Slab
25 Preble St, Portland, ME, 04101
Slab Menu
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Address :
25 Preble St
Portland, ME, 04101 - Phone (207) 245-3088
- Website https://slabportland.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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gail m.
Loved their meatballs. The sauce was great too. Giant portions and great selection of beer.
(5)Erica S.
Oh man, this place is flippin' so good. No longer living in Maine, Slab was on my "I need to make it there list" for my short 4 day journey back home. So glad I made it back there. First off, the restaurant layout itself is cool, there are some tables inside and a large bar as well, but the patio, the PATIO!!! I think this might be one of my favorite patios in town. They have plenty of long picnic tables for communal dining, which is something I really dig. And they have a stage. For music. Live MUSIC. Food and music are basically the only two things I live for. And Grateful Dead cover bands? On the stage? With PIZZA? Okay, I'm sold. From what I gather, they have live music here often in the summer and into fall, and on Thursdays is Grateful Dead time. SO glad one of my 4 days home fell on a Thursday. Anyways, super cool patio, and music. Oh and they have mighty fine food... So, like any other normal person, pizza is in my top favorite things of all time. But this pizza is in my top favorite pizzas I've EVER had ever. I am crying now in Florida as I write this because I can not have it. This pizza is IT. The dough is really phenomenal. Thick and super doughy and I mean I could just kiss the dough forever. It has scrumptious light tomato sauce with some more scrumptious mozzarella and provolone. Oh, I am talking about the "hand slab". It is their signature piece and it is HUGE. Could I eat 2? Yeah. Could I eat 3? Maybe, I'd try. Is it still huge? Yeah. It is 1 pound and goes for $6. They also serve it as a half slab and full slab. Maybe next time I'll order a half for myself and see what damage I can do. Should I book my flight now? The slab was all I got this time around and that's all I needed. In the past I have gotten their vegetarian slice, which I remember enjoying but not nearly as much as the hand slab. They also used to have this slaw salad type appetizer which I remember being OBSESSED with. I was actually dreaming about it until I arrived a few weeks ago, and did not find it on the menu. I was sad to say the least but then cheered up with music and pizza.... and a spicy margarita!!! I almost forgot to mention the drinks. They have a great drink list and lots of good beers. I went with the spicy margarita and I have to say it was SPICY and one of the best drinks I had in Portland while being home. Way to go Slab, you made me quite happy once again. Did I mention Slab and Nosh are siblings? Maybe that's why I'm so in love.
(5)Bonnie M.
I love pizza. I do not love undercooked, doughy pizza. Unfortunately that's what I got last night. We had take out from Slab and I was so excited to get it one last time before we move out of state. I loved the regular slab the first time I got it. It was light, airy and so tasty. This time it was heavy and undercooked. Still tasty sauce and cheese and the edges were well cooked but anything 2" or more off of the crust was mostly inedible. Definitely disappointed but maybe that's ok since we won't likely be back in Portland to try the pizza and I'd hate to dream about it all the way across the country. All in all, I'd get Slab again, I would just be careful to make sure it is fully cooked.
(3)Mark D.
I feel like I can write an honest review now that I've ordered here half a dozen times or so. If your a Portlander who ventures out of the house even occasionally then there's no doubt you've heard of micucci's grocery's famous Sicilian Slab. I used to go to that crammed little grocery store years ago and stand there like a sorry SOB with all the rest of the cattle staring at the little shelve where the pizza goes when it comes out of the oven and praying that there was still a super saucy cheesy middle piece by the time I got to the front. Well to make a long story short it wasn't long before slab opened that I had noticed that micucci's pizza was not tasting as good as I remember it. It was then I learned the news that Lanzolatta the brain child behind the slab had parted ways with micucci's taking his recipe with him. Of course this is all ancient history now and we all know that he now has his very own place on Preble St. So let's talk about The Slab because I really don't pay much attention to anything else. I'm here for the SLAB!! I'm tired of all these Vegans on Yelp whining about how restaurants could do a better job with their silly vegan dishes. I mean who goes to a pizza joint to eat vegan seriously???To be honest I'm tired of restaurants trying to accommodate these picky eaters because I feel like it distorts and over complicates the menu. Especially with a place like SLAB that should be striving for simplicity and authenticity. I mean the restaurant is named after what they serve. So now that I've got this rant out of the way I'm going to talk about slab. This is not pizza. It's a slab. Something entirely different to what most people call pizza. it is absolutely delicious. I have actually never eaten at slab. I always take it to go, but I never order ahead because I want to go down to the bar and lovingly gaze at their uber local and extensive craft beer selection. If your a total beer snob like me you will love this bar. I can usually polish off a couple glasses of Dank IPA from the likes of Bissel or Foundation before my half slab is ready to go. One thing I've learned is to always ask for a side of the red sauce because I have run into a dry piece here and there. Sometimes I wish you could have a little more say in how the slab is made because I would probably order it well done with extra sauce and cheese, but at the same time I can see why he doesn't do it because maybe too much of a good thing would just make it normal. When the cosmos align and you get that perfect bite of slab with just the right amount of everything it is absolutely amazing! Take my advice and try it out for yourself.
