Hey, look, two pizza shops with names possibly suggesting moral character. Let’s compare and contrast!
The Good Pie When a restaurant is named the Good Pie, and its menu is sliced into sections called The Goods, The Really Good Stuff, and Other Good Stuff, you expect it to be, well, good. This place is great. The space feels like a New York kitchen, if the kitchen belonged to an apron-wearing Italian grandmother who loved family portraits and heirloom kitchen tools. Which is fitting, because all the pizzas are “grandma-style,” meaning the dough is only given a short time to rise, so it gets to your mouth sooner. Cheffed by Evel Pie expat Vincent Rotolo, the Pawn Plaza eatery Downtown specializes in Brooklyn-style round pies, Detroit-style Sicilian squares, and veggie-heavy vegan options that forgo the gluey fake cheese. Instead, the shop plays up high-quality ingredients like flour and tomatoes from Italy and locally sourced toppings. The attention to detail is evident in pizzas like Dats That Good $hit ($27), with wild mushrooms, truffle oil, and ricotta piped into perfect rosettes. Honestly, it should come with a cheek-pinching.
725 S Las Vegas Blvd #140, 702-844-2700, goodpie.com
Evel Pie Stepping into this East Fremont spot feels a little like being invited into your cool uncle’s off-limits garage. It’s rad. Sure, he was a little eccentric, excessive even in his love for Evel Knievel, but the dude is still living his glory days through trophies, arcade games, and a soundtrack he definitely acquired before The Big Haircut. The gnar is only part of Evel Pie’s appeal; there is, of course, the pizza. Cheesy Rider ($24) and pepperoni ($26) are solid staples, and the specialties refer back to racing culture. Take Balls to the Wall ($28), with generous dollops of ricotta and crumbled homemade meatballs, or the World Famous Snake River Special ($27), with sausage and red peppers, an homage to the time Knievel attempted to blast over an Idaho canyon by rocket — but only because he couldn’t use his bike. Pair a slice with a beer, and you can practically hear a guitar solo in your head. Your uncle would approve. I favor Good Pie’s quality ingredients and richer flavors, but if you’re out causing late-night trouble on Fremont Street, you can do worse than refuel with a little Evel.
508 Fremont St.,702-840-6460, evelpie.com