Tony’s Coal-Fired Pizza And Slice House
Coal Fire Pepperoni Slice
Coal Fire Four Cheese Slice
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
Meatball Gigante – Veal, Pork, Beef, Marinara, Pecorino, Parsley
Sweet Grandma Pizza – Extra Sweet Tomato Sauce, Aiello Mozzarella Cheese, Garlic, Oregano, Pecorino Cheese, Basil
Although service at both Las Vegas iterations of Pizza Rock has lacked, Tony Gemignani’s Pizza has unequivocally been impressive, and at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana as well as the attached Slice shop the staff do justice to what is easily the best Coal-fired Pizza ever tasted plus a pretty excellent Meatball and Grandma Pie.
Open since 2009 on Stockton Street, Gemignani’s recognition as a 13-time World Pizza Champion generating lines in North Beach six days a week, it is beginning at 11:30am that guests can visit The Original Slice House, a limited seating venue focused specifically on Sandwiches and a Coal Oven shared by the Little Italy icon next door.
Not the low-quality 99-cent stuff sold on the Streets of New York, each triangle $5-6 and made from imported ingredients, it was early on this day that two Slices were quickly rewarmed in a rotating oven, the crust already dark and smoky with a developed flavor of yeast that stands up well to Oregano, Pecorino and Garlic Oil plus classic toppings such as Natural Casing Pepperoni and crushed Tomatoes or a blend of four Cheeses including fresh Mozzarella and puddles of Ricotta.
Moving next door to Tony’s flagship, arrival at noon circumventing the line at a place that has never taken reservations, it is by a friendly hostess that tables are assigned, three gusts offered a booth in the main room where Gemignani and two men were in the midst of a meeting as music from the 70s and 80s played at modest volume overhead.
Expanding the menu beyond Pizza and Sandwiches to Pasta and Red Sauce staples like Chicken Parm, the twenty-five Meatballs made daily highly recommended by staff, it is beginning with finely ground Pork, Veal and Beef that the softball sized orb delivers pronounced richness, a light blend of Herbs and Marinara offering balance to something cooked through without any evidence of drying on the outside though some Bread or a side of Spaghetti would be ideal for textural contrast.
Constrained to just one Pizza given group-size and hunger, a focus on styles unavailable in Las Vegas suggesting St. Louis or Grandma, it was in the latter that $36 was invested, four-bucks a Slice delivered from a 550ᵒF Gas Oven once again displaying the Chef’s respect for craft and Ingredients as America’s oldest family-made Mozzarella dazzled in gently-warmed gobs atop a golden Crust topped by sweet but not “sugary” Tomato Sauce.
www.tonyscoalfired.com
www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com