(4)Celeste M.
I had been meaning to stop in here for awhile as I've been told by many people this is one of the best pizza joints in Portland. I'm one of those crust extremists where I like my pizza to be either paper thin and crispy or super thick and fluffy. This place nails the latter! Enter the hand slab which boasts 1 full pound of pizza deliciousness. It has just the right amount of sauce where it stays directly on the pizza and helps to hold the gooey cheese in place. And the crust...oh the fluffy, soft, warm crust. Ultimate perfection. Oh and it's only $6. Can't beat it.
(5)Kat E.
If you like a lot of dough with barely any sauce or cheese, this is the place for you. Pretty sad.
(1)Ken P.
I really liked the pizza, it is different but still really good. The slab crust is thick but light the sauce is just right. The beer taps are well chosen, maybe too well I had a hard time choosing. Great addition to Portlands rich list of choices.
(5)Jocelyn A.
Let's just get this out of the way first, Lanzalotta's Sicilian slabs make all other slabs look like chewed up horse meat. This guy is the absolute king. If you think you've had this type of pizza before, you haven't. You haven't REALLY tried a slab until you've had Lanzalotta's. When I heard he was opening up his own restaurant I nearly fell out of my chair - too bad I had to wait an entire year until I made it up to Maine to try it. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait! The restaurant is full service, but it is very casual. There is a nice outdoor patio, as well as a roomy interior. I prefer eating indoors because the patio has community picnic tables, which is a trend I hope dies as quickly as it came. The inside is a mix of booths, tables and bar stools. The only problem with the menu here is that everything looks too good. Luckily, things are affordable, so you can order several different dishes. We decided to split the 'nzalata d'aranci (arugula, red onion, orange wheels, pickled fennel, moroccan olives, ricotta salata, limoncello vinaigrette), the meatball sandwich on luna bread, and the original hand slab. This was way more than enough for two hungry people. The meatball sandwich alone could feed two. Each one of these dishes was perfection. The salad was a nice refreshing complement to the incredible richness of the meatball sandwich. I'm not sure how he makes that luna bread so magical, but I think it has something to do with a few gallons of olive oil. The beer menu here is excellent (as are the prices). The list highlights beers from Maine (as it should), but also includes favorites from around the globe. The emphasis is on beer, but they serve cocktails and wine as well. I could not have been happier with my experience at Slab and can't wait to go back...maybe tomorrow ;-).
(5)Monica L.
Upon walking in, the ambiance is amazing. Very cool space. However, the praise stops there. I got "the hand slab" which is their original tomato, mozzarella and provolone Sicilian pie. It was certainly everything you would think a slab of pizza would look like, but it was honestly tasteless. Not enough cheese or sauce, and the dough didn't make up for the lack of either competent. I think I would enjoy it if it were $2 and I was drunk, but it was $6 and I was having a weekday dinner. To top it off, our waitress didn't introduce herself and was really rude and unhelpful to my friend who is lactose intolerant. I'm really sorry to leave such a bad review but I will not be returning.
(2)Andrew T.
I'm half Sicilian and my mother makes better pizza. I said it. This review is based solely on the pizza. The other part of the menu looked amazingly delicious. I will re-rate when I enjoy some of the other fare the menu has to offer. Atmosphere: very cool Service: solid and bartender very knowledge. Great selection of local beers.
(3)Sebastian R.
I ordered the slab thinking because it wasn't loaded with toppings I wouldn't like it, but was hungry and any had already commented as to its flavor. It's delicious! No toppings needed of the many places I ate in Portland, slab was the one place I kept thinking about. Nice place, live music, interesting cutlery but most important, fresh dough, delicious sauce and fantastic cheese. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Cindi B.
The best pizza ever! The coolest patio in town! A live band, how lucky are we! My favorite nest in town!
(5)Matthew B.
After several visits I'm finally ready to write a review. The last visit included Slab hosting an outdoor Grateful Dead cover band, which was kind of awesome. Most of my meals have been great. It's the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from my favorite spot in town (OTTO) but it's still delicious. Thick but not too heavy, if you're a sicilian lover you'll be in pizza heaven. Be careful when ordering. Small groups need not order an entire slab. My one bad experience involved a luke warm slice of pizza. To their credit whoever was working in the kitchen that evening was seemingly surly but the server didn't want to make things right. Really want to give Slab a 5 star rating but not today. Deliciousness for sure and I'm sure to go back. Eventually, I might bump it up to a 5.
