Tony’s Back Making Pizza in Castro Valley
photos courtesy of Darrell Lavin/ lavinphotos.com •
photos courtesy of Darrell Lavin/ lavinphotos.com •
After a 16-year absence, Tony Gemignani is again making pizza in Castro Valley—this time with his Slice House franchise—which opened its doors to the public at the Castro Valley Marketplace this past Saturday.
More than 200 people initially lined up to meet Gemignani as early as 6:30 a.m. to cheer him on, have him autograph his books, and enjoy his craft-styled pizza again. Hundreds more hungry pizza fans stopped by throughout the day.
“I brought my son today because now he can enjoy Tony’s pizza like I did when I was pregnant,” said Castro Valley resident Veronica Sahagun. “Tony’s such a great guy. We’re lucky to have him in our community.”
The 13-time world pizza-making champion, expert pizza dough spinner, chef, and owner of nearly 30 restaurants in Northern California and Las Vegas expressed gratitude and excitement while reflecting on his journey when he opened Pyzano’s Pizzeria in 2007.
“It’s exciting to be back,” Gemignani said. “Pyzano’s was a very special place. I started when I was 17, just out of high school, and had no clue what I was going to do. I love this community. It’s a special place.”
Slice House offers four pizza styles: New York, Sicilian, Detroit, and Grandma. While traditional toppings like pepperoni are available, Gemignani is best known for fascinating topping pairings, such as his Purple Potato with bacon, feta, and pesto, or his signature Wiseguy and Motorhead meaty pizzas, which lean into sweet and spicy flavors.
As a tribute to his mother and a nod to the old Pyzano’s menu, Gemignani added her favorite True Italian recipe to the Castro Valley menu. The pie is served with goat cheese or ricotta and onions, a super-thin crust, and tomatoes.
“My mom passed away a few years ago, and she would be excited to be here right now,” Gemignani said.
While Tony’s name is on the door, day-to-day business operations fall to Ranjan Bhasin, his family, his daughter Ratika Tyagi, and his business partner Ahsan Ali. Bhasin and his team are entrepreneurs who currently manage 14 Wing Stop locations in the Bay Area and are on track to open at least a dozen new Slice House locations in the next few years.
“We have a great relationship with Tony and his team, and he was pleased with our success, so we are proud to start this journey here in Castro Valley,” Bhasin told the Forum.
Marketplace co-owner Donna Layburn told the Forum that Slice House does have plans to remain open beyond the typical 8 p.m. closing time for the rest of the Marketplace. Details are still being hammered out.
“We’re really happy to be working with Tony, Ranjan, and Ahsan,” Layburn said. “They were so dedicated to making this opening happen.
While the day was a celebration for Tony, the Slice House, and his fans, the pending litigation surrounding the outdoor patio or paseo loomed over the opening. Gemignani acknowledged the legal conflict and expressed his frustration with the dispute, asking the parties to “all get along” and give patrons beautiful communal seating as they did a few years back.
“Castro Valley really deserves great restaurants, and we're excited to bring one of them here. I think there's a lot more coming,” Gemignani said.
The Castro Valley Slice House website is available, but the restaurant is only taking in-person orders at this time. Online and delivery services are expected to come soon.
Visit https://slicehouse.com/castrovalley/ to see the menu.