History

The Strip's late-night pizza-by-the-slice trade emerged when the Cosmopolitan opened in 2010 with Secret Pizza, an unmarked third-floor counter accessible through a hallway lined with vintage album covers. The room runs until 04:00 and the slices are oversized New York-style on a tile-baked crust. Pin-Up Pizza opened on the Planet Hollywood plaza around the same time, selling Naples-imported pomodorini tomato pies in slices that hang off the plate. Both rooms became the post-club refuelling stop on the Strip. Off-Strip, Naked City Pizza and Pop Up Pizza at the Plaza downtown run the Strip-style trade for locals.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4 (2 large pies)Hands-on 45 minTotal 26 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g 00 flour
  • 300ml lukewarm water
  • 5g instant yeast
  • 10g sea salt
  • 10g sugar
  • 20ml olive oil
  • 400g tinned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Pinch dried oregano
  • 300g low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, grated
  • Fresh basil
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Method

  1. Mix flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar and oil in a stand mixer with the dough hook on low speed for 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and just slightly tacky.
  2. Divide into 2 balls. Place in oiled containers, cover and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours. Long cold ferment is the trick.
  3. Take dough out 2 hours before baking. Heat the oven to its maximum (250C to 290C) with a pizza stone or steel for at least 45 minutes.
  4. Stretch each ball to a 35cm round, leaving a 2cm edge. Top with crushed tomatoes (just enough to cover), pinch of salt and oregano, cheese to the edge.
  5. Slide onto the hot stone. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until the crust is mottled and dark on the bottom, the cheese bubbled with a few char spots.
  6. Finish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Slice into eighths, eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. Cold-ferment the dough at least 24 hours; the long rise is what gives New York-style slices that chewy crust with the slight tang.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat strip pizza by the slice

Strip pizza by the slice in Las Vegas

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Las Vegas. See the Las Vegas signature dishes guide for the canonical version.

More cities are in research. Want strip pizza by the slice covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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