Las Vegas Pizza Scene A Melting Pot Of Styles

Las Vegas Pizza Scene A Melting Pot Of Styles

Las Vegas's Diverse Pizza Scene: A Slice for Every Craving

Ahead of the highly anticipated Las Vegas Pizza Festival on November 15, our city is gearing up to celebrate its rich and varied pizza culture. While not traditionally known for one singular style like New York or Chicago, Las Vegas has truly become a melting pot of global and regional pizza expressions, offering something delightful for every palate. This occasion invites us to explore five distinct styles of crust, sauce, and toppings from local pizza paragons.

The Unique Vegas Pizza Phenomenon

Las Vegas has evolved beyond the traditional pizza town, establishing itself as a hub of diverse pizza styles. This abundance includes everything from regional classics to specialty pies and uniquely Vegas offerings, such as 15-inch slices and enormous 20-square-foot pizzas. This diversity isn't accidental; the city has hosted the International Pizza Expo, the world's largest pizza trade show, for decades, and the annual Las Vegas Pizza Festival (returning November 15) features over 20 purveyors showcasing nearly 10 pizza styles.

Explore Five Iconic Pizza Styles Across Vegas

Chicago Deep Dish: Tony's Pizzeria

Opened in late August in Pawn Plaza, downtown Vegas, Tony's Pizzeria brings authentic Chicago deep dish to the desert. Here, you'll find a sturdy crust expertly designed to support generous layers of sauce, meat, and cheese. The crust remains soft without being overly bready, while the cornice delivers a gently crisp crunch and a flavorful char. These circular pies are sliced into thick wedges, best tackled with a fork or a hearty bite. Tony's also offers a stuffed pizza, a close relative of the deep dish, featuring a top layer of dough encasing the fillings before the sauce is swiped across and baked.

New York Style: Lucino's

At Lucino’s on E. Tropicana Ave., owner Joey Scolaro honors New York-style fundamentals—hand-tossed dough and deck ovens resulting in a gently chewy crust that’s crisp on the bottom, allowing slices to fold in half. Lucino's adds its unique spin with a thicker cornice than some traditional New York pies. Highlights include the Wiseguy Pizza, loaded with soppressata, salami, pepperoni, capicola, hot Italian sausage, and cherry pepper relish. The Upside Down pizza features pepperoni, mozzarella, Pecorino-Romano, ricotta, and fresh basil, while the Vodka Chicken Parm unites two classic standards atop a pizza with "blotches of sauce."

Detroit Style: Red Dwarf

The Motor City's flagship pie, found at Red Dwarf on E. Vegas Valley Drive, draws from the focaccia-like dough of Sicilian pizza. Its essential ingredient is the pan—according to Detroit folklore, the first Detroit pizzas were baked in forged-steel pans from auto plants in the mid-1940s. These pans create a proper crust that is fluffy yet boasts a crunchy exterior. The Meatsa Meatsa at Red Dwarf exemplifies this with pepperoni, sausage, and brown sugar-glazed ham beneath a coverlet of cheese spread right to the edges of its rectangular pan, with the sauce on top. The cheese crisps up along the edges, contributing to the ideal texture, making the crunchy, crisp corner piece a true delight.

Neapolitan: Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana

In Summerlin, Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana offers a taste of Naples, pizza's birthplace, where the pie is governed by strict heritage and regulations. The Neapolitan pizza association dictates specific ingredients, dough handling, cooking temperatures, and maximum diameter for a true Neapolitan pie. These guidelines result in a pizza that, as Settebello's menu states, is "elastic, soft and foldable" rather than crispy. Roasty char spots dot the crust, a testament to being "correctly cooked in a blistering hot wood-burning oven." The classic Margherita perfectly embodies this art: crushed tomatoes, puddles of mozzarella, Parmesan, olive oil, and a gust of fresh basil.

Sicilian: Good Pie

Good Pie, with locations in the Arts District and Henderson, showcases the broad diversity of Vegas pizza, offering Sicilian, Detroit, New York-style, grandma, gluten-free, and more. Notably, the original Good Pie opened in the same Pawn Plaza suite now occupied by Tony's Pizzeria, bringing Vegas pizza history full circle. Sicilian pizza in the U.S. descends from sfincione, a focaccia-like street pizza brought by immigrants from Sicily. At Good Pie, rectangular Sicilian pies feature the traditional thick, soft, airy crust with a crisp oiled bottom. Toppings range from vegetarian options to a quartet of meats (pepperoni, meatball, ham, sausage) or curled cup pepperoni dotted with ricotta florets.

Pizza Style Quick Guide

Pizza Style Key Characteristic Featured Spot
Chicago Deep Dish Thick crust, loaded toppings, requires fork Tony's Pizzeria
New York Style Hand-tossed, chewy, foldable slices Lucino's
Detroit Style Rectangular, focaccia-like, crisp cheese edges Red Dwarf
Neapolitan Elastic, soft, foldable, wood-fired char Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana
Sicilian Thick, soft, airy crust with crisp oiled bottom Good Pie

Frequently Asked Questions About Las Vegas Pizza

  • What defines Las Vegas pizza?
    Las Vegas pizza is defined by its incredible diversity, offering a wide array of regional and global styles rather than a single signature local style.
  • When is the Las Vegas Pizza Festival?
    The Las Vegas Pizza Festival returns on November 15, featuring more than 20 purveyors and almost 10 pizza styles. You can find more information at vegaspizzafest.com.
  • Where can I find Neapolitan pizza in Las Vegas?
    Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana in Summerlin is a prime spot for authentic Neapolitan pizza, known for its elastic, soft, and foldable crust with roasty char spots from a wood-burning oven.
  • What makes Detroit-style pizza unique?
    Detroit-style pizza is characterized by its rectangular shape, focaccia-like dough, and the use of special forged-steel pans that create a fluffy crust with a distinctive crunchy, crisp cheese edge, especially on the corner pieces.
  • What's the history of Good Pie in Las Vegas?
    Good Pie originally opened in Pawn Plaza in 2018, the same location that now houses Tony's Pizzeria. It continues to offer a broad range of styles, including its popular Sicilian pies, and is expanding with a new location in Henderson.
With the Las Vegas Pizza Festival just around the corner, now is the perfect time to explore the city's incredible variety of pizza offerings. Whether you prefer a classic foldable slice or a thick, cheesy deep dish, there's a perfect pie waiting for you.

Las Vegas Pizza Scene A Melting Pot Of Styles

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