Slice On Broadway Wins Best Cheese Slice, Iron Born's Vegas Pie Gets Top Five, Plus more!
Patrick from Gus Franco's finished first in the Traditional Pizza Category North East division, so big wins for Pittsburgh pizza making. Not to mention Brillobox serves up French Bread pizza on Sunday
Another International Pizza Expo is in the books and Pittsburgh returns home with more hardware highlighting the diverse pizza talent making pizza in the city.
The pizza competition is a melting pot of pizza excellence. It’s hundreds of artists doing their interpretation of what pizza is. What is the purest expression of pizza? What is the perfect pizza? Hundreds attempt to wow judges and audiences with combinations and techniques that seem alien to the world of pizza. Others stick close to the classic and focus on creating that pizza that triggers a surge of nostalgia - the pizza of our youth, Friday night family gatherings and birthday parties.
Let’s dig into some of the big wins for Pittsburgh pizza.
Slice On Broadway Wins Best Cheese Slice
In 2024 Slice On Broadway won the preliminary round of best cheese slice. The results came in and they were in first place, celebration ensued. But there was a wrinkle: they would have to compete again the following day in a second round of competition. Last year was the first time this category appears at the International Pizza Challenge, so the team was caught off guard.
Not this year. They learned from their mistakes. This year Chris Ostapenko, competing on behalf of Slice On Broadway, placed third in the preliminary round earning a place in the final.
Chris Ostapenko was able to create a perfect cheese slice using Galbani cheese in the finals and ended up winning first place.
In 2024, I interviewed Rico Lunardi, owner of Slice On Broadway, prior to competing. Their pizza is rock solid, consistent and one of the better cheese slices in the area. I had a feeling this was their competition to win. In 2024 Rico said, “Tried and true. That’s what I have been practicing and trying to perfect. Last year was 5th overall and 3rd in northeast. Manifesting 1st place this year.” His manifestation took a year longer to come to life, but a well deserved win for the Slice On Broadway team!
Iron Born’s Vegas Pie Places Top Five in the Non-Traditional Pizza Category
Sara Boyer has been fine-tuning her Vegas Pie that placed third in the Non-Traditional North East Division back in 2023. This year, at the time of me writing this, she placed third in the preliminary round of the Non-Traditional Category. She’ll go on to compete in the finals along with four other competitors.
Once again, she brought her Vegas Pie to the party once again but with one twist - a fingerling potato crust this time. I loved the Vegas Pie when I had it, and I’m intrigued how Sara is willing to take this same pizza back to competition and continually iterate on it. Some pizza makers would start from scratch each year, but she see’s something special in this pizza.
Gus Franco’s Patrick Elston Places Third in Traditional Pizza North East Region
Patrick of Gus Franco’s pizza lives and breathes pizza. He has been going to Pizza Expo the past few years where his partner Mandy typically wins best dressed. She got her hands dirty this year by competing as well. The family that makes pizza together, grows a pizza business together.
Patrick competed in the traditional and non-traditional category. After a not-so-great performance in the non-traditional category, he redeemed himself by bringing home some hardware in the traditional. Not a bad showing.
Not that we need anyone outside of Pittsburgh to validate our pizza scene, but it’s nice to be recognized. Full results of the 2025 International Pizza Challenge here.
Brillobox Serves Up Focaccia French Bread Pizza This Sunday
I’m not sure there’s one venue or establishment in the city I’ve spent more time than the Brillobox. For years it was a bar that was the center of my universe. In my younger days we’d get there at 5:01 p.m., drink about 30 high life’s (can’t resist the long neck!), eat a few basket of fries, and trudge home.
I’ve seen bands there, told a ghost stories there, hung out with old and new friends there. If anyone wanted to make plans with me they usually involved the Brillobox. When Charlie was first born it was one of the first places she went!
One of the trademark events at Brillobox was the cheap veggie dinner every Sunday. It went away for a while as Brillo underwent some changes, but it’s back with a vengeance. The food is in a good spot and while there’s no Bahn mi, there’s plenty of other taste dishes. But relevant to this is that they will be serving French bread pizza this Sunday. Should be good!
Free Pizza at Spirit for Their 10th Anniversary
From the Spirit Instagram post: friends & fam new & old are welcome to come hang for our 10 year reunion, with free pizza from 7-9p and vinyl from Dini Daddy✨
this one’s just a little pre-party, make sure you save the date for our official 10 year anniversary party on April 12!
I love Spirit and I can’t believe it’s been ten years. I got a preview of some of the incredible changes coming to the building. Expect amazing things from them in the coming years! If you get a chance try their Bickle Pizza.
The Pittsburgh pizza story continues to grow. At this rate we’ll well known for our sports championships as well as our pizza championships.
Pizza ya later!
Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist