309. Introducing Your Audience to New Pizza Styles

On this week’s episode of The Hot Slice podcast, we speak with Mario LaPosta and Dario Paone about what it’s like to introduce your pizzeria’s customers to pizza styles they might not have tasted before.  

Mario LaPosta learned the craft of wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in Italy before bringing the style to Da LaPosta in Newton, Massachusetts. He shares his journey developing a custom flour blend, which includes a nine-year-old sourdough starter.  

LaPosta tells The Hot Slice about his experience opening a second restaurant – Mamma Luca in Portsmouth, New Hampshire – about 90 minutes from his original location. This time, he embarked on a journey with Roman-style pan pizza, which he also offers by the slice. He shares the difference in making dough for the two styles as well as what to know before opening a second location. 

Next up: We chat with Dario Paone of Volo Craft Pizza in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Paone was raised in a pizzeria family, but when starting this concept, he opted to introduce something new at the time (2017) – Detroit-style pizza. He recalls people asking for the Chicago slice and spreading the word about Volo Craft’s Motor City-inspired pies.  

He shares with listeners of The Hot Slice his experiences using online reviews to boost business and how he’s starting to work with third-party delivery apps to generate lunch business. It’s a one-of-a-kind episode with East Coast operators who specialize in pizzas from across the globe. You won’t want to miss it! 

Show Notes:  

Register today for Pizza Expo Columbus!  

Volo Craft Pizza: https://www.volopizzeria.com/ 

Da LaPosta: https://dalaposta.com/ 

Mamma Luca: https://mammaluca.com/ 

Recorded live at the International Pizza Expo!