5 places to celebrate National Pizza Day in Las Vegas

February 9th is National Pizza Day. Whether you’re visiting from out of town, or a longtime Las Vegas local, you may be interested in a primer — or a refresher — on the best valley locations to get a pie. In either case, we’ve got you covered.

Metro Pizza

Metro Pizza has five locations in the greater Las Vegas area. In business since the ’80s, Metro is known for many types of pies. In fact, co-owner John Arena has become a pizza scholar, traveling the world to learn about various styles and passing on his knowledge (he even teaches a pizza class at UNLV). All of the pizzas get the same careful attention, but we’d be remiss not to tell you about Old New York, with its thick slices of mozzarella and pulpy tomato sauce, and the 5-day rise Sicilian pie.

Multiple locations, metropizza.com

Pizza Rock

Pizza Rock is helmed by Tony Gemignani, a 13-time world pizza champion and owner of 22 restaurants across the country, which is some pretty serious cred. At Pizza Rock’s downtown location, Gemignani installed four ovens, both wood-fired and gas-heated, to best produce various styles of pizza, including gluten-free. Signatures are the New Yorker, which was named best traditional pizza in the world, and the Margherita Pizza Napoletana, which won the world cup in Naples, Italy. And the downtown location makes it easy to find for visitors and locals alike.

2300 Paseo Verde Parkway in Henderson and 201 N. Third St., pizzarocklasvegas.com

Settebello

And speaking of Naples, Italy: Settebello owner Brad Otton’s time living there inspired his dedication to what many people consider the most traditional of pizza styles, with a thin, stretchy crust. Settebello does things differently, such as not serving pepperoni (which is an American thing) and serving its pies uncut unless otherwise requested, with most ingredients imported from Italy and the pizza made in a bell-shaped, wood-fired oven. For that, it earned a Vera Pizza Napoletana designation from the people who know pizza best. The locations are away from the tourism corridor but definitely worth the trip.

140 Green Valley Parkway in Henderson and 9350 W. Sahara Ave.; settebello.net

Pizzeria Monzu

Pizzeria Monzu also has some serious cred, coming as it does from Giovanni Mauro, scion of the family that operates the 30-plus-year-old local landmark Nora’s Italian Cuisine. Mauro’s yeast (no commercial yeast used here) has century-old roots, and he takes every other aspect of the business just as seriously. He specializes in Roman-style pizze alla pala: The dough undergoes a five-day process that produces a pie that’s thick but light, with lots of crunchy holes. Signature pies include Vegas Meets Italy, with scamorza, mozzarella, ricotta, pistachios, dates, heirloom tomatoes, arugula, prosciutto and date cream.

6020 W. Flamingo Road, 702-749-5959, monzulv.com

Dom DeMarco’s

If you like New York-style pizza, Dom DeMarco’s is the place for you. It’s an offshoot of the legendary DiFara Pizza in Brooklyn, and Albert Scalleat’s pies here are carefully made, down to the light charring on the crust. The DiFara Special is made with a Sicilian-style sauce with simmered prosciutto and tomatoes, with pepperoni, mozzarella, Grana Padano and fresh basil. Don’t like thin pizza? The square Sicilian-style pies, baked in cast-iron pans, is the answer.

9785 W. Charleston Blvd., 702-570-7000, domdemarcos.com

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.