As the community of Gulfport continues to grow, with great shops and restaurants popping up all the time, another new spot has joined the party. Slice of Gulfport is now open at 1414 58th Street South, bringing hot pies, subs and chicken wings to the area.

True to the spirit of Gulfport, just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s not local. Owner John McLachlan was raised in St. Pete Beach and South Pasadena, and moved to Gulfport with his family a few years ago. It’s been in the time since that he realized, as great as Gulfport is, it seemed to have something missing – great pizza to match it.

In late 2021, McLachlan came across the old Fazio’s location and decided it was the perfect spot to bring his solution to life. So Slice of Gulfport was established in January 2022, and now, after more than a year of planning, the family-run pizzeria is open to the public. Slice is in the soft opening phase currently, open 1-5 pm today, Wednesday, February 22 as its first day of operation, and then open 2:30-8 pm Thursday-Sunday.

With a location inside the plaza, pizzas can be enjoyed right inside the building, taken to-go, or ordered for delivery online through Uber Eats, Door Dash and Grub Hub. During this soft open phase, ownership says, the menu will be limited to pizzas and calzones only, with the full menu expected to launch on Wednesday, March 1.

As for those pizzas, McLachlan took heavy influence from New York City pizzerias, making visits to the Big Apple as he found his inspiration for his big idea. After a lifetime working in restaurants, he’s launching his own place with the quality touches he believes make a big difference – most importantly, all the sauce and dough is made and tossed in-house, with cheese imported from Wisconsin and only the best ingredients used for toppings.

Pizzas come in 10, 12, or 14-inch sizes, with options to build your own from the list of toppings or choose from one of the specialty pies such as the Pineapple Express, the Boca Ciega Ultimate, and the Pepperoni Pirate. They also offer a gluten-free cauliflower crust, as well as a vegan pizza made with vegan cheese.

Once the full menu launches, Slice will also dish up house salads, pizza bagels, hot sub sandwiches, chicken wings, and even desserts such as cheese cake and a salted caramel brownie with pretzel crust. McLachlan also plans to offer lunch specials until 5 pm every day, with meals like two slices and a drink; a pizza bagel with a small salad and a drink; or spaghetti and meatballs with a small salad and a drink.

Follow Slice of Gulfport on facebook for more updates on the launch of the full menu and the grand opening.