SLICE IT UP!!New Pizza Restaurant Opens on Fifth Avenue South
Just when you thought Fifth Avenue South couldn’t possibly offer another new and creative concept for the taste buds, well, think again.
A big welcome to the Slice Shop, where you can have your choice of 25+ different pizza slices, made fresh daily. This unique restaurant is brought to you by entrepreneurs Rob and Nicole Guercio, who are no novices when it comes to pizza, having years of experience running successful pizza shops in New York.
Located at 720 Fifth Avenue South, the entrance to Slice Shop is on the alleyway behind the building with another door in the breezeway next to Vergina. The restaurant officially opened in late August, just in time for National Pizza Month in October. “The response has been fantastic,” says Rob, “with a line out the door on many days.”
Nicole says, “While I married into the pizza business when I met Rob, he has spent years in the business, even working in pizza restaurants while in college. It’s in his DNA. He opened his first pizzeria when he was 25 and ran it for ten years. We still own our second one on Long Island, but we are so thrilled to be fulfilling our dream here on Fifth Avenue South.”
How fitting the Guercios would choose Naples, Florida to put down roots with their three young children, having moved here permanently in 2023 with the intent of opening Slice Shop. Pizza, as we know it, was actually invented in Naples, Italy, where it evolved from the flatbreads of Greeks, who immigrated there, into a dish for 18th century working class Italians. Likewise, workers along Fifth Avenue South, as well as visitors and residents, have been beating a path to the Slice Shop for takeout or quick, and sometimes leisurely, lunches.
“The shop has truly taken on a life of its own,” says Nicole. “From day one when we opened our doors, we have had an overwhelming response from guests who love the food, the service and the décor.” Rob took the lead in designing the kitchen and the pizza service area of the shop, while Nicole did the interior, featuring a unique pink color theme complete with palm trees and lots of light, leaving behind the more traditional look of dark wood and green and red themes of most NY pizzerias. “We kept the original logo from Rob’s first pizza shop, but that’s it. We are officially in paradise now. And we love being on Fifth. The feeling is lively; the foot traffic is heavy, and the street embodies everything we envisioned,” Nicole added.
Since its humble origins in Italy, pizza has literally become the go-to food in many countries. According to the World Population Review, Norway is number 1 in pizza consumption with the average Norwegian eating 25.1 lbs. per year; the U.S. comes in second with around 21.2 lbs. per American per year; Canada is third with 19.6 lbs. per person; Australia 19 lbs. per person, and Italy is a distant 5th with the average Italian consuming 16.8 lbs. per year.
Whether a slice or square pizza lover, you will find plenty of choices at the Slice Shop... from traditional slices, like Margherita or white cheese pizza, to more exotic offerings such as The Jam made with fig jam, bacon, and lemon ricotta cheese. The shop also gives a shout-out to Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and known for his one bite pizza reviews, by featuring a pizza slice named Portnoy, a thin crispy pie with blends of fresh mozzarella cheese and a touch of Sicilian olive oil. Portnoy visited the Guercios’ NY shop, so they’re hoping he will visit Naples to test his namesake slice.
For square pizza people, there are also traditional and specialty choices, including the more familiar Sicilian, as well as The Booch, a nickname for the Guercios’ son Cristian, made with fresh mozzarella, vodka sauce, stracciatella, pepperoni cups, and hot honey. My favorite, of course, is 5th Ave., named for our iconic avenue and featuring fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, and roasted peppers with a balsamic glaze.
If you’re not in the mood for pizza, the Slice Shop also offers a variety of sandwiches and salads. Small plates of meatball sliders and baked clam dip, among other delights, are also available. For dessert, try the lemon zeppoles, small Italian doughnuts sprinkled with powdered sugar or the latest menu addition of bombolini, Italian donuts with crème filling.
“People are already asking us to open in other parts of Naples. My pie in the sky dream would be pizza shops all over Southwest Florida, but for now, we will be patient, as we get ready for a great season in beautiful Naples,” says Rob with a grin.
The Guericos have three children: daughter Kendall (11), and sons Cristian (6), and Devin (2).
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