklyn near by! I know they were just getting started but the service was horrible. Starting with what I said about timeliness above. Hopefully they have gotten this part down. We had to ask for EVERYTHING. They dropped the pizza down and left. Can we get some plates. Can we get some napkins. How about a fork. Can you fill up our drinks that have been empty for 15 min? Truly bizarre. The owners,,,it was obvious who they were...were obnoxious. I know that they have been a part of Lawrence for sometime and their son is well known but they were out right rude to us. I honestly felt like they didn't want our business. At the end of dinner the owner was standing near us and my husband tried to be polite and ask where they got the idea to start the business. My husband is from New York---born and raised. He was just wondering if they were also from NY. The owner spoke to us like we should have already known of course who they are and the history behind how they started it and how they got the idea from someone they knew who also had a pizza place...etc. We were done with it by then. We politely said thank you paid and left. We will never give them our business and quite frankly that won't be hard as their food is horrible. This is not "NY" pizza. Is it edible? Yes. Are their other places in town they provide a better NY pizza and service? Definitely. Hopefully things have improved.

    (1)
  • Quinn R.

    Legitimately good New York Style Pizza. The calzones are superb and the pizza is very good. Just on the food I'd probably give between 3 and 4 stars. But what makes this a 5 star review is the service. I haven't been anywhere in Lawrence, or ordered delivery from anyone else in Lawrence, that had such consistently friendly and excellent service. That feeling, that the people running the store always want you to be happy and really care about the overall quality of your experience ordering from them is unparalleled at any restaurant I've been to in Lawrence. Give this place a try!

    (5)
  • Chris S.

    I was here last Autumn with a friend for a calzone, which was actually pretty well done, so I decided to try it again with my Sicilian-born wife. For a city of nearly 100,000, it is appalling that Lawrence does not have a single decent. authentic Italian restaurant. A Carrabba's would even be a breath of fresh air, but the tight-knit city "powers that be" seem to be pretty good at discouraging innovation and "chains" in favor of "mom and pop" establishments. Unfortunately, none of the moms and pops seem to have a clue how to run a decent restaurant, Italian or otherwise. Anyway, all that being said, Morningstar's is not bad. We tried the garlic knots ($3) which came with a side of red sauce. Baked balls of pizza dough infused with garlic apparently, I could barely taste the garlic and the "knots" were not baked long enough, a little too chewy ... too bad! The prices are decent except for the pizzas which are a bit pricey, so my wife ordered The New Yorker calzone ($7.25) with mozzarella, ricotta & parmigiana cheese, no sauce (she is allergic to tomatoes - some Italian!), with mushrooms added ($.50 extra). She was quite happy with the calzone. The dough was baked to perfection and there were just enough ingredients, so my wife (who has lived in Naples, Italy - the home of the best pizza in the World - most of her life) was actually impressed. Bravo! I wanted to try a few different things, so I got the Jumbo Combo ($9.75) which came with chicken parmigiana, eggplant rollatine, stuffed pasta shells, a side of spaghetti, and a meatball. I asked for the baked manicotti instead of the stuffed shells and they were happy to comply. Unfortunately, when my dish arrived I was a bit dismayed to see everything crammed into a casserole dish. The chicken parmigiana was actually cubes of breaded chicken piled on one end of the dish and the manicotti and eggplant rollatine were on the other end, layered one on top of the other. The whole dish was covered with sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked in the oven. The side of spaghetti was not well drained, so it was a bit too watery. Too bad because the sauce was decent. With no meatball in sight, I asked the server where it was, but she said the dish did not come with one. After informing her that the menu indicated that a meatball did come with the dish, she scurried off and brought me one post haste. In all, the dish was a bit of a mess, but it was actually not that bad. It could have been better presented and would have been much more palatable had the chicken, manicotti, and eggplant been separated on a large plate, but with a name like Morningstar you cannot expect authentic Italian dishes. Alas, still no authentic Italian food in Lawrence, but Morningstar's does a fair job of trying. Their prices are fair and the service is decent, but it looks more like a sports bar than an Italian restaurant. The old world ambience just is not there. As Morningstar's would say: "fuggedaboudit", but not just yet. We will likely be back because my wife liked the calzone (as did I on my first visit), so maybe I will try one of their sandwiches next time. I would also offer suggestions for improvement if invited because I will do ANYTHING to help a local business as well as my chances of having a decent Italian restaurant meal without having to drive 4o miles. HOOAH! CombatCritic Gives Morningstar's New York Pizza 5 Bombs Out Of 10 (2 1/2 Stars) ... More Bombs Are Better!

    (3)
  • Sam A.

    Great surprise from strip mall pizza! Ordered a combo pizza and garlic knots. Both were great. Knots were only $3 (and we got 9 of them!!). That'll be a go to snack. Next time I'm there I'll get a meatball sandwich. It was beautiful. This place needs another location not in a strip mall

    (4)
  • Zach G.

