Nice Slice

 

767 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903

An absolutely quintessential spot for slices (thus the name). I got two plain slices for $2.25 each. When you do something so simple and iconic, all your mistakes and shortcomings are on display—you have to be perfect. Luckily, Nice Slice is nearly perfect. The cheese and sauce work together as one flavor-unit, just like the best NYC plain. Not quite an "orange slice," in the parlance, but it doesn't need to be. The crust is transcendently crispy in the way that you only get when a slice has gone into the oven a second time. And while the bread isn't remarkable in the flavor department, it manages to be unobtrusive and fully sufficient for the task. One cavil: the crust was noticeably chewy, probably from being overworked a bit. Still, good enough to be our first S-Rank pizza on the blog. Hot sauce recommendation: follow your heart.

Roommate says, "Try the Figgy Stardust."

RATING: S

Pizza J

 

967 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903

A somewhat divey spot with pinball machines and, it turns out, trivia nights. I got a cheese pizza—there's only one size, which I'd confidently call a large—for $20. They're definitely going for an "NYC" style, and the crust is certainly thin enough to qualify. Sadly, the bottom isn't very crispy, but it does hold up to a fold. The sauce and cheese are generous—perhaps a little too generous, as the cheese tends to congeal together and slide around on the sauce as the pizza cools. The crust is golden, bubbly but uncharred, and not noticeably yeasty or salted. The result is a serviceable but unexciting bread. Still, the overall pie is in most respects exactly what it should be at the price point, and the rest is small quibbles. Hot sauce recommendation: red pepper flakes.

Roommate says, "I wish we hadn't gone on trivia night."

RATING: A

DownCity Pizza & Sandwiches

 

53 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI 02903

Another counter-service restaurant, but downtown this time. I got a personal (10") cheese pizza for $10.95. The gas-fired oven puts a very nice char on the crust, though to be honest I wouldn't mind a bit more. The result is a remarkably delicate and crispy crust. The generous portion of cheese almost weighs down the pillowy bread, but it holds up despite—moist without going gummy or tough. Once again, the sauce is nearly invisible on the palate, and it would be a welcome counterpoint to the ample cheese. Nonetheless, the flavors are very good, especially the bread itself, which manages to be the star of the show. A rare and admirable feat! Hot sauce recommendation: Crystal.

Roommate says, "Get the pistachio ricotta cake!"

RATING: A