Slice Garden (formerly Salamone's Pizza & Pasta) — Restaurant in Fircrest

I have been to Solomone's in University Place, but this was our first time at Slice Garden in Fircrest. The pizza at Solomone's that I got back in November was pretty good.

We ordered the Pepperoni, Gramercy, and Brooklyn Bridge there last night. The pies looked amazing at pick-up, and you can not beat the customer service at the counter! I give an A++ to the gentleman who found our order(s) and verified (by showing the pizzas to us) that the pizzas were, in fact, what we ordered for takeout online. He also assisted me at their previous business Solomone's in UP, and he provided great service there, too. The atmosphere at the new location was clean, inviting, and cozy.

I found that the pizzas this time around were lacking in toppings overall, and the crust was fairly burnt. We know we run the risk of burnt crust because that is the nature of this style of pizza, so that is not a very big deal. However, the pizza was dry somehow and lacking a balance of crust and toppings, in my opinion. For a lack of better words, I would say the pizza was two dimensional in structure and taste. I feel like the sauce and toppings used were the amounts expected for a specialty thin crust vs. a regular crust. The meatball slices on the Brooklyn Bridge were so thin that they rivaled pepperoni slices and, therefore, did not impart as much flavor. I am unsure if maybe they were running short on ingredients for the pizzas, or they are trying to find their footing at this new location, but I sincerely hope they are able to find their flow once again...

Slice Garden? Yeah, it’s the real deal. As someone born and raised in New York, I don’t just hand out compliments when it comes to pizza—it’s serious business. But let me tell you, Slice Garden hit the mark.

I walked in on a random day, not expecting much, just chasing that little taste of home. Right away, the vibe was chill, lowkey—exactly the kind of spot you’d want to stumble into. The hostess greeted me with a smile, and I ordered a pepperoni slice and a grandma slice (because finding a solid grandma slice outside NY? Practically impossible).

Both slices? Fire. Crispy crust that can hold the fold (if you know, you know), perfect cheese pull, seasoned just right. I didn’t even reach for garlic or oregano—and if you’re from NY, you know that says a lot. Might throw it on next time just cause, but it honestly didn’t need it.

If you’re ever craving that authentic NY flavor, don’t sleep on...

I was sad when Sammy's left this location. For whatever reason, a lot of Fircrest residents simply just will not or cannot support local businesses. That could easily be because a fair amount are elderly and on fixed incomes. I thought Salimone's was great before in its previous location and enjoyed their pizza and service. I'm glad they moved to Fircrest. So, I went there last night and the pizza and the atmosphere was great. More importantly, the service was great too. To the business owners - I really hope you guys do great and totally succeed here. For whatever reasons, Fircrest residents don't always support their local businesses, but going forward, I'm hoping that's a thing of the past. At any rate, you guys are...