    I really did not expect to like Morningstar's too much. As a Chicagoan, I'm bred to hate NYC pizza. However, Morningstars NYC pizza...well, it isn't quite NYC pizza. First and foremost, they have a menu that consists of pizza, sandwiches, and some other ods and ends. They also offer slices...perhaps all day, in fact. I don't remember seeing something about slices being lunch-only, which is the case at many places. The slices, and the pizzas too, are offered Sicilian Style (thicker, about 1") and Neapolitan Style (thin crisp cracker crust). For my lunch, Neapolitan slice with sausage, pepperoncini and garlic. The plain cheese slice is $2.50, and each ingredient is $0.50 extra, so my slice was $4.00. It came out fairly quickly. The sausage was the sliced kind and was flavorful enough. The pepperoncini's were not very spicy, which was a bit of a bummer. The garlic was...uh...applied very liberally. I'll be tasting it for years to come. But my love of garlic approves of this. Just beware. The crust was crispy and, as previously mentioned, cannot really be folded like NYC pizza. All in all, I would say it's a cross between NYC pizza and Neapolitan pizza. The only negative with the custom slices isn't limited to Morningstar's - because they're put on over the cheese, any little angle on the pizza allows some of the topping to slide off. In my case, many a pepperoncini ended up back on my plate. #FirstWorldProblems. Service was friendly and efficient, and the space is clean and comfortable. It does have an interesting setup in that you feel like it is a mixture of sit down and counter ordering. It can almost feel slightly confusing for the first few seconds you step in. If it says to seat yourself, just grab a spot and they'll bring you your menu, drink and cutlery. There are a few TVs along the wall. They also do have some bottled beers available (not sure about tap though). Quick, affordable, tasty. I will return for future lunches as it's also fairly near my office.

    (4)
  • Terry M.

    What a great place, stopped in while in town picking up my son from Basketball Camp. Nice friendly place, the service was very good and our server was very nice. We met some family there since we were in town, split a couple different pizzas. The ingredients were very fresh and the crust was perfect. Do yourself a favor and stop by, you won't be sorry you did.

    (5)
  • Patrick M.

    This place is solid. Our specially-created pizza was tasty, right on-time, and the service was top-notch. The salads were excellent and the breadsticks too. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Tony T.

    This place is terrible!!! Do not waste your money on them! I ordered a slice of thin crust with pineapple, ham, jalapeño and the ham was literally torn pieces of lunch meat. (see photos) they couldn't even cut it with a knife!! The toppings are put on top of cold premade cheese pizza. They didn't even bother to reheat it so the toppings would be hot!! You are better off going to the grocery store and buying a one dollar jenos pizza than to waste money on this junk they try to pass off as pizza. Anyone that gave this place over 1 star rating is friends with the owners or the workers. I would give them a zero rating if it was allowed. If you don't even have enought pride in your product to cut the freaking ham with a knife instead of tearing it with your fingers then you shouldn't own a pizza joint. Sorry excuse for a pizza place. I hope they shut down after people realize they are being ripped off.

    (1)
  • Scott T.

    Don't get it. Visited twice. Good enough to fill the belly without offending but the claim of New York style pizza quality? That's pretend land. Spend several weeks in New York City every year and this doesn't resemble the great pizza you can get there. Not in the ballpark, not close, missed first base. There's more to New York pizza than thin crust. First off, when you pick up a slice in the city the ingredients don't slide off the bread, which is precisely what happened to us twice. The pizza itself isn't bad, it just isn't New York style, and it's not crafted particularly well. I'd call it we-grew-up-on-Kansas-Pizza-Hut-and-think-this-is-what-New-York-Pizza-is. Pass.

    (2)
  • Todd B.

    I am giving 2 stars because the experience really fits with "meh. I've had better." The place was really clean. The service was good. The portion sizes were generous. Except for the large order of bread sticks wasn't very large. The best part of whole experience had to be the marinara sauce. Never been to New York so couldn't tell you how this compares, but personally I'd rather have a wood-fired pizza.

    (2)
  • Christina J.

    Awesome delicious flavorful NY style pizza. Foldable and excellent crust. Best authentic Italian sausage in our area and fresh toppings on the Supreme

    (4)
  • Clarice W.

    I'm don't claim to be a NY style pizza connoisseur, but Morningstar's delivers some no-nonsense, no-frills, thin crust Neopolitan (for those of you even more newbie than me, read: Cheese) pizza that sure seemed authentic to me. Super crunchy crust, thin layers of sauce/cheese, and cut in a large wedge (about 9" tip to crust), you've got to pick this baby up and fold it to ensure proper eating - which I believe is the "correct," NY-way (please feel free to correct, true NYers). The garlic bread oozes with buttery grease, is heavily seasoned, and comes in a large portion (2 slices about 7" long each). Stay away from it if you're here on a date - I fortunately was not and therefore was in carb heaven! I dig their marinara...watch it come straight out of a can or something, but that tartness perfectly complemented the garlicky goodness. When I couldn't finish the other half of my bread, our server gladly brought a to-go box for me, all ready with an extra cup of marinara in it. Bonus! I'm a sucker for these little details. On the down side, service is fairly slow and I can't boast about the quality of the cannoli; the filling isn't quite ricotta-y enough and is too heavy on the vanilla. I'm assuming this is what turned the color a displeasing beige instead of the clean, fluffy white I'm used to. The shell didn't taste that freshly-baked as advertised (it didn't crumble the way I'd like it to), but I'm nitpicking at this point. Morningstar's is, after all, a pizza joint. Sometimes you just crave simplicity and this stuff sure does it!

    (4)
  • David G.