(4)Stephen C.
Slab is great. Their pizza is thick and hearty, the sauce is tangy and sweet - worth the $6 per slice. I can't speak to anything else on the menu... Yet! It's an ideal place to meet up for large groups of people. The live music they have is unique and fuels the fun and social atmosphere of Slab. Wear your dancin' shoes! The beer garden area is large, well lit and a must go in the summer time. Staff is friendly and helpful from my experiences. The booze is a little pricey but lots of local brews and specialty drinks. Check it ouuuut!
(4)Charles W.
Slab has really done a great job of carving out a spot in the Portland pizza scene. I have been here multiple times and each time they do a great job of making good pizza and making sure to bring in great beers to complement said pizza. The slab (which people get confused with the shoes all of the time) is the standard item. 1 pound of airy bread, tomato sauce, cheese. This thing should satisfy most people's hunger. Around 6 dollars it is a steal in Portland to fill you up and not hurt the budget. The beer list is an ever rotating tap of great microbrews (and we are not talking Shipyard microbrews either) Foundation, Rising Tide, Oxbow, UFF for just some of the local beverages that make there way to the tap list. The inside is very large and they took a corner out of Power Pay on Preble St. The outside area is very cool and they have bands that play out there often. My old man in men is going to regret saying this (the bands they get out there are good but way too loud and late for a Wednesday night!) The only thing I am not a fan of is the salumi appetizer. It felt very underwhelming for 3 pieces of salumi.. Parking can also be tricky depending on when you go. Stick to what they do well here. Pizza and beer!
(4)Tim P.
The meatball sandwich was phenomenal. Mixed with a great local beer list, slab is what Portland is all about.
(5)Alise K.
Love it here. I've been twice in 3 days. Last Saturday at lunch we were seated in a large comfy booth by the bar. Very friendly waitress. 2 amarettos on the rocks, a couple of local beers, a slab of pizza and a camponetta ( I think I spelled that wrong) sandwich. The sandwich was a mixture of eggplant, olives, and other yummy vegetarian things, all chopped up on a huge luna bread. Delish! Tonight I had the brocoli rabe/sausage smothered with melted cheese on Luna. Comes with a cup of marinara sauce to dip. Soooo good. My kids had the meatball sandwich, huge and a big hit. I love the atmosphere and everyone is smiling!!
(5)Drew S.
Ok, this place was not what I expected. It was almost as if you took old school french bread pizza and made it absolutely amazing. I mean really, big thick dough'ey pieces of pizza goodness. My wife had the mushroom wedge, I had the meat wedge, and we attempted to split a standard slab (our eyes were too big for our stomachs). Combine this with really friendly service and a tasty selection of local and craft beer makes a happy Drew. There was plenty of out door seating, cool interior, and we even found street parking on the 4th of July. I highly recommend this place, and my wife asked if I was willing to drive the 12 hrs to get there tonight so she could have another piece. If I could only bend space and time, then I would.
(5)gail m.
Loved their meatballs. The sauce was great too. Giant portions and great selection of beer.
(5)Jessica G.
Pizza is good, however, I've been here on 3 separate occasions and each time received really bad customer service. Most recently I received no "thank you" or "have a nice day" of any kind and stood there while a waitress bad mouthed a family she just sat down to eat for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse to be so rude to your customers. One time and i would've considered it a fluke, all three times... they should be embarrassed.
(2)Maura Q.
I checked out Slab for the first time one night after work and I was in pizza heaven! Literally, the Hand Slab is like a pillow of pizza dreams. If you like thin crust you probably won't enjoy it as much, but there's nothing like a nice thick, soft crust. The Hand Slab is a 1lb slab of cheese pizza for only $6. They have wedges of other flavors and I hear the spicy meat wedge is great ($4). My co-worker and I went at 11, which means they only serve pizza, but that's what we went for! I'll definitely go back to try more pizza and some of their other food options! I would have given this place five stars but the service was terrible. I work in the restaurant industry and know how good service is supposed to be. Our waitress was not very good at all. She wasn't very friendly (seemed uninterested) and not that you have to be over the top, but at least pretend you like your job. Another waitress delivered our food and not once did our actual waitress come check on us to see how we were liking our food! She didn't come back until we were basically done to deliver our checks. I understand that it was late, but still they're open until at least 1:00 AM... It's not like we went in at 12:45!
(4)Kerey S.
The pizza was alright, the service was terrible. We had a rude remark regarding a recent tragedy. Things were fine until we didn't see our server again. One of our party had to go up to the bar to get a drink. We felt rushed the entire time even though your online menu says you're open until 1 am. As industry workers ourselves, we understand the frustrations, but the attitude of our waitress was rude and unnecessary. We will be back again because the pizza was good, but hope the service will be more suitable.
