The same old mass market pizza chain restaurants you can find anywhere in America can get boring.  That is why I found it necessary to search for the best slice of pizza in Winston-Salem. When judging pizza, I want five things to stand out: the sauce, cheese, crust, portion size and overall experience.  I graded a classic cheese slice on a scale from 1-10, noting those five characteristics.

In determining the restaurants I would visit, I looked for local places, with locations primarily distributed throughout the triad, shying away from large chains.  I also gathered the opinions of students at Reynolds, and chose the three most popular responses that I heard: Mario’s Pizza, Twin City Slice, and Burke Street Pizza.  All three of these restaurants are serving up some of the best New York Style pizzas in Winston, making this a close contest.

Mario’s Pizza-Coming in at number one is Mario’s Pizza.  Owners and brothers Vinny, Mario and Tony moved to North Carolina from Brooklyn, New York in 1981, and have been serving up pizza recipes that run deep in their italian bloodline.  The rich and savory sauce and cheese pairs perfectly with their crust earning them a score of 9 out of 10. With a spacious environment and chefs tossing dough right in front of you, Mario’s Pizza is a great place for a slice of New York, making you feel not too far from the Big Apple.

Burke Street Pizza-Burke Street was a close second with a score of 8.5 out of 10.  Started by a native New Yorker, the slice truly embodies the traditional New York Style pizza.  Burke Street has a wonderful location in downtown Winston-Salem, and the kitchen is visible from any seat in the restaurant.  The ingredients are top notch. My only critiques are that it is very confined due to minimal seating, and the pizza was very greasy, to the point where paper towels were needed to remove the pool of grease forming on the cheese.

Twin City Slice-Twin City Slice was last on my list, but still one of the best slices in Winston.  Its location in the heart of downtown right on Fourth Street makes for a very accessible joint.  The slices are huge, but bigger isn’t always better. The crust was too thin for my liking and it is not the most appealing restaurant on the inside.  I would give Twin City Slice an 8 out of 10.

Overall, I was very impressed with Mario’s Pizza.  It was the most consistent in all five of the categories.  Next time you are craving a slice of pizza, head over to Mario Pizza for a real taste of New York.

Photo provided by Jack Holbrook