    Lots of people claim to be "New York" pizza places but this is one of the few that delivers! If you limit yourself to pizza here though you are missing half the fun. A certain degree of mysticism surrounds what is a New York pizza. Is it the water? The cheese? The size? the oven? The sauce? Yes, it's all of that and none of that. You just know it when you taste it and you roll your eyes at imitators, just like when a midwesterner asks "Why is it called an egg cream when it has no egg and no cream?" and pronounce "Houston" like the city in Texas. When Morningstar first opened, I thought it was named after the stock report in what I thought was a clever tribute to Wall Street. Alas, even though I live in Lawrence, I'm not a basketball fan and apparently this place is owned by a famous KU basketball family. I was disappointed in what I thought would be quite the nod to New Yorkers! That is until I walked by and saw Drake's cake in the window. Like a moth to a flame I was instantly drawn to the place. I haven't had a Yodel since grade school. Dad used to always keep them in the freezer and if I was really good I could have one. For those midwesterners out there, Drake's is kinda like Dolly Madison or Hostess. Except it's better because it's from the East Coast. This was a smart move by the owners because unless you put a sign in Times Square, this was the best way to say "Hey, we love New Yorkers" When I walked in to decide what I'd eat before I ate my coffee cake and Yodel, I saw Wise potato chips. Awwww. That aqua green and yellow bag was part of my lunch box for so many years were about as valuable for trading during school lunches as cigarettes are at Riker's Island. To top off that New York state of mind, they had Yoo-Hoo drink. They didn't try to be a Jewish deli and have Doctor Browns or egg creams (again, use wiki to look it up and stop asking us New Yorkers about it. Get some Fox's Ubet and experiment). This place has all the trappings of a New York pizza parlour. Another authentic aspect of this place was a full Italian menu with calzones, lasagna, heroes (subs, grinders depending on where you are from). Everything tasted as I remembered and nothing gourmet. This is all about the basics and doing it right, though they do have gluten-free and dairy free cheeses. I'd try some of these modern options, but I'd be afraid my New York taxi cab driving father would rise from the grave and tear up my birth certificate. Although I haven't tried it yet, I hear the handmade cannoli is awesome. I promise I'll try it but when they have Darke's Yodels and Coffee Cakes, I simply can't make it that far down on the menu. No Italian ices though, which is a shame but makes sense since Marinos would melt coming all the way from Jamaica (and if you think the country not the borough you've got some more learning to do). Maybe they can serve ice cream with a wooden spoon here and yellow cups and at least try and emulate that feel. What's missing here is the NY attitude, and that's a good thing. The fact they accommodate a variety of dietary needs is a good sign. No "soup nazi" here. Everyone was friendly and helpful and generally interested in our enjoyment. No paper plates and wax paper. Real live silverware! Service was a bit slow, but that's ok because the murals and New York paraphernalia helps pass the time. It's important to note there is all Yankees memorabilia in this place. The reason is simple: the Mets suck. All true New Yorkers know this fact. Ok, I might be exaggerating since not everyone from the Big Apple has realized it yet. The Mets/Yankees rivalry makes Mizzou/KU rivalry look like a playground shouting match and I'm glad this place takes sides. The irony though is Jerry Seinfeld is a big Mets fan and the bathrooms have pictures of Seinfeld characters. Ed Koch is too. These flaws make them human. Neither would eat in a place that so prominently displayed Yankees memorabilia. That's their loss because they've got dozens to choose from in the five boroughs. For us, in Lawrence Kansas, Morningstar's NY pizza is the only true choice for those that can quote and remember the I "heart" New York commercials and had the goofy T-shirt. Native Lawrencians will really get a piece of the action here.

    (5)
  • Bill B.

    All true Jayhawks know the Morningstar name, and yes these are those people. If you do not know the Morningstar name, you surely will be run out of town and will be greeted enthusiastically in Columbia, MO. Really healthy, good pizza. In addition to having whole wheat, thin crust, they have low fat soy cheese, along with lots of fresh produce. If you want something closer to authentic Neapolitan pizza, you'll have to drive to Kansas City, where two restaurants are doing that rather well. But for healthy, low fat, low refined carb, NY style pizza, Morningstar's is the best I've found in this area.

    (5)
  • Jason Y.

    Top 2 pizza joint in Lawrence Kansas. Papa Keno's and Morningstar very similar in regards to thin crust slice. Morningstar has a wide menu with lots of goodies. Compare this place to Aveluto's Italian Delight in Mission Kansas. Much nicer people and cleaner joint at Morningstar. Great addition to Lawrence, Kansas. Little confusing on how to order carry out. Other than that, you MUST try their thick and thin crust pizza.

    (5)
  • Max C.

    NY style pizza you say? I found the thin crust cheese slice to be as I remembered pizza in NY... which is savory, hot, crunchy, yummy good stuff. The thick crust combo slice was a different story, it was burnt on one end and slightly warm with a mass of toppings cooked on top of a pepperoni napoleon slice. The decor is simply NY, a little bit of whatevah! It's all about the thin crust pizza here. I'll be coming here for more.

    (4)
  • Bryan W.

