Pizza by the Slice in Northern Utah: How Three Ski Bums Built Lucky Slice's Late-Night Slice Empire

The slice lands on your paper plate with that satisfying weight that tells you everything you need to know. The thin crust has those little charred bubbles along the edge, the kind that only come from a properly hot oven and dough that's been treated right. You fold it lengthwise—the New York way—and the tip doesn't immediately collapse into a greasy disaster. At Lucky Slice Pizza in Ogden, this is what happens when three guys who came for Utah's powder decided to stay for the pizza.

"This is the best Pizza I have found in Utah since moving here 40 years ago," one customer wrote after visiting the original 25th Street location. That's not hyperbole when you're talking about authentic New York-style pizza by the slice in a state that historically leaned toward different pizza philosophies.

From Ski Bums to Pizza Barons: The Lucky Slice Origin Story

Here's how it actually went down: Nick VanArsdell and Mike McDonald rolled into Ogden in 2006 chasing Utah's legendary powder. They weren't the first out-of-staters drawn by the promise of four million annual skiers descending on the Wasatch mountains, and they wouldn't be the last. But unlike most seasonal visitors, they looked around historic 25th Street and saw something beyond the ski lifts.

They partnered with William Shafer—a Utah native and culinary talent who actually knew what he was doing in a kitchen—and in 2012, Lucky Slice Pizza opened its doors in a historic building on the corner of Lincoln and 25th. The original plan? "Ski by day and work by night," VanArsdell has said. That dream lasted about as long as it takes to proof pizza dough.

Turns out when you're making all your dough and sauces from scratch, shredding your own cheese, and hand-tossing every single pie using actual technique instead of processed ingredients and machines, people notice. The counter-service concept—pizza by the slice with late-night hours catering to "the hungry lunch crowd, random passers-by, and of course the late-night drunkards from the Ogden bars"—filled a gap in Northern Utah's dining scene that nobody realized existed until Lucky Slice opened.

"Pizza by-the-slice was our bread and butter," the founders wrote on their website, and that's still true at their three locations in Ogden, Logan, and Clearfield. They've graduated from that original "hole in the wall" to a growing Northern Utah institution, but the philosophy hasn't changed: "Pizza 'til Death." When they first started saying it, they admit they didn't really know what it meant. "It just sounded cool." Now it's their battle cry.

The New York-Style Pizza Experience: Why the Slice Matters

Walking into Lucky Slice's Ogden flagship feels like stumbling into a pizza parlor that somehow teleported from Brooklyn to the Wasatch Front. The open kitchen lets you watch pies get assembled and slid into the oven. Arcade cabinets line the walls—a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game sits prominently, because of course it does. Movie posters reimagined with pizza themes hang alongside the Lucky Strike-inspired logo that winks at you from every corner.

But it's the counter display that matters. The slices sitting there are genuine New York-style: thin crust, foldable, each one a proper sixth of an 18-inch hand-tossed pie. "New York pizza is thin, crisp crust with enough sauce to accent the flavor of fresh Mozzarella cheese," one transplant wrote in their review. "The Lucky Slice knocks this one out of the park. They must bake on stones to get the crisp crust and when I took the first bite... wow, I was back in the North East."

A former New Yorker and Bostonian echoed that sentiment: "Pizza is one of my most covered carbs and comfort food," noting the distinct preparation method that gives Lucky Slice's crust that lighter crisp despite the thin profile.

The menu splits between classics and what McDonald calls their "unorthodox choices." The Carnivore loads up red sauce and mozzarella with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, and 'Merican bacon—a meat lover's dream that's consistently among their best-sellers. The Lucky 7 piles on sausage, Canadian bacon, pepperoni, green peppers, white onions, black olives, and mushrooms for those who want the full supreme experience.

But it's the original creations that earn cult followings. The Dub All-Star features a creamy pesto base with mozzarella, roasted chicken, spinach, tomatoes, and caramelized onions, finished with a barbecue drizzle. "It was originally served only on Sunday nights," according to Lucky Slice's history, "but after many customer requests, they added it to their daily pizza selection."

Then there's the Danimal—three types of cheese with red onion, fresh tomato, a balsamic reduction, and lemon wedges. "The Danimal is the best vegetarian pizza around, hands down," one customer insisted. "I have served it to my meat eating friends, and they have all loved it. You won't miss the meat." Another called it simply: "Best gf pizza ever!! The danimal is my fav!"

The Marghie (short for Margherita Supreme) elevates the classic with red sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, tomato, roasted red pepper, basil, and a balsamic drizzle. One review noted: "The Marghareta and Danimal were both among the best thin-crust pizza I have experienced."

