Legendary Vegas pizzeria closes original shop after 37 years

Metro Pizza, one of the eminences of pizza craft in Las Vegas, is shutting its original shop on East Tropicana Road. The last day of service is Friday. The pizzeria announced the closing on Tuesday afternoon in an Instagram post.

“After having a presence for over 37 years on the East Tropicana Ave. corridor, we are sad to announce that we are closing our restaurant at 1395 E. Tropicana Ave.,” the post reads.

“We are deeply grateful to all of our Metro Pizza friends and family for your support over the many decades. Come visit us one last time at our Tropicana Ave. location this Friday, November 28th, in celebration of our history, our loyal staff (who will all continue to work with us at our other locations going forward), and of course, our future. The Best is Yet to Come!”

Besides the pizzeria that is closing on East Tropicana, Metro Pizza has four remaining locations across the valley.

Co-founders and cousins John Arena and Sam Facchini arrived in Vegas in 1980 after having purchased a pizzeria here that they’d seen advertised in an Italian-language newspaper in their native New York City. Original New York Pizza was at Flamingo and Sandhill roads. By 1986, the business partners had decided to change the name, and the first store on East Tropicana followed.

Arena has been the public face of Metro Pizza, and over the years, he has been celebrated for his knowledge of pizza styles from metro areas around the globe. The pizzeria itself has been equally celebrated, garnering a host of recognition, including Arena being named a Legend of Pizza and a World Pizza Champion. Neon has reached out to Arena for comment on the closing.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.