    I came in to town over the holidays and thought I would try out Morningstar's since I had heard the Morningstar family opened a pizza place in Lawrence. The pizza was great and Roger himself was working there. As for the authenticity of Morningstar's pizza as NYC-style, I take a couple trips to NYC each year and always make a point of getting pizza. I see some other reviewers claim that it's not truly authentic, and there may be some truth to that, but Morningstar's pizza is great. I will make a point to go to Morningstar's pizza next time I am in Lawrence. Also, an added bonus, they offer vegan dairy-free, soy cheese. For those who are vegan or have friends and family that are vegan as I do, finding a solid restaurant that has vegan options is not always easy. At Morningstar's you can enjoy your own meat pie, while your vegan friend or relative can enjoy a vegan pizza.

    (5)
  • Peter b.

    Both times I've gone, my order was messed up. It's pretty good pizza and calzones. I don't imagine it being around for too long. Get it while you can.

    (3)
  • Doyle C.

    Excellent! Would be a 5 star if hey delivered!

    (4)
  • Bill W.

    First experience was take out. Ordered whole wheat crust combo. I enjoyed the product, fresh ingredients thin crispy crust. My only criticism is that I had to recut the pizza once I got it home. I will return.

    (3)
  • Jeff T.

    I tried Morningstar's on a Saturday night. I've had plenty of NY style pizza in my day and I don't get it quite honestly. The slices were too thick and the ingredients just didn't do it for me. In reading other reviews, I'll order thin sliced next time because I thought that was standard fare in a NY style pizza joint. Who knew? That said it definitely wasn't bad pizza but it wasn't great pizza either. The service was very friendly but rather scatter brained and they even messed up our supreme pizza order with one-side sans mushrooms and olives. The pizza was hot and smelled good but the pizza ingredients actually looked weird as if they didn't know how to slice veggies. I want to go back and try one of their pasta dishes which looked and smelled very appetizing on the surrounding tables. Give this place a shot but I wouldn't expect the best pizza in Lawrence.

    (2)
  • Eric M.

    Highly recommended. The closest thing to real NY pizza I've had in Lawrence and it's very good. They offer a menu that includes pasta and more just like the real NY pizza shops. You must give it a try for yourself.

    (5)
  • Daniel P.

    Just got back from Morningstar's NYPD about five minutes ago and I felt overly obligated to write a review, so here I am. The place is great! The owners were both there tonight and seeing them genuinely interested in pleasing the customers made the pizza and environment even more enjoyable than it already was. My wife and I ordered the garlic knots ($3) which were just the right size for an appetizer and very tasty. Our medium combo pizza was good as well. Before going to Morningstar's tonight, we checked some of the other reviews on Yelp before we made our decision where to eat. I have only been to NYC once and am no expect on NY style pizza, but a few other reviewers mentioned that the crust was too crispy to fold and the toppings fall off the crust. This was not the case with our pizza tonight. From the prompt greeting and generous hospitality to the décor and food, our experience this evening was great!

    (5)
  • Erik H.

    Awesome pizza and cheesy garlic bread!

    (5)
  • Jessica H.

    I noticed right away how clean it was inside, that started things off in a positive way. Ordered the NY slice and it was delicious! The staff was also very friendly and attentive. I will be back to try more of their pizza and pasta.

    (5)
  • Rusty U.

    Awesome pizza and garlic knots, its all good here and not very expensive vs the chain stores.

    (5)
  • Dan C.

    I'm not the expert on NY pizza, but I've loved what I've had the handful of times in Morningstar's. The appetizers ("sticks & stones" I think they call 'em) are that chewy, buttery, taste of garlic you're hungry for. And this is a restaurant where you really feel hosted. Few places do this well anymore, but you always feel like a guest in the home of friends when you show up and sit. If you try it out, it's my bet you'll go back and back.

    (5)
  • James M.

    Morningstars is one of the first places I tried after moving to Lawrence. It just kinda worked out that I was in the shopping center and wanted to eat. The other restraints seemed more expensive than I wanted at the time and wings sounded pretty good. When I walked in I instantly liked the decor. Nothing overly fancy but it's got a nice pizzeria vibe. Obviously my wife and I ordered the wings and they were even better than they sounded!!! The wings were made to perfection! Sweet and not too hot cause my wife can't take it too crazy. The dance was also really good! We have ordered from them several times since and it is always great! The pizza is also great! It's Brooklyn style but not overly greasy like you come to expect. They also have some remarkably good pastas including one dish with stuffed egg plant. All of them are amazing especially for a place where you would normally get pizza! My best experience with them came about a year after my first visit. We ordered delivery and after 50 minutes nothing had come. We called into the store and they told us it was on the way. Well 30 minutes later we still had no food. We called again because it was the first time we had even had a late delivery from them. Turns out the drivers car had broken down and they had to send someone out to get the food from him. They apologized for the delay and refunded our money without being asked too. I think that shows remarkable service and made us very happy patrons. We will be back as often as possible! Go with these folks and you'll be treated well and fantastically fed!

    (5)
  • Jessica H.

    I noticed right away how clean it was inside, that started things off in a positive way. Ordered the NY slice and it was delicious! The staff was also very friendly and attentive. I will be back to try more of their pizza and pasta.

    (5)
  • Rusty U.

    Awesome pizza and garlic knots, its all good here and not very expensive vs the chain stores.

    (5)
  • Dan C.

    I'm not the expert on NY pizza, but I've loved what I've had the handful of times in Morningstar's. The appetizers ("sticks & stones" I think they call 'em) are that chewy, buttery, taste of garlic you're hungry for. And this is a restaurant where you really feel hosted. Few places do this well anymore, but you always feel like a guest in the home of friends when you show up and sit. If you try it out, it's my bet you'll go back and back.

