July 06, 2016
Fishtown is already home to the "best pizza in America" at Pizzeria Beddia, but it's not as if anyone would ever object to more pizza. They're actually clamoring for it, and if there's any duo equipped to make a run for the same distinction, it's Marlo and Jason Dilks of SliCE and P'unk Burger.
The parents of four, who are now expecting twins, are gearing up to open up their fourth Philly pizza shop in Fishtown next month.
The latest version of SliCE, set to replace the recently closed Art of Pizza at 431 E. Girard Avenue, will mark an organic turning point in the couple's decade-long approach to Trenton-style pizza.
Starting in Fishtown, the Dilks will introduce organic and all-natural products ranging from flour, tomato sauce, produce, and dressings to olive oil, hormone-free chicken and non-GMO cooking oils. By the end of the year, the same fresh-food ingredients and processes will be brought to the existing locations in the Italian Market, Rittenhouse and Washington Township, N.J.
Despite the higher costs of organic ingredients, the Dilks feel they can attract a new set of customers interested in healthier options, including a new gluten-free menu, without a corresponding increase in price. Other SliCE staples — four flavors of chicken wings, mozzarella sticks and made-to-order donuts — will also be available on the Fishtown menu.
The new location, designed by Philadelphia Woodcraft Co., features an earthy feel in the 450-square-foot dining room, plus an area for outdoor seating. The Dilks say their Fishtown restuarant will be modeled more on the decor of East Passyunk's P'unk Burger, whose communal tables invite guests to come in bunches and sit for a while.
SliCE will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with Fishtown-themed pizza specials and extended weekend hours still to be announced.
