Pittsburgh Pizza Makers Secure Top Honors at National Expo

The competition, held October 11–12 at Pizza Expo Columbus, saw the team behind Slice on Broadway and Lucatino Italian Tavern distinguish themselves among elite peers. Rico Lunardi took home first place in the Traditional Thin–Flatbread category and earned second place overall for America’s Best Traditional Thin Pizza with his tonda romana, a Roman-style Margherita topped with pepperoni. Alicia Reis proved equally formidable, capturing third place in the national pepperoni category, earning the 'Best in the Northeast' distinction, and placing third in the Traditional Thin–Flatbread division.

The entries reflected the daily menus at their respective establishments, balancing Slice on Broadway’s signature New York-style pepperoni with the specialized Roman influences at Lucatino Italian Tavern in Carnegie. Teammate Tracy Dykeman also contributed to the effort, participating in the event’s dessert pizza competition. Lunardi, a member of the U.S. Pizza Team, credited the collective effort of the staff back in Pittsburgh for making the achievement possible. The success bolsters the profile of the locally owned group, which operates six Slice on Broadway locations alongside the Carnegie-based tavern.