    (5)
  • Peter b.

    Both times I've gone, my order was messed up. It's pretty good pizza and calzones. I don't imagine it being around for too long. Get it while you can.

    (3)
  • Scott T.

    Don't get it. Visited twice. Good enough to fill the belly without offending but the claim of New York style pizza quality? That's pretend land. Spend several weeks in New York City every year and this doesn't resemble the great pizza you can get there. Not in the ballpark, not close, missed first base. There's more to New York pizza than thin crust. First off, when you pick up a slice in the city the ingredients don't slide off the bread, which is precisely what happened to us twice. The pizza itself isn't bad, it just isn't New York style, and it's not crafted particularly well. I'd call it we-grew-up-on-Kansas-Pizza-Hut-and-think-this-is-what-New-York-Pizza-is. Pass.

    (2)
  • Todd B.

    I am giving 2 stars because the experience really fits with "meh. I've had better." The place was really clean. The service was good. The portion sizes were generous. Except for the large order of bread sticks wasn't very large. The best part of whole experience had to be the marinara sauce. Never been to New York so couldn't tell you how this compares, but personally I'd rather have a wood-fired pizza.

    (2)
  • Christina J.

    Awesome delicious flavorful NY style pizza. Foldable and excellent crust. Best authentic Italian sausage in our area and fresh toppings on the Supreme

    (4)
  • Clarice W.

    I'm don't claim to be a NY style pizza connoisseur, but Morningstar's delivers some no-nonsense, no-frills, thin crust Neopolitan (for those of you even more newbie than me, read: Cheese) pizza that sure seemed authentic to me. Super crunchy crust, thin layers of sauce/cheese, and cut in a large wedge (about 9" tip to crust), you've got to pick this baby up and fold it to ensure proper eating - which I believe is the "correct," NY-way (please feel free to correct, true NYers). The garlic bread oozes with buttery grease, is heavily seasoned, and comes in a large portion (2 slices about 7" long each). Stay away from it if you're here on a date - I fortunately was not and therefore was in carb heaven! I dig their marinara...watch it come straight out of a can or something, but that tartness perfectly complemented the garlicky goodness. When I couldn't finish the other half of my bread, our server gladly brought a to-go box for me, all ready with an extra cup of marinara in it. Bonus! I'm a sucker for these little details. On the down side, service is fairly slow and I can't boast about the quality of the cannoli; the filling isn't quite ricotta-y enough and is too heavy on the vanilla. I'm assuming this is what turned the color a displeasing beige instead of the clean, fluffy white I'm used to. The shell didn't taste that freshly-baked as advertised (it didn't crumble the way I'd like it to), but I'm nitpicking at this point. Morningstar's is, after all, a pizza joint. Sometimes you just crave simplicity and this stuff sure does it!

    (4)
  • David G.

    Lots of people claim to be "New York" pizza places but this is one of the few that delivers! If you limit yourself to pizza here though you are missing half the fun. A certain degree of mysticism surrounds what is a New York pizza. Is it the water? The cheese? The size? the oven? The sauce? Yes, it's all of that and none of that. You just know it when you taste it and you roll your eyes at imitators, just like when a midwesterner asks "Why is it called an egg cream when it has no egg and no cream?" and pronounce "Houston" like the city in Texas. When Morningstar first opened, I thought it was named after the stock report in what I thought was a clever tribute to Wall Street. Alas, even though I live in Lawrence, I'm not a basketball fan and apparently this place is owned by a famous KU basketball family. I was disappointed in what I thought would be quite the nod to New Yorkers! That is until I walked by and saw Drake's cake in the window. Like a moth to a flame I was instantly drawn to the place. I haven't had a Yodel since grade school. Dad used to always keep them in the freezer and if I was really good I could have one. For those midwesterners out there, Drake's is kinda like Dolly Madison or Hostess. Except it's better because it's from the East Coast. This was a smart move by the owners because unless you put a sign in Times Square, this was the best way to say "Hey, we love New Yorkers" When I walked in to decide what I'd eat before I ate my coffee cake and Yodel, I saw Wise potato chips. Awwww. That aqua green and yellow bag was part of my lunch box for so many years were about as valuable for trading during school lunches as cigarettes are at Riker's Island. To top off that New York state of mind, they had Yoo-Hoo drink. They didn't try to be a Jewish deli and have Doctor Browns or egg creams (again, use wiki to look it up and stop asking us New Yorkers about it. Get some Fox's Ubet and experiment). This place has all the trappings of a New York pizza parlour. Another authentic aspect of this place was a full Italian menu with calzones, lasagna, heroes (subs, grinders depending on where you are from). Everything tasted as I remembered and nothing gourmet. This is all about the basics and doing it right, though they do have gluten-free and dairy free cheeses. I'd try some of these modern options, but I'd be afraid my New York taxi cab driving father would rise from the grave and tear up my birth certificate. Although I haven't tried it yet, I hear the handmade cannoli is awesome. I promise I'll try it but when they have Darke's Yodels and Coffee Cakes, I simply can't make it that far down on the menu. No Italian ices though, which is a shame but makes sense since Marinos would melt coming all the way from Jamaica (and if you think the country not the borough you've got some more learning to do). Maybe they can serve ice cream with a wooden spoon here and yellow cups and at least try and emulate that feel. What's missing here is the NY attitude, and that's a good thing. The fact they accommodate a variety of dietary needs is a good sign. No "soup nazi" here. Everyone was friendly and helpful and generally interested in our enjoyment. No paper plates and wax paper. Real live silverware! Service was a bit slow, but that's ok because the murals and New York paraphernalia helps pass the time. It's important to note there is all Yankees memorabilia in this place. The reason is simple: the Mets suck. All true New Yorkers know this fact. Ok, I might be exaggerating since not everyone from the Big Apple has realized it yet. The Mets/Yankees rivalry makes Mizzou/KU rivalry look like a playground shouting match and I'm glad this place takes sides. The irony though is Jerry Seinfeld is a big Mets fan and the bathrooms have pictures of Seinfeld characters. Ed Koch is too. These flaws make them human. Neither would eat in a place that so prominently displayed Yankees memorabilia. That's their loss because they've got dozens to choose from in the five boroughs. For us, in Lawrence Kansas, Morningstar's NY pizza is the only true choice for those that can quote and remember the I "heart" New York commercials and had the goofy T-shirt. Native Lawrencians will really get a piece of the action here.

