At first glance, it looks like just another slice shop, but inside Slicehaus Pizzeria on Carmine Street, there's a deeper story, one rooted in tradition, family and a lifelong love of pizza.
"Hi, I'm Alex. Welcome to our house, Slicehaus Pizzeria on Carmine Street in the West Village," said Alex Pulatani, a partner in the business.
For Pulatani, pizza isn't just food, it's something much more personal.
"Slicehaus is every family, every childhood, every mom and pop, every grandma, every grandpa, everyone who has the nucleus of a home. Everything all in one, one slice," he said.
That philosophy shapes everything they do, from the ingredients to the technique.
"We try to put the best of what we have, and it's available on every slice," Pulatani said. "What we really want to focus on right now is fresh ingredients, high hydration, fermentation, no bromides. And this is something that Agostino and Gennaro have been doing back home in Napoli for centuries."
Chef Agostino Cangiano's passion for pizza began early.
"I started to work in a pizzeria as a delivery guy when I was 13 years old," he said. "I always loved watching, at least once a week, going to eat pizza in a pizzeria and watching the pizza maker."
By 15, he left school to work full-time, eventually dreaming of something bigger.
"I was waiting for the visa, and in the meantime, it was taking 90 days, I said, I want to visit New York," Cangiano said. "I was on the highway and I saw the city for the first time. I said, that's it."
That moment helped shape his future.
"This was my dream, to come here, open something, not work for somebody else," he said.
At Slicehaus, that dream comes together in every pie, a blend of New York and Neapolitan styles.
"A lot of people ask what's the difference between a New York slice and a Neapolitan slice," Pulatani said. "I like to put it this way, it's like they both had a baby, and this is what we have."
Cangiano says great pizza starts with the dough, but it doesn't end there.
"I try to make my best dough, but it's not only about the dough. It's also about toppings, 50% of the pizza. The other 50% is what you put on top," he said.
The menu reflects that balance, with both classic and creative combinations.
"We finish all the slices with parmigiana and basil," he said. "You can come every day and find a new pizza."
Options range from broccoli rabe, inspired by Naples, to a potato and bacon slice with crème frache, and even sausage with shishito peppers.
"We have the 'bald guy' with meatballs, too," he added with a smile.
What ties it all together is a commitment to simplicity and authenticity.
"We try to cook as simple as possible. Not a lot of spices, also in the sauce. No garlic powder or onion powder. We try to do it natural, light, so when you eat it, you don't feel heavy," Cangiano said.
The dough itself is also different from a typical New York slice.
"It's a very small amount of flour compared to a classic New York pizza. The dough is very hydrated, very thin, paper thin, so you need to move fast," he said. "It's all about speed here. When you're making a lot of pizza, you learn a lot."
For the team, it's about more than just making great food, it's about building something lasting.
"I think we're a great family together now, and we're producing some of the best stuff right now," Pulatani said.
"We brought Italian tradition and we're really honoring it. We're not taking any shortcuts at all," he added. "We make sure each slice tastes the same, from the first person who picks it up to the last."
And in a city known for its pizza, they know exactly where they stand.
"This area, we are among the titans in the pizza industry. We found our spot, and we're going to stay," Pulatani said.
Because in New York City, pizza is about more than just a meal, it's a shared experience.
"Pizza in New York City is so important," he said. "You can have some of the greatest deals, meet family, bring your kids, whatever it is, and you can have a delicious slice of pizza, and whatever issues you had kind of fall apart. It breaks barriers. Everybody in the world loves pizza."
Slicehaus is located at 30 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014.
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