A New Chapter for a Las Vegas Pizza Landmark
Metro Pizza, one of Las Vegas’ most enduring and influential restaurant brands, is entering a new phase. Co-founder John Arena (one of the world’s top authorities on pizza-making) recently spoke with the Food and Loathing podcast about the closing of Metro’s East Tropicana location after an extraordinary 37-year run and what’s next for the brand.
The closure marks the end of a significant chapter for the UNLV neighborhood, but also sets the stage for Metro Pizza’s next evolution: Sliceteria, a new slice-focused concept opening soon at The Bend in the growing southwest valley.
Arena and his longtime business partner, Sam Facchini, have shaped Las Vegas pizza culture since the 1980s, making Metro Pizza one of the rare homegrown institutions to last across multiple generations of locals. Their Flamingo and Decatur restaurant — the first to officially carry the Metro Pizza name — opened in 1986 and remains the brand’s cornerstone.
Why Metro Pizza Closed Its Longtime Tropicana Location
Speaking to the Food and Loathing podcast, Arena explained that the closure wasn’t driven by declining business, but by the natural evolution of the city’s neighborhoods.
“We were on that corridor for 37 years, and a lot of our customers moved out to the edges of the city,” he told the podcast. “We needed to move to where they were.”
The building itself had also changed ownership. Metro Pizza sold the property last year and later remained as a tenant. When the most recent buyer chose not to renew the lease — opting instead to install an Indian restaurant — the company focused on expansion rather than relocation. “It’s a standard evolution of business in Las Vegas,” Arena said.
Inside Sliceteria: John Arena’s New Slice-Focused Concept
The upcoming Sliceteria represents a deliberate shift toward experimentation and variety. Described by Arena as a “destination slice shop,” the fast-casual concept will showcase styles not typically found at the full-service Metro Pizza locations.
“There’s a lot of opportunity to experiment with new menu items and focus on the things that have happened in the pizza world over the last decade,” he told the podcast. “Every artist gets tired of playing their greatest hits. Let’s do something different.”
Roman, Detroit, grandma, and other specialty styles will be part of the lineup — a chance for the Metro team to highlight techniques many longtime customers may not realize they’ve mastered. Arena believes a new venue is the best way to introduce that creativity.
“Sometimes you have to completely reinvent yourself in a new venue to make it work,” he said.
Sliceteria Joins the Growing Culinary Lineup at The Bend
Sliceteria’s first location will open at The Bend, a fast-developing hub already home to places like Evolve Brewing, Freed’s Dessert Shop, Union Biscuit, and Saint Felix Sin City. Arena expects the new shop to be ready by the end of January.
Where to Find Metro Pizza Now
While the Tropicana chapter closes, Metro Pizza continues to operate across the valley, including locations at the airport, Las Vegas Convention Center, inside Ellis Island, Flamingo & Decatur, Horizon Ridge & Stephanie, and Sky Pointe & Cimarron.