    (5)
  • Bryan W.

    I came in to town over the holidays and thought I would try out Morningstar's since I had heard the Morningstar family opened a pizza place in Lawrence. The pizza was great and Roger himself was working there. As for the authenticity of Morningstar's pizza as NYC-style, I take a couple trips to NYC each year and always make a point of getting pizza. I see some other reviewers claim that it's not truly authentic, and there may be some truth to that, but Morningstar's pizza is great. I will make a point to go to Morningstar's pizza next time I am in Lawrence. Also, an added bonus, they offer vegan dairy-free, soy cheese. For those who are vegan or have friends and family that are vegan as I do, finding a solid restaurant that has vegan options is not always easy. At Morningstar's you can enjoy your own meat pie, while your vegan friend or relative can enjoy a vegan pizza.

    (5)
  • Jeff T.

    I tried Morningstar's on a Saturday night. I've had plenty of NY style pizza in my day and I don't get it quite honestly. The slices were too thick and the ingredients just didn't do it for me. In reading other reviews, I'll order thin sliced next time because I thought that was standard fare in a NY style pizza joint. Who knew? That said it definitely wasn't bad pizza but it wasn't great pizza either. The service was very friendly but rather scatter brained and they even messed up our supreme pizza order with one-side sans mushrooms and olives. The pizza was hot and smelled good but the pizza ingredients actually looked weird as if they didn't know how to slice veggies. I want to go back and try one of their pasta dishes which looked and smelled very appetizing on the surrounding tables. Give this place a shot but I wouldn't expect the best pizza in Lawrence.

    (2)
  • Eric M.

    Highly recommended. The closest thing to real NY pizza I've had in Lawrence and it's very good. They offer a menu that includes pasta and more just like the real NY pizza shops. You must give it a try for yourself.

    (5)
  • Daniel P.

    Just got back from Morningstar's NYPD about five minutes ago and I felt overly obligated to write a review, so here I am. The place is great! The owners were both there tonight and seeing them genuinely interested in pleasing the customers made the pizza and environment even more enjoyable than it already was. My wife and I ordered the garlic knots ($3) which were just the right size for an appetizer and very tasty. Our medium combo pizza was good as well. Before going to Morningstar's tonight, we checked some of the other reviews on Yelp before we made our decision where to eat. I have only been to NYC once and am no expect on NY style pizza, but a few other reviewers mentioned that the crust was too crispy to fold and the toppings fall off the crust. This was not the case with our pizza tonight. From the prompt greeting and generous hospitality to the décor and food, our experience this evening was great!

    (5)
  • Erik H.

    Awesome pizza and cheesy garlic bread!

    (5)
  • Doyle C.

    Excellent! Would be a 5 star if hey delivered!

    (4)
  • Bill W.

    First experience was take out. Ordered whole wheat crust combo. I enjoyed the product, fresh ingredients thin crispy crust. My only criticism is that I had to recut the pizza once I got it home. I will return.

    (3)
  • Bill B.

    All true Jayhawks know the Morningstar name, and yes these are those people. If you do not know the Morningstar name, you surely will be run out of town and will be greeted enthusiastically in Columbia, MO. Really healthy, good pizza. In addition to having whole wheat, thin crust, they have low fat soy cheese, along with lots of fresh produce. If you want something closer to authentic Neapolitan pizza, you'll have to drive to Kansas City, where two restaurants are doing that rather well. But for healthy, low fat, low refined carb, NY style pizza, Morningstar's is the best I've found in this area.

    (5)
  • James M.

    Morningstars is one of the first places I tried after moving to Lawrence. It just kinda worked out that I was in the shopping center and wanted to eat. The other restraints seemed more expensive than I wanted at the time and wings sounded pretty good. When I walked in I instantly liked the decor. Nothing overly fancy but it's got a nice pizzeria vibe. Obviously my wife and I ordered the wings and they were even better than they sounded!!! The wings were made to perfection! Sweet and not too hot cause my wife can't take it too crazy. The dance was also really good! We have ordered from them several times since and it is always great! The pizza is also great! It's Brooklyn style but not overly greasy like you come to expect. They also have some remarkably good pastas including one dish with stuffed egg plant. All of them are amazing especially for a place where you would normally get pizza! My best experience with them came about a year after my first visit. We ordered delivery and after 50 minutes nothing had come. We called into the store and they told us it was on the way. Well 30 minutes later we still had no food. We called again because it was the first time we had even had a late delivery from them. Turns out the drivers car had broken down and they had to send someone out to get the food from him. They apologized for the delay and refunded our money without being asked too. I think that shows remarkable service and made us very happy patrons. We will be back as often as possible! Go with these folks and you'll be treated well and fantastically fed!