(2)Deborah J.
Have to say that I was disappointed. My slab was a corner with really dense crust, not really hot and scrumptious like the ones at Micuccis, and served in a basket, not a plate. The cannoli was an overkill with waffle cones delivered from VA and too dense filling. Not as good as the delicate ones at Otto pizza. Probably will not return....$33 for 2 slabs, 2 pepsi colas, and 2 cannolis. Too much for average food.
(3)Steff D.
Personally, I think Slab is doing what they set out and promised the community they'd do (which is: serving relatively cheap, big portioned food along with an impressive line-up of beers as they've revitalized a part of our town's history [the old market] in a section of the city that's desperate for a facelift with an awesome outdoor space and homey indoor area, too all the while maintaining an exceptional level of eco-consciousness). Do I think they're perfect? No. But I'm thrilled to begin calling this place home... What I've ordered thus far: -/+1. Ceci alla Sicilia (a vegan dish of orange fried sage chickepea hummus, parsley-red onion salad, and warm Luna bread wedges for $5): Definitely a hearty portion of hummus for a fiver! But he hummus to bread ratio seemed way off as we had so much hummus leftover we were eating it with a spoon. I thought it was flavorful (though I didn't pick up on any of the "orange fried sage" which is the sole reason why I ordered it in the first place), delightfully chunky, and an excellent starter. I could have done without the forest of cilantro stalks that came with it, though. +2. Slab (the original 1-lb Sicilian hand slab for $6): There are few things that delight me in this world as much as Lanzalotta's slabs do (it's the stuff of late night food fantasies, lemme tell you). The dough was thick and sweet, the sauce was just acidic enough, and the cheese was gooey, mild, and seasoned just right. Unlike some people, I don't care what the temperature of my slab is - hot, room temp, or straight-from-the-fridge - it's delicious and takes on different unique, yummy characteristics in all its states. -3. Spicy Bean Wedge (a hand slab with cannelini beans, giardiniera, cheese for $4): unfortunately, I would NEVER order this again; when I had it, it had very few beans, but an overabundance of thick, undercooked wedges of carrot on it. The whole thing seemed both bland and doughy. However, the bleu cheese dipping sauce that came with it (which had a citrusy finish to it) was divine (the chunkier the better, in my opinion, and they've nailed it here). Be warned: each side of the stuff you order is .50 cents. So if you planned to order a bathtub sized vat of the stuff to pour it over everything (including your body), you might be charged a small fortune. -/+4. Cocktails - My favorite is the Molinari Brothers (amaro montenegro, solerno, limoncello, lemon, lime, and soda water) for $8.5. There's not a single thing I didn't like about it - I liked the flavor profile (that it satiated my need for something sweet, tart, and refreshing), I liked the size, and I liked the price (when I can get a good cocktail in Portlandtown for under $10, I'm an instant fan of your establishment!). It was also the perfect accompaniment to my food. On the opposite hand, the "Sage Fizz" (sage, limoncello, cucumber, soda for $10) was difficult for me to drink as it tasted like herbed rubbing alcohol... egads. +5. Beer - The first time I came I had a sour ale for about $7 that I see is already no longer on the menu (I wonder if these quick turn arounds for their beer selections is going to be commonplace... could be a way to get people coming back, I suppose, to see what's new; could be a way to annoy people who find something they love only to have it denied to them later on). Since then, I've come and have been told that beers - despite being on the menu - have been "already 86'd that day" leaving me with options I didn't want. Talk about super frustrating. Anyway, the point of this EXTREMELY long review is: if you're a fan of pizza, of Sicilian food, of outdoor spaces, of Portland, of beer, of mostly good cocktails, of Lanzalotta, of the Lanzalotta-Micucci's drama, of eating with your hands... then you definitely need to come here!
(4)Mike S.
Slabbbbbb of good stuff I'm gonna be honest, I am going to try to ignore the "fluff" on the menu because I came for the Sicilian... And the beer. I'll describe what I mean. The hand slab ("regular Sicilian") is fantastic. It's a pound of cheese, soft yet chewy dough, and fantastic sauce. Yup. It delivers all that I expected. It took a good twist with the spicy version as well! Damn good, and highly suggested! The opening day beer selection was masterful. It ranged all across the world including amazing beers from local such as a special Bissell Brothers ultra-session beer to Cantillion Gueze. I can only hope that these great beer selections, and the tasty collaborations, don't go away anytime soon. Here's where I need to put aside my bad thoughts. The rest of the menu was a bit lacking. The exception being the meatloaf meatball sandwich, which was pretty good. The caponata was a bit odd as was a couple other things that I can't remember the names of (see photos!). But let's be honest. I came for the main event and just hoped for some good extras. I did enjoy the outdoor space. What a great gathering space to have some pizza and beers with friends. The only complains is that the bugs liked the pizza, and us, also. All in all I really liked it and plan to go back, multiple times, and can't wait to see what other beers show up!
