Pizza. We Americans consume about 3 billion pies per year, according to the National Association of Pizzeria Operators. That is more than 8 million per day, or a staggering 350 slices per second (depending on the number of slices per pizza, of course). This insatiable appetite for pizza means that more than 17 percent of all restaurants in the U.S. are pizzerias—serving styles such as traditional New York, Chicago deep dish, Neapolitan, California, tavern (Chicago’s thinner variety) and Detroit.
In the past few years, the Reno pizza scene has grown tremendously, with great examples of almost every expression now within easy reach. But what about the people? Who are these purveyors, and how did they come to their places in the local pizza pantheon?
To find out, we visited a few of the most popular shops in town, spent time with their owners and shared a slice (or two), seeking to discover their “secret sauce.”
The Pizza Collective
148 West St., inside West Street Market, Reno
www.thepizzacollectivereno.com
Owner: Johnny Carrillo
Pizza philosophy: “Keep it simple and do it well”
Culinary inspiration: His mom
Go-to pie: Margherita with sausage, garlic oil and crushed red pepper
Johnny Carrillo came to pizza through his family’s love for food. Growing up in New Orleans and Southern California, he was raised with great examples of regional foods. A few years back, while working at Prema Farm—an organic, sustainable operation in nearby Loyalton, Calif.—he met the owner of The Pizza Collective, and over several conversations out in the fields, he decided to buy it.
Since taking over in 2020, Carrillo and his team of three have sought to elevate pizza through a focus on quality ingredients—like wild-fermented yeast, all-sourdough crust, farm-fresh produce and ethically sourced proteins. Carrillo’s obsessiveness extends to wood-fire baking, too, down to the types of hardwoods—oak, cherry and pecan—he uses in his hand-built Stefano Ferrara oven. Smoke, temperature and ash all impact the product.
Inspired by artisanal Neapolitan pies and pioneers like noted New York pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri, Carrillo is always searching for ways he can strip a pizza down and have it still be delicious. He strives to carry on the standards of the famous “pizza Napoletana” and give Reno locals a chance to experience this traditional classic.
R Town Pizza
180 W. Peckham Lane, No. 1100, Reno
www.rtownpizza.com
Owner: Marvin Kinney
Pizza philosophy: “Pizza creates community”
Culinary inspiration: His parents
Go-to pie: The “Axel Foley”—Detroit cheese blend, olive oil, fennel sausage, onion, Calabrian chili, arugula, Parmesan and vegan hot honey
Marvin Kinney grew up in food. With both parents in the industry, he was bussing tables at 13 in Seattle, and by 17, he was already managing a restaurant. Having also worked in Reno, he thought it would be a great place to open his own shop. When the former Pirate’s Pizza space became vacant, his dream was off and running.
R Town opened in March 2022, and Kinney chose Detroit-style, a previously little-known pizza style featuring a square shape with crispy cheese edges and punchy toppings. R Town has rapidly become a Reno favorite, garnering a spot in Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants 2024.
On social media, Kinney chronicles—often, and in detail—the ups and downs of pizza, parenthood and owning a small business. While the struggle is real, his belief in his mission is, too. Kinney remembers that when he was a youth, his local pizza shop offered free slices and access to video games after school, which created a sense of safety and belonging. He strives to re-create this sense of security in his own shop. One of his key mantras is, “We have to stay human.” He lives up to it by advocating for fair wages for service workers, the LGBTQ+ community and locals experiencing food insecurity.
R Town’s unique and fun pies include special versions for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Fat Tuesday and Cinco De Mayo, and are served with love and a strong sense of place. It’s Reno (via Detroit) on a plate.
Smiling With Hope
6135 Lakeside Drive, No. 101, Reno
www.smilingwithhopepizza.com
Owner: Andrew Silvaroli
Pizza philosophy: “Pizza is like a fingerprint. Each one is unique.”
Culinary inspirations: His mother, Robin, and his “big, loud Italian family”
Go-to pie: Cheese with garlic
A Reno institution, Smiling With Hope has built a tremendous following by serving authentic New York-style pizza and hiring and training employees with disabilities.
Under the former ownership, part of the mystique was access: Smiling would often sell out of pizza early in the evening, so scoring a pie felt like a special accomplishment.
The current owner, Andrew Silvaroli, upon leaving active duty with the Army, had no immediate plans to own a restaurant, but as a Reno resident since 1997, he had a good sense of what Smiling meant to the community. When he learned of the original owners’ desire to retire, he, together with his mom, Robin, and his brothers, Patrick and John (both local dentists), jumped at the chance to buy it.
Having been raised in Buffalo, Andrew remembers fondly the delicious food, warm hospitality and sense of family that the pizzerias there provided. The motto up there is “the city of good neighbors,” and his goal is to continue that ethos. The shop hires workers from the disability transition program at Truckee Meadows Community College and supports veterans’ groups and sports for young people with disabilities.