    (5)
  • Chris S.

    I was here last Autumn with a friend for a calzone, which was actually pretty well done, so I decided to try it again with my Sicilian-born wife. For a city of nearly 100,000, it is appalling that Lawrence does not have a single decent. authentic Italian restaurant. A Carrabba's would even be a breath of fresh air, but the tight-knit city "powers that be" seem to be pretty good at discouraging innovation and "chains" in favor of "mom and pop" establishments. Unfortunately, none of the moms and pops seem to have a clue how to run a decent restaurant, Italian or otherwise. Anyway, all that being said, Morningstar's is not bad. We tried the garlic knots ($3) which came with a side of red sauce. Baked balls of pizza dough infused with garlic apparently, I could barely taste the garlic and the "knots" were not baked long enough, a little too chewy ... too bad! The prices are decent except for the pizzas which are a bit pricey, so my wife ordered The New Yorker calzone ($7.25) with mozzarella, ricotta & parmigiana cheese, no sauce (she is allergic to tomatoes - some Italian!), with mushrooms added ($.50 extra). She was quite happy with the calzone. The dough was baked to perfection and there were just enough ingredients, so my wife (who has lived in Naples, Italy - the home of the best pizza in the World - most of her life) was actually impressed. Bravo! I wanted to try a few different things, so I got the Jumbo Combo ($9.75) which came with chicken parmigiana, eggplant rollatine, stuffed pasta shells, a side of spaghetti, and a meatball. I asked for the baked manicotti instead of the stuffed shells and they were happy to comply. Unfortunately, when my dish arrived I was a bit dismayed to see everything crammed into a casserole dish. The chicken parmigiana was actually cubes of breaded chicken piled on one end of the dish and the manicotti and eggplant rollatine were on the other end, layered one on top of the other. The whole dish was covered with sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked in the oven. The side of spaghetti was not well drained, so it was a bit too watery. Too bad because the sauce was decent. With no meatball in sight, I asked the server where it was, but she said the dish did not come with one. After informing her that the menu indicated that a meatball did come with the dish, she scurried off and brought me one post haste. In all, the dish was a bit of a mess, but it was actually not that bad. It could have been better presented and would have been much more palatable had the chicken, manicotti, and eggplant been separated on a large plate, but with a name like Morningstar you cannot expect authentic Italian dishes. Alas, still no authentic Italian food in Lawrence, but Morningstar's does a fair job of trying. Their prices are fair and the service is decent, but it looks more like a sports bar than an Italian restaurant. The old world ambience just is not there. As Morningstar's would say: "fuggedaboudit", but not just yet. We will likely be back because my wife liked the calzone (as did I on my first visit), so maybe I will try one of their sandwiches next time. I would also offer suggestions for improvement if invited because I will do ANYTHING to help a local business as well as my chances of having a decent Italian restaurant meal without having to drive 4o miles. HOOAH! CombatCritic Gives Morningstar's New York Pizza 5 Bombs Out Of 10 (2 1/2 Stars) ... More Bombs Are Better!

    (3)
  • Sam A.

    Great surprise from strip mall pizza! Ordered a combo pizza and garlic knots. Both were great. Knots were only $3 (and we got 9 of them!!). That'll be a go to snack. Next time I'm there I'll get a meatball sandwich. It was beautiful. This place needs another location not in a strip mall

    (4)
  • Zach G.

    I really did not expect to like Morningstar's too much. As a Chicagoan, I'm bred to hate NYC pizza. However, Morningstars NYC pizza...well, it isn't quite NYC pizza. First and foremost, they have a menu that consists of pizza, sandwiches, and some other ods and ends. They also offer slices...perhaps all day, in fact. I don't remember seeing something about slices being lunch-only, which is the case at many places. The slices, and the pizzas too, are offered Sicilian Style (thicker, about 1") and Neapolitan Style (thin crisp cracker crust). For my lunch, Neapolitan slice with sausage, pepperoncini and garlic. The plain cheese slice is $2.50, and each ingredient is $0.50 extra, so my slice was $4.00. It came out fairly quickly. The sausage was the sliced kind and was flavorful enough. The pepperoncini's were not very spicy, which was a bit of a bummer. The garlic was...uh...applied very liberally. I'll be tasting it for years to come. But my love of garlic approves of this. Just beware. The crust was crispy and, as previously mentioned, cannot really be folded like NYC pizza. All in all, I would say it's a cross between NYC pizza and Neapolitan pizza. The only negative with the custom slices isn't limited to Morningstar's - because they're put on over the cheese, any little angle on the pizza allows some of the topping to slide off. In my case, many a pepperoncini ended up back on my plate. #FirstWorldProblems. Service was friendly and efficient, and the space is clean and comfortable. It does have an interesting setup in that you feel like it is a mixture of sit down and counter ordering. It can almost feel slightly confusing for the first few seconds you step in. If it says to seat yourself, just grab a spot and they'll bring you your menu, drink and cutlery. There are a few TVs along the wall. They also do have some bottled beers available (not sure about tap though). Quick, affordable, tasty. I will return for future lunches as it's also fairly near my office.