(4)Matt B.
As many know this place is the creation of some sort of intellectual property dispute with Micucci's. Well their loss is everyone's gain. The pizza itself was really interesting... light dough, large Sicilian slices. Not overly cheesey or saucy. Some may call that dry, I call it a nice balance. It's a canvas that is ready for your application of spices at the table. The apps were good, shoes and gravy as well as a pickled cauliflower with pepperoncini skewers. The table loved them and it was a great start. The drinks went down easy. It's a super awesome new space, we sat outside and enjoyed a perfect Portland evening. All it all it was excellent. Great job, Slab. This is a tough call, right on the borderline between four and five stars. I'm giving it the extra star because of the historical rareness of finding great slices in this area of the world and high functioning service.
(5)Eliza M.
SIX bucks for a hand slab. Kid friendly. Great beer selection. Outdoor seating in the summer. We've really enjoyed going to Slab quite a bit this year, due to its reasonable prices, DELICIOUS Sicilian slabs, and (let's face it) ability to accommodate a babe who likes to shriek sometimes. I'm happy to see they've been successful, especially after the great Miccuci's fall out. Edited to say - if you're looking for traditional NY style pizza, Slab is not your place. The Sicilian style is a specific one, so don't expect a floppy triangle of cheese and sauce.
(4)Adam B.
easily the best sicilian style pizza i have had in the states..... spicy meat wedge (hold the banana pepper and blue cheese though) and the mushroom wedge (with onions and caper, oh my!), woohoo!
(5)Jennifer B.
Best pizza I've ever had - light fluffy dough - tomato sauce was clean and fresh - just fabulous:) The focaccia was delish - YUMMY! Staff was excellent - this being my first visit - they were very helpful! Can't wait to return - I'm ordering dessert next time!
(5)Tony W.
Stopped in here for a beer and a slice (slab) on a Thursday night after an event in Portland and sat at the corner of the bar. I had read reviews about the pizza and about the beer, but I have to say that going in I was a bit dubious/jaded. Between Flatbread and Otto, how could the Portland pizza scene get any better? I was visiting around 9pm, so it was a bit slow. It's got a cozy, dark interior and an inviting bar. The first thing I noticed was the beer list, facing you right as you walk in. THE BEER! THE BEER! THE BEER. Twenty hard-to-find beers on tap. And certainly no Shipyard Export or Allagash White. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they just ain't got no time for that. We're talking Smuttynose Christmas Ales available for 4 1/2 minutes a year, or limited releases gone before they can even finish the Tweet. I imagine they employ a full-time staff member dedicated only to switching out tapped kegs. I'm not being facetious when I say that the range and diversity of Slab's beer selection rivals Novare Res. I may actually give Slab the tiebreak because you don't have to crawl over people to get a beer. And the pizza. As I quickly learned, it's not better pizza; it's DIFFERENT pizza that's on the same level of greatness. Whereas Flatbread and Otto like to trick their pizzas out with all sorts of funky combinations of tasty toppings, Slab is about pizza fundamentals, straight from the Old World. Delicious, fluffy (I've never described pizza as fluffy before) dough that pulled apart like funnel cake or fresh-out-of-the-fryer fried dough. Perfect, well seasoned yet simple pizza sauce. Light and well-placed amounts of cheese - not the giant fistfuls of shredded cheese that other pizza joints apply. It was well-prepared and hot out of the oven - a delicious slab of heaven. It seems like there are some mixed reviews regarding some of the food quality and consistency, and the service. All I had was a hand slab ($6) and a beer, and those were excellent (and well served).
(5)Lauren T.
So I visited Slab for the first time last night. There were things I loved and things I didn't. First of all the decor and overall vibe is very cool. There was a guy playing guitar that was pretty good and live music is always a plus. Started with an appetizer of sliders which were excellent! 3 came in an order and consisted of hamburger, melted cheese, pizza sauce, all on a biscuit! So yummy!! Next ordered the bean wedge ( cheese, carrots, olives, and cauliflower with a creamy dipping sauce), the meat wedge ( pepperoni, peperoncini peppers, and a spicy red sauce), the hand slab (very plain, little cheese and red sauce), and the sfinciuni ( my least favorite,anchovy sauce). The waitress was misleading with the sizes of the wedges/slabs- ordered way too much food. Prices were reasonable. Will be back. :)
(4)S And E H.
