Ellen's 70th - Las Vegas, Oct. 30 - Nov. 3, 2019
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Metro has five locations in the greater Las Vegas area,
including one at 1395 E. Tropicana Ave. — a couple of miles south and a couple
of blocks east of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Metro, which has been in
business since the ’80s, is known for many types of pies. In fact, co-owner John
Arena has become a pizza scholar, traveling the world to learn about various
styles and passing on his knowledge (he even teaches a pizza class at UNLV). All
of the pizzas get the same careful attention, but we’d be remiss not to tell you
about Old New York, with its thick slices of mozzarella and pulpy tomato sauce,
and Mulberry Street, with breaded eggplant and ricotta.
Multiple locations, metropizza.com
Pizza Rock
Pizza Rock is helmed by Tony Gemignani, a 13-time world pizza
champion and owner of 22 restaurants across the country, which is some pretty
serious cred. At Pizza Rock, Gemignani installed four ovens, both wood-fired and
gas-heated, to best produce various styles of pizza, including gluten-free.
Signatures are the New Yorker, which was named best traditional pizza in the
world, and the Margherita Pizza Napoletana, which won the world cup in Naples,
Italy. And its downtown location makes it easy to find for visitors and locals
alike.
201 N. Third St., 702-385-0838, pizzarocklasvegas.com
Settebello
And speaking of Naples, Italy: Settebello owner Brad Otton’s
time living there inspired his dedication to what many people consider the most
traditional of pizza styles, with a thin, stretchy crust. Settebello does things
differently, such as not serving pepperoni (which is an American thing) and
serving its pies uncut unless otherwise requested, with most ingredients
imported from Italy and the pizza made in a bell-shaped, wood-fired oven. For
that, it earned a Vera Pizza Napoletana designation from the people who know
pizza best. The locations are away from the tourism corridor but definitely
worth the trip.
140 Green Valley Parkway in Henderson and 9350 W. Sahara Ave.;
settebello.net
Pizzeria Monzu
Pizzeria Monzu also has some serious cred, coming as it does
from Giovanni Mauro, scion of the family that operates the 30-plus-year-old
local landmark Nora’s Italian Cuisine. Mauro’s yeast (no commercial yeast used
here) has century-old roots, and he takes every other aspect of the business
just as seriously. He specializes in Roman-style pizze alla pala: The dough
undergoes a five-day process that produces a pie that’s thick but light, with
lots of crunchy holes. Signature pies include Vegas Meets Italy, with scamorza,
mozzarella, ricotta, pistachios, dates, heirloom tomatoes, arugula, prosciutto
and date cream.
6020 W. Flamingo Road, 702-749-5959, monzulv.com