“You can’t go wrong with pizza, wings and beer,” City Slice Pints + Pizza general manager Matt Dispenza says.  

After calling a spot near LSU’s North Gates home for six years, City Slice’s lease was coming up for renewal. The restaurant closed its doors on Chimes Street three months ago and quietly reopened in an upgraded location on Nicholson Drive, formerly occupied by Pluckers Wing Bar. 

“It was the chance to relocate and start something new,” Dispenza says. “We’re already established. This gives [patrons] a bigger place.” 

The new City Slice offers more room for parking and dining. It’s also a good area for snagging foot traffic, as it’s located by several apartment complexes and Tigerland.

“After the Florida game let out, it was just a mass on both sides of the street,” Dispenza says. “We had the doors propped open and music going.”  

While the beloved pizza spot is the same in essence, the new location comes with a few notable changes to both the restaurant’s interior and menu.  

“We’ve upgraded everything, from the products coming in to everything [customers] use,” Dispenza says. “It’s all an upgrade from what we were doing, and [customers] liked it then. So, I have no reason to believe we wouldn’t like it here.”  

With the use of brick ovens, rather than the original conveyor, and the introduction of a new specialized dough, the pizzas are on a whole other level than the Chimes Street location, Dispenza says. City Slice has moved away from its familiar beer dough to an original recipe from General Mills. The pizza joint is the only one in this region, from Texas to Florida, with permission to use the recipe. The dough takes less time to proof and prep, and makes for crispier crusts.

“It holds up so much better. And if you take it home, it reheats just like it would come out here,” Dispenza says about the pies. 

While the menu no longer offers by-the-slice pizza, it still has signature pies, like the Heisman and the Fighting Tiger, along with new wing options. Gone are City Slice’s dry rubs, and in comes a variety of new wet sauces. The wings are soaked in a brown sugar brine and fried without batter. After trying around 100 different new flavors for the menu, the City Slice team landed on staple sauces like buffalo and garlic parmesan. Expect unique flavors, too, like hot honey, mango habanero and spicy peach.  

“You don’t think [spicy peach] would be delicious, but it is absolutely delicious,” Dispenza says.  

Those familiar with the original City Slice will know its signature red and black color scheme, which has traveled to the new spot. Dispenza says they’re still waiting on vinyl wraps for the bar and outdoor signage. With 20 TVs and a beefed-up sound system spread throughout the two dining rooms, the team is ready for weekends packed with big college football matchups. 

“We’re gonna have all of [the TVs] on. [Customers] are already calling [to ask] ‘Is the game going to be on?’” Dispenza says.  “Yes, the games will be on. We’ll be here for y’all to come eat some wings.”  

The new City Slice location also offers drinks, with prices rivaling those of the nearby Tigerland bars and neighboring eateries like Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux, Dispenza says. Although there won’t be happy hour deals, the drink menu prices have been adjusted to make up for the loss to customers. 

“We went everywhere and priced everything,” Dispenza says.  “It’s not crazy, but below enough to where it’s a noticeable difference.”  

City Slice is looking to be running at full capacity in October, with some decorative changes still to be installed.  

City Slice is at 4225 Nicholson Drive. It’s open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 to 2 a.m. Deliveries through Toast are open until 1:45 a.m. Check out their website for more information on the new location and menu here.  

This article originally appeared in 225 magazine’s 225 Daily newsletter.