"The Anchovy" salad was amazing. Tart and bright flavors paired with the crunch from the romaine. The Stiggs needed more flavor but I guess that's why they give you the dipping sauce. The hand slab was all dough, tons of sauce and a tiny bit of cheese. The Spicy meat wedge was small and lackluster. So I would come back but only for the salad.
(3)John H.
I'm kind of torn about Slab. There are things I really like and some other things that I'm not such a big fan of. One thing I love is the original hand slab. It's great at Micuci's and it's great here. The spicy meat wedge is also pretty good. But after that the food goes kind of down hill. Sfinciuni is ridiculous to say, and bread crumbs are about a good a pizza topping as they sound. The spicy bean wedge I had had no beans at all, only a couple pieces of giardiniera. The caponata was just kind blah. Another great thing is the beer menu. They always have a nice selection of beers, usually including some limited edition stuff, or things brewed specifically for Slab. But this ends up leading to another thing that annoys me. Because so many of their beers are limited release, the kegs kick pretty quickly and are replaced by something else. This wouldn't be a big deal if there were any way for people out on the patio (obviously the place to sit if the weather allows) to find out. On a number of occasions I've tried to order multiple beers only to be told that they were kicked. When I asked what had replaced them I got a kind of non-committal/non-answer. The implication seemed to be that nothing had come on as replacement, for a half a dozen taps on a Saturday night. It seems more likely to me that they just didn't know, and didn't care to take the time to find out. So generally the service is iffy and the menu uneven, but the pizza slabs and beer are great, and it's an awesome venue for live music. Its not my favorite place in town, but it's certainly a place I go back to and enjoy.
(3)Chris H.
This was great. It passes this Sicilian's "Sicilian Test". However, could get a little more extensive with some more basic Sicilian fare . Love the location good to see the old public market active again. Really nice spot with outside seating. Staff was friendly. Nice take on a caponata!
(4)Christine L.
Light, fluffy, chewy--not words that you'd typically use to describe pizza! This place definitely provides something different, and it's a great place to grab food with friends. My only complaint is that I wasn't blown out of the water (high standards, oops!) and I need a little more on my half-slab than tomatoes and cheese! While I'm well aware of the other options on the menu, I can't seem to steer away from this hand-pulled wonder! Their beer selection is nice, and my friends and I split the Salumi app the other night: the toasted bread and pickled cauliflower were great, but I wasn't a fan of the dip & the tons and TONS of olives that came along with it.
(3)Amy P.
We were looking for a place to grab a quick bite outside. We were the only ones out there. Our waitress brought over waters and we ordered the house cider. It was absolutely amazing! It was more like a wine, really dry but I loved it. Not as sweet as angry orchard or downeast. We ordered a nzalata d'aranci to start. It was absolutely horrible. It had way too much dressing on it and was just overall unpleasant. We ordered a spicy meat and hand slab to share. Both were fabulous! The dough is so good! Very soft and fluffy. There wasn't a ton of cheese on it either which I appreciated. My only critique would be to have a little bit more sauce on the pizza but even then, I didn't bother to ask for any because it was so good. I would definitely come back!
(4)Jim B.
There's a history behind Stephen Lanzalotta's migration from India Street (and Sophia's, prior), where he was selling a famous style of pizza out of the back of a well-known Italian bakery, to Portland's Public Market, on the corner of Cumberland and Preble. If you don't know about it, then either you don't follow Portland's food scene closely, or more likely, couldn't care less about history of any kind. Actually, there's a great two-part interview with Lanzalotta at Eater Maine that you should check out from December, 2013, if you'd like more on this. Pizza is a food that's ubiquitous and can be found in all manner of styles and varieties in Maine and elsewhere, most not terribly cutting-edge or awe-inspiring. It's also one of those foods that when I read people raving about others making it, I'm generally nonplussed (kind of like I am with barbecue). I find that with both of these foods, people like what they like, and often, their affections don't mirror mine. So when I kept hearing rumblings about Slab and Lanzalotta's "perfect pillows of dough," I was resistant--at first. I mean, what could he be doing with dough, tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever else you top a pizza with that hadn't been done already in Portland? Plenty, actually--or perhaps, it's not that he's doing anything that's necessarily new, but honing a style of pizza that Portland is lacking in--mainly, the Sicilian slice. Sicilian-style pizza has its own deep and rich history--you can look it up. All you need to know in relation to Slab and for the purposes of this review is this--think thick, doughy goodness, topped with a flavorful, tomato-based sauce, mozzarella cheese, offered via abundant slabs of intense, oozing fusions of flavor. That's Slab in one sentence and all the rest is