Northern Utah's Slice Culture: Why Lucky Slice Works

McDonald has a theory about why pizza matters, especially pizza by the slice. Reflecting on the diverse crowd at the Ogden location, he's watched mom-and-daughter lunch dates sit next to attorneys, police officers, and punk-rock kids. "I always just loved that, because that's pizza," he told a local reporter. "It's for everyone and whatever you're into on your pizza, we kind of fill that role."

That democratic approach extends to the menu. They offer gluten-free crusts and vegan cheese. Rotating monthly specials keep things interesting—recent offerings included the Uncle Rico (inspired by Napoleon Dynamite, featuring garlic cream sauce, ground beef, tater tots, pickles, and a ketchup drizzle) and creative combinations like pickle pizza and chicken and waffles pizza.

"We take our craft serious but we don't take ourselves too serious," McDonald explained when asked about the unconventional toppings. It's that balance that makes Lucky Slice work—technique and quality without pretension.

The late-night hours (until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at the Ogden location) cement their role in the local nightlife scene. "It's awesome that they are open so late," one reviewer wrote after a night out. "The pizza is NY thin style crust and when you fold it in half its still nice and crispy. You have to get a Rice Krispy treat!!"

Those rice crispy treats—made with rice crispies, marshmallow, and butter "just like mom used to make"—show up repeatedly in customer praise, along with the zeppoles (fried pizza dough tossed in cinnamon-sugar and served with caramel sauce) and the cauli-buds (hand-breaded cauliflower chunks).

The craft beer selection rounds out the experience. Lucky Slice maintains rotating taps featuring both Utah craft breweries and domestic options, leaning into that dive bar pizza culture that's rare in increasingly polished restaurant landscapes.

Building Community One Slice at a Time

Lucky Slice's commitment to Northern Utah extends beyond pizza. They've partnered with local artist Lucas Beaufort on multiple mural projects, hosting "live, immersive paint experiences" where community members help create artwork for their locations. The team regularly participates in local events, especially in arts and entertainment.

Their expansion strategy has been deliberate. After establishing the Ogden flagship, they opened locations in Clearfield and Logan, plus a seasonal spot at Powder Mountain's Timberline Lodge that serves skiers. In 2023, the ownership group purchased The White Owl bar on Logan's Center Street, expanding their footprint in Cache Valley.

When their Logan location moved to Center Street to be closer to other pizzerias, McDonald's response embodied their community-first approach: "We're a community and we want to support each other. There's an old business theory about bookstores and how much better they performed when they were in close proximity together… I feel like that's what it's going to be like on Center Street."

During COVID-19's restaurant shutdowns, when their business dropped to 45-50 percent and they had to furlough staff, VanArsdell called it "like losing part of our family." They fought to keep all locations open, protecting jobs and maintaining that community presence that makes Lucky Slice more than just a pizza joint.

Planning Your Visit to Lucky Slice Pizza

The original Ogden location sits at 207 25th Street in the heart of historic downtown. Hours run 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. The Clearfield location (1246 S. Legend Hills Drive) and Logan spot (moving to Center Street near The Crêpery) maintain similar schedules.

Order by the slice for around $3 each, or go for full pies—large 14-inch feeds 1-2 people, XXL 18-inch handles 3-4. "Two large slices and a soda for $7.99 fed two hungry adults after a long hike," one customer noted. That value proposition, combined with the ability to try multiple flavors without committing to an entire pie, explains why the counter stays busy.

The space itself is casual—bar stools, booth seating, and arcade games create that pizza parlor atmosphere. "The sitting area is small so it can be hard to get a table sometimes," one regular acknowledged, making the by-the-slice model even more practical for quick lunch stops or late-night cravings.

For those not near the physical locations, Lucky Slice offers delivery through their own service and major platforms like DoorDash and Grubhub. They also operate two food trucks and provide full catering services.

Follow them on Instagram @theluckyslice for daily specials and rotating menu updates. The monthly specials often sell out, so checking social media before visiting ensures you don't miss limited-time offerings.

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In a state where pizza culture has historically meant thick-crust family chains or upscale Neapolitan certification, Lucky Slice carved out territory by doing something deceptively simple: authentic New York-style pizza by the slice, made from scratch, served late, without pretension. That three ski enthusiasts who came for the powder ended up creating Northern Utah's slice revolution says something about recognizing opportunity where others see limitation.

"We choose to make all of our dough & sauces, shred our own cheese, and prepare the majority of our ingredients fresh—right here in Ogden, Utah," the founders wrote. "Those ingredients plus the fact that we craft each pie by hand using age-old techniques equals a better pizza than those made from processed ingredients and machines."

It's working. Awards from City Weekly, Best Pizza honors from Indie Ogden and Best of Logan, and most importantly, lines out the door during lunch and late-night rushes prove that sometimes the best business plan is skiing until you realize you've found something worth staying for. Pizza 'til death? At Lucky Slice, they mean it.