Speaking of Pizza, Meet Tony Gemignani

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Little Italy has seen the much-anticipated San Diego debut of Slice House, a growing, national chain founded by restaurateur and award-winning pizza maker Tony Gemignani.

The San Francisco-based company is known for slinging four different types of pizzas at its shops, each flaunting distinct crusts.

If you’re a fan of Detroit style deep-dish with crispy cheese-kissed edges, Slice House nails it. “Grandma style” offers a pan-fried thin crust; the New York pies feature crisp rims and semi-soft centers; and the Sicilian pizzas use focaccia for a thicker, fluffier outcome.

Gemignani immersed himself in pizza-making more than 30 years ago and has since won top honors in cooking and dough-throwing competitions in the U.S. and Italy. And in 2007 he became the first American to win first place in the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy.

In addition to pizza, Slice House features salads, appetizers and pasta dishes. (Should your appetite allow for a starter, the Italian sausage tossed in house-made spicy honey is a lip-smacking must.)