superfluous (maybe?). The Public Market, and the area just one block south of Congress Street is definitely in need of some love and something more than most of what's going on there right now. Slab is a tasteful infusion of spark, plunking you down in an area that's not quite as hipster as a few others in town, which is just fine by me. My wife and I decided to sit ourselves down out in the picnic area/beer garden and as an added bonus, the amazingly-talented Eric Bettencourt was there serenading the small, mid-afternoon crowd of Slab-goers. This area is spacious, and filled with orange picnic tables, with birch trees surrounding the fenced in area. In my opinion, it offered the perfect spot for eating pizza and drinking beer, which is what we did. There is also a smaller, but homey indoor seating area, along with a small bar. We both ordered the hand slab, which is a pound of pillowy dough, topped with Lanzalotta's homemade sauce, and mozzarella cheese. It's all you really need with a pint of beer, in my opinion. And when you have local beers like Bunker Brewing's Salad Daze on tap, then you've really got something going on. Simplicity, leading to a profound experience of eating. There are other things on the menu, variations of the hand slab, like the spicy meat wedge, for you carnivores. This one is less fluffy, dough-wise, topped with thinly-sliced pepperoni that bakes to a crispness similar to perfectly-cooked bacon--it crumbles, which I really liked. Oh, and the wedge was topped with a pepperoncini, which is always a plus in my book of foods and flavors, and comes with creamy blue cheese for dipping, which was also nice. Slab offers an extensive specials board, too. We picked the Sea Slaw off this list of offerings, and it was the perfect accompaniment to slabs of Sicilian-style pizza. Purple cabbage dressed perfectly, and seasoned just the way cabbage should be, with fresh basil mixed in. Slab is a partnership between Lanzalotta and Jason Loring, of Nosh, he of the bacon-dusted fries and pork-based exquisiteness, up on Congress. Get you down to Slab for some Sicilian street food, soon!
(5)Shawn L.
Okay.... it's hard for me to describe pizza as "life changing". Because what kind of boring life would I be living if some crust, sauce, and cheese changed my life. But if I COULD... I would say Slab pizza was as close to life-changing as I've had a food be. Hey, pizza is pizza... right? WRONG! I'm a pizza freak... love it. And have had it from thousands of places. Slab pizza... specifically their hand slab, knocks out any near-competing pizza for me. The bread/crust was soft and airy... the cheese sparse enough to not overpower the rest of the ingredients. And the sauce? Ohhh... that sauce was sweet and tasty. It just all works together, magically, and Slab has become my new favorite pizza place in Maine. If you go just for the hand slab, you'll be doing your taste buds a fave. I went to Slab right before seeing a movie... and let's just say Slab was my favorite part of the entire night. Go... just go, ok?
(5)Emily B.
I don't think there was as soul in Portland who wasn't psyched for Slab to open (except for maybe the fine folks at Micucci's but we won't get into that). I was right there with them and eagerly marched in during their first week of business. My initial visit occurred pre-prime dinner time, which I think was lucky timing on our part because the place was less crowded than I've seen it on any other visit. Our server was incredibly friendly to the point that I actually thought we might know each other. Turns out, he just really likes his job, which is awesome to see as a customer. One of the things I was most excited about was the patio space, and it doesn't disappoint. The indoor area is beautifully redone as well. The Hand Slab is the classic that everyone's come to expect from Steve. No surprises there, except that there seems to be a bit of a consistency issue that's resulted in levels of cheesiness, doughiness, and doneness that are across the board. They're all tasty to me, but I've talked with other diners who have left less than impressed when their dining partner's slab was tastier than theirs. The Spicy Bean Wedge was light on the beans and heavy on the giardiniera (pickled veggies) which overwhelmed my taste buds to the point that I could only make it halfway through my slice. The flavor's great, but proportions seemed off to me. If anyone from Slab reads this, please please PLEASE staff your restaurant more appropriately. The one issue we've run into here is a lack of good service, and it has nothing to do with how hard the servers are working. If you have a band playing on a weekend night, you need a few extra hands on deck. There's no excuse for beers that take 40+ minutes to appear - and even then they were coming in sporadically, as if the bartender couldn't pour all of our table's beverages at once (none of them were cocktails). As other diners have mentioned, there are cheap slabs available if you visit later in the evening. I'm hoping things get smoother as they go. It's definitely a great spot, just needs a little more attention to detail.
(3)M G.
Great meatball sub! Big enough for two! We also shared a slaw salad with lime dressing. Cool, eclectic beer selections, our server said they will change all the time. The beer garden-style eating area is surprisingly comfortable. Wooden forks, knives and paper plates make this an Eco friendly place that recycles everything! Kudos! Will visit again;-)
(5)Whit D.
