Marvin Kinney, owner of R Town Pizza, didn’t just bring Detroit-style pizza to Reno—he brought a mission. Growing up in the restaurant industry—bussing tables, working the line and managing by 17—Kinney saw firsthand what was broken: kitchens run on chaos, harsh management and staff treated as disposable. So, he built R Town differently—with fair wages, intentional hospitality and a genuine welcome for all. As a single father of two children on the autism spectrum, he created what he’d wished for as a kid: a place where people are met without judgment. It’s a vision that’s resonated far beyond Reno—R Town landed on Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list and regularly tops local “best of” lists. Kinney’s mantra, “We have to stay human,” runs through everything. Detroit-style? Yes—but he is Reno in heart and soul.
R Town Pizza is located at 180 W. Peckham Lane, No. 1100, and online at www.rtownpizza.com.
What’s the best thing you’ve eaten locally in the last month?
It wasn’t in the last month, as I do not get out much, but Arario has a mean beef tartare that I find myself reminiscing about every so often.
Your kitchen is on fire—metaphorically! What are you cooking?
My dad’s clam chowder that he made at Gracie’s Sea Hag in Depoe Bay, Ore. I wish I had more of his recipes, but this one is always one I love making when I need to remind myself where I come from.
Who is/was your strongest culinary influence?
I am not sure I could say I had an influence in one way or another overall, but my friend Rick Boyd always showed me there is a lot out there just beyond my comfort zone. I tend to think about things I have never made before when I am trying to do something new.
What is your go-to midnight snack?
Cold tortillas and habanero salsa.
Which local restaurant deserves more attention, and why?
Man, there are so many great small places, but one I think gets overlooked a lot is Clary’s. The staff there is wildly efficient, and the roasted red pepper soup is rad.
How does food contribute to our community?
All of human history has been handed down over the food table. Every story told was done while breaking bread. It is the most basic of needs and can be so profound at the same time.
What is the most unusual thing in your refrigerator right now?
Achiote paste, because I just learned about patatas bravas.
Please share your favorite food memory from growing up
Every year, we used to throw a huge party for our friends and family called Pigout. Always a ton of food. For a while, I got to help run the food side, but as time has gone on, we do not do it anymore. It’s a bygone time when things felt a lot easier, for sure.
What is the one kitchen tool you can’t live without?
My knives.
If you could have dinner anywhere in the world tonight, where would it be, and why there?
Overlooking the ocean on the Oregon Coast eating clams, Dungeness crab and cod that I went and caught myself, off of a pile of newspapers spread out across a giant table. My happiest memories are on that part of the coastline.