A ‘different’ kind of pizza chain is coming to Boise. These pies are ‘another level’
Yet another pizza chain expanding to Idaho might not seem like big news.
But Slice House by Tony Gemignani isn’t just another pizza chain.
“Slice House,” as a fan on Reddit wrote, “is another level.”
Gemignani’s pizza, another Redditor wrote, “is art.”
With the search for potential locations already launched, the Treasure Valley’s first Slice House could open by late this year or early next year, founder Tony Gemignani said in a phone interview. A three-unit Idaho franchise deal has been signed. The main targets are Boise, Eagle and Meridian — maybe even Garden City, he said.
Gemignani has devoted his life to pizza. A California native, he opened his first restaurant, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, in San Francisco’s North Beach in 2009. He’s a 13-time world pizza champion with victories in Italy and gold medals on Food Network. The New York Times highlighted him recently in an article about where to find great New York-style slices.
Unlike other pizza chains new to Boise — Marco’s Pizza, for example — Slice House doesn’t chase the Domino’s demographic. Slice House is “elevated, chef-driven pizza,” Gemignani explained. It’s “much different” than most other pizza chains, he said.
“We’re on the top-tier franchises when it comes to pizza,” he said.
Slice House offers dine-in, delivery and catering. Pizza styles include grandma, Sicilian, Detroit and New York. There are gluten-free and vegan options, too, Gemignani said.
“We offer slices all day, all night. We have a variety of different slices that are available every day. Slices get rotated.”
You can always order an entire pizza, too.
Slice House’s menu also includes antipasti, pastas, salads, desserts (cannoli!) and more.
Slice House also serves housemade spicy Hot Honey — to drizzle on pizza. Like, yum!
This isn’t Gemignani’s first taste of Boise. During the pandemic in 2020, he opened Tony G’s Pizza, a short-lived, smaller operation, in the now-defunct Crave Delivery ghost-kitchen collective in Meridian.
Slice House was unveiled as a national franchise in 2022 — “and has since seen rapid growth,” according to a press release, “signing over 145 multi-unit deals across Northern and Southern California, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Tennessee, and now Idaho.”
Describing the allure of Slice House, Gemignani brought up another famous name in the restaurant chain universe. “It’s kind of like Shake Shack in a way,” he said. “... It’s busy. It’s unique. And it’s not too chainy. We make our dough. We make our pesto in house. We do a lot of scratch items in this restaurant.
“Slice House is just different,” he reiterated, “and it still continues to be. It’s definitely a unique concept. I don’t think we’re like any franchise or chain that’s out there.”
This story was originally published January 22, 2025 at 4:00 AM.