    (4)
  • Terry M.

    What a great place, stopped in while in town picking up my son from Basketball Camp. Nice friendly place, the service was very good and our server was very nice. We met some family there since we were in town, split a couple different pizzas. The ingredients were very fresh and the crust was perfect. Do yourself a favor and stop by, you won't be sorry you did.

    (5)
  • Tony T.

    This place is terrible!!! Do not waste your money on them! I ordered a slice of thin crust with pineapple, ham, jalapeño and the ham was literally torn pieces of lunch meat. (see photos) they couldn't even cut it with a knife!! The toppings are put on top of cold premade cheese pizza. They didn't even bother to reheat it so the toppings would be hot!! You are better off going to the grocery store and buying a one dollar jenos pizza than to waste money on this junk they try to pass off as pizza. Anyone that gave this place over 1 star rating is friends with the owners or the workers. I would give them a zero rating if it was allowed. If you don't even have enought pride in your product to cut the freaking ham with a knife instead of tearing it with your fingers then you shouldn't own a pizza joint. Sorry excuse for a pizza place. I hope they shut down after people realize they are being ripped off.

    (1)
  • Max C.

    NY style pizza you say? I found the thin crust cheese slice to be as I remembered pizza in NY... which is savory, hot, crunchy, yummy good stuff. The thick crust combo slice was a different story, it was burnt on one end and slightly warm with a mass of toppings cooked on top of a pepperoni napoleon slice. The decor is simply NY, a little bit of whatevah! It's all about the thin crust pizza here. I'll be coming here for more.

    (4)
  • Patrick M.

    This place is solid. Our specially-created pizza was tasty, right on-time, and the service was top-notch. The salads were excellent and the breadsticks too. We'll definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Jason Y.

    Top 2 pizza joint in Lawrence Kansas. Papa Keno's and Morningstar very similar in regards to thin crust slice. Morningstar has a wide menu with lots of goodies. Compare this place to Aveluto's Italian Delight in Mission Kansas. Much nicer people and cleaner joint at Morningstar. Great addition to Lawrence, Kansas. Little confusing on how to order carry out. Other than that, you MUST try their thick and thin crust pizza.

    (5)
  • Tiffinie F.

    I'm with Scott T. I don't get it either. We ate here about a month after they opened. I have to get straight to it. It was horrible. We very much wanted to find a new spot near us for some great Pizza. We also love to support a good local business. Unfortunately this is not one we can show love for. First the pizza took a good 45 min to come to the table. Our beer even took an unusual amount of time to come out. There were maybe 3-4 other tables there. Some had already ordered one ordered after us. That's it. This part is what bothered my husband the most. The employees were more busy chatting it up with another "famous" local who came in than taking orders and delivering food. We also didn't get our garlic knots in a timely manner because they "forgot" we had ordered them. When they did come out my kids didn't want to eat them because they were so greasy and over seasoned. The sauce tasted like it came out of a can. They were very chewy as well (probably d/t grease). When the pizza finally came out. It was just "ok" My expectations are never high for a good NY pizza in the middle of KS but really this was below expectation. I would say the only thing they can claim to be similar to NY pizza was the size. The crust was too thick. The sausage had an odd taste. They didn't drown the pizza in sauce which was a plus. Would not waste a pizza night on this one. I'd go to Tad's or JOHNNY"S of all places for a better pizza. We wish we could have a place like Grimaldi's pizza in Brooklyn near by! I know they were just getting started but the service was horrible. Starting with what I said about timeliness above. Hopefully they have gotten this part down. We had to ask for EVERYTHING. They dropped the pizza down and left. Can we get some plates. Can we get some napkins. How about a fork. Can you fill up our drinks that have been empty for 15 min? Truly bizarre. The owners,,,it was obvious who they were...were obnoxious. I know that they have been a part of Lawrence for sometime and their son is well known but they were out right rude to us. I honestly felt like they didn't want our business. At the end of dinner the owner was standing near us and my husband tried to be polite and ask where they got the idea to start the business. My husband is from New York---born and raised. He was just wondering if they were also from NY. The owner spoke to us like we should have already known of course who they are and the history behind how they started it and how they got the idea from someone they knew who also had a pizza place...etc. We were done with it by then. We politely said thank you paid and left. We will never give them our business and quite frankly that won't be hard as their food is horrible. This is not "NY" pizza. Is it edible? Yes. Are their other places in town they provide a better NY pizza and service? Definitely. Hopefully things have improved.

    (1)
  • Quinn R.

    Legitimately good New York Style Pizza. The calzones are superb and the pizza is very good. Just on the food I'd probably give between 3 and 4 stars. But what makes this a 5 star review is the service. I haven't been anywhere in Lawrence, or ordered delivery from anyone else in Lawrence, that had such consistently friendly and excellent service. That feeling, that the people running the store always want you to be happy and really care about the overall quality of your experience ordering from them is unparalleled at any restaurant I've been to in Lawrence. Give this place a try!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes

Categories

Pizza

Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.

Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Morningstar’s New York Pizza

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