While the summer slips by in a haze of heat, a restaurant on Regent street in downtown Salt Lake City has undergone a quiet transformation. Pivoting to focus on Neo-Neapolitan pizza, Finca Pintxos bar is now operating at Pizza Bar under the Pago group.
The decision to close Pintxos in favor of a full-service concept wasn’t easy, but restauranteur Scott Evans says plans for a pizzeria have long been in the works. “When Chef Phelix and I started working with Chef Brandon to assist with our pizza program at Emigration Cafe, it was clear to all of us we needed to do a pizzeria together,” Evans says. “As we considered locations we missed the elephant in front of us – the $40,000 Valoriani pizza oven inside of the Pintxos Bar that was barely getting use.”
After teasing the menu at Sugar House Station, Pizza Bar collaborators Chef Brandon Price, Chef Phelix Gardner and Scott Evans knew they had baked something special. Instead of deep dish Chicago slices or ultra thin New York pizza, the pies at Pizza Bar feature two styles new to Utah: Pizza al Taglio/Grandma Slice and Neo-Neapolitan whole pies. The former is marked by crispy rectangular crust, layers of cheese and minimal toppings. Although exact origins have been lost to time, many speculate the name derives from Sicilian immigrants who developed a pizza that tasted like home, but could be made with standard American cooking equipment. The result is a simple and delicious olive oil-fried slice that showcases the foundational flavors of pizza in all their tasty glory.
Pizza bar’s whole pie options are made in a Neo-Neapolitan style—which utilize Neopolitan-style dough with a few modifications to create a sturdier and chewier dough. The toppings tend to get more creative, and the options at Pizza Bar are no exception. The al-zass pie combines creme fraiche, speck and onion, while the n’duja pizza is piled high with ricotta, tomato, mozzarella and honey cured chilli.
The chefs have also included a few additional plates for your feasting pleasure, like tender ricotta meatballs, fried carbonara sticks and a little gem caesar salad. And don’t forget the wine. Ever the vino aficionado, Evans has put together a lovely selection of pizza-friendly natural wines. The list showcases boutique producers from around the globe that are committed to sustainably grown grapes and organic farmings for clean, pure pours without all the fuss. There’s also a fair amount of craft beer, cider and boilermakers on their beverage menu.
While Pizza Bar welcomes its first round of customers, Evans does acknowledge the end of an era for Pintxos. The Spanish tapas bar was a progressive concept, and maybe even a bit ahead of its time for Utah diners. “We were located on an undeniably challenging street, serving food that most Utahns have never heard of and can’t pronounce, in a downtown that is years away from growing into itself,” Evans reflects. “So although we had amazing 4.8 star reviews the rate of growth just didn’t make sense to continue to invest into that concept.”
Luckily, unlike most restaurant closures, we aren’t just losing one great restaurant, but gaining another one. Evans, Gardner and Price are excited for what Pizza Bar can accomplish in this new era, and look forward to introducing Utahns to their new favorite slices.
When You Go
Pizza Bar
126 Regent Street, SLC
Mon–Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
pizzabarslc.com | @pizzabaronregent
Note: This is a 21+ Establishment
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