Eight Slices

Slicing a pie into eight slices is as an old a tradition as the delicacy itself. Pizza purists (myself included) consider “real” pizza best when simple ingredients are used. Following the adage of “less is more” and avoiding “exotic” ingredients, this staple still allows for an incredible variety of options and flavors. Here are eight of our favorite downtown slices, making a “pie” of SLC’s greatest hits.

Settebello - Margherita
One bite and you’ll be magically transported to the Italian countryside. An imported brick oven and ingredients provides perfect blackened char spots on the crust: “a tell-tale sign of Pizza Napoletana that has been cooked in a blistering hot, wood burning oven. Each pizza is an individual work of art.” The Margherita is the quintessential Italian pizza, featuring fresh buffalo mozzarella. (260 S 200 West, 801-322-3556, settebello.net)

Stoneground - Bianca
Featuring house-made ricotta, mascarpone and fresh mozzarella this pie is not for the lactose (or gluten) intolerant. Creme fraiche and oregano round out the simple ingredients, which pair so well. Cooked in a dedicated pizza-oven, this thin-crust pie is charred to a perfect crust in less than five minutes. (249 E 400 South, 801-364-1368, www.stonegroundslc.com)

Canellas - Frank Lloyd Wright
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” We agree with this quote above the pizza section on the menu. These famous words, while attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, shines through in this pie named after Wright, the architect. Five ingredients (marinara, mushrooms, arugula, black truffle oil and mozzarella) combine for an unforgettable flavor.(204 E 500 South, 801-355-8518, www.cannellasrestaurant.com)

Eva - Brunch Flatbread
When is a pizza not a pizza? When it’s a flatbread. Proving the French are equally adept as their Italian and American counterparts, this mix of gruyere cheese, fresh arugula and bechamel with French ham easily passes the sniff test as either a pizza or a flatbread. This combo, available at Eva’s, as well as the their Boulangerie bakery, passes the taste test, too. (317 S Main Street, 801-359-8447, evaslc.com)

From Scratch - Margherita
An in-house flour mill and locally sourced ingredients give From Scratch the nod from foodies and locavores alike. These personal-sized pies define elegance and the power of high-quality ingredients. Astoundingly the Margherita at From Scratch has a completely different texture and flavor profile than the one from Setebello. A classic example of not better or worse, just different. Variety is truly the spice of life, or in this case a pizza slice! (62 E Gallivan Ave. 801-961-9000 www.fromscratchslc.com)

Este - Pepperoni
Downtown SLC is 2,177 miles from Brooklyn. At Este though, you would never know we were more than a stone’s throw from the Williamsburg Bridge. Whether you order by the slice or pie, any craving for a fix of NYC pizza will be satiated here. Don’t bother ordering pineapple or requesting ranch...you’ll be treated to a Bronx Cheer. Opt for the classic stand-by pepperoni slice instead. (156 E 200 South, 801-363-2366, www.estepizzaco.com)

Pie Hole - Roasted Red Pepper & Basil
The personality of the staff and space shines through on a catalog of rotating specialty slices. A standby on the menu is the Roasted Red Pepper and Basil, and for good reason. Slices from this State Street joint taste best when consumed off a paper plate, fresh out of the oven. Workers rolling dough and tossing pies in the sidewalk window and funky ambiance only makes the pizza taste better. Open late for eats past midnight after a night out on the town. (344 S State Street, 801-359-4653, pieholeutah.com)

Pizza Studio
Let your personality shine through on custom made-to-order pies, including your choice in crusts: Whole Grain & Flax Seed, Rosemary Herb, Firecracker, as well as Gluten Free, and of course, Traditional. For those who can’t decide, they also have some house pies. Pictured is the Garden Blend, featuring mozzarella, roma tomato, red onion, mushroom, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and zucchini. (51 S Main Street, 801-359-4512, www.pizzastudio.com)