Everyone who gets out in Portland already knows that Steve's slabs are delicious. At Slab they are a little less saucy than I remember from his slabs at Micuccis, but no big deal, you can just ask for extra sauce for a bit extra (I like getting the spicy sauce on the side). The slaw salad is simple and delicious. I haven't tried much on the menu because its so hard to stray from the standard slab, but everything I have tried has been very good. The outdoor seating is nice in the summer and the bar is great in the winter. Slab is the perfect spot to grab a casual, inexpensive lunch or dinner and leave with leftovers. 5 stars for food. The problem I have with Slab is the service. I have eaten at slab 15-20 times since they opened and have never had good service. A few servers have been average, the rest have been below average to downright rude. I worked as a server for 15 years. I'm very understanding when it comes to being busy, understaffed, or things just not going smoothly, but there's no excuse for blatantly not caring about your customers and their experience. I'll keep going back for the food, but this could be a 5 star place if the service improved.
(3)Liliana C.
The pizza here was yummy but outstandingly heavy. No need to order more than one slice per person--even if you're hungry. Other than that, I would expect anyone would enjoy!
(4)Dani F.
I've been to Slab for lunch twice in 2 weeks--that's a sure sign that I'll probably be back twice more within the next two weeks. This place is a gem. Glad to see a thriving food joint in the former Public Market Building (brings back fond memories of getting off campus lunch here in high school in late 90s/early 00s). Came first with a friend and sat outside--shared a handslab and a chocolate-bourbon cannoli in a cone. Delish! Steve really knows how to make a sauce sweet without being unbalanced, and the deserts are perfection (only bummer was using the eco-friendly spork to eat the cannoli, kept feeling like I might get a bamboo splinter--maybe there's another eco-friendly utensil alternative?) Had lunch solo on my second visit, and sat at the bar. The interior of this place is much larger than I first noticed--lots of room to bring a party of friends here. Had another handslab (looking forward to trying other menu options, but I was craving that sicilian slab on perfectly pillowy luna crust). Hung out with bartender Ryan for about 45 minutes, before heading back to work. Great getaway from my office for lunch and felt totally welcome eating solo at the bar. Coming back with my unfortunate-dairy-allergy afflicted wife to try out some of the vegan options and the new chicken dish! (and more desserts for me!)
(4)N Y.
Slab is a cool and fun place to visit or just to stop by to take a slab (piece, half or whole) to go. The pizza is good overall, sauce is very tasty, cheese is a little light and the crust is very good (doughy and has nice flavor). The cooking style is traditional for Sicilian style pizza and done well. Beer on tap is very good quality and there are 15 - 20 taps. Reasons for low review are the cost of pizza is much to high for the product sold, the sauce is often not enough which results with dry pizza and the amount of cheese is very inconsistent. Almost feels like eating only dough at times. Hope Slab continues to improve as this a unique local spot with huge potential.
(3)Karen R.
I am a fan of the slab pizza. I have had this many times at Micucci's and have a previous review raving about it. I was very excited to see this new restaurant in an up and coming area that deserves great restaurants and shops since the demise of the Public Market. We went here for a slab and a beer. The ambiance is very cool and they have a very large selection of craft beers on tap. Many I am unfamiliar with, but some really cool choices that I hear change daily. We ordered a slab and it was good, do not get me wrong, same amazing crust and sauce, but mine was lacking cheese. There was really barely any there. As a cheese lover, it is a must have, and my previous slabs did not disappoint. Looking at others slabs around me, it appeared that theirs too were short on cheese. I am going to give this place another try...will ask for extra cheese and hope for the best. I want to give this place 5 stars, but my first visit was not quite there.
(3)Christa H.
It's super trendy looking inside if you're into that. It is nice to see businesses coming back to this area of town. The food is relatively inexpensive. The hand slab was huge and I thought well worth the $6 price. It was like eating a fluffy pillow slathered in tomato sauce. The beer menu had some interesting options and the prices looked on par with other restaurants in town. Avoid the salumi appetizer and save your pennies. For what you get, it isn't worth the amount they charge. We only got three pieces of salami to share. We ended up with a ton of pieces of bread and a whole mess of the relish. If you aren't a fan of green olives, you'll hate the relish. I really want to go back and try other slabs plus a different appetizer.
(4)Ashley T.
This place is one of my favorite places to go to eat now. The vibe of the place is super laid-back and I love the rotating beer list. The beer garden feel has been perfected! The music they play is on point. My only complaint is the warmth of the pizza. One time I went there with my family who was visiting from NYC and we ordered a half order and it was lukewarm. We were so hungry we didn't complain but I would have because why pay all that money for lukewarm food! Being from NYC and enjoying L&B regularly I must say this comes close to a perfect sicilian slice. WAYYYYYY BETTER THAN THE GROCERY ONE! He probably tweeked the recipe and is better for it! KUDOS!
(4)Erin H.
Amazing food, well, I'm assuming the rest is great where I can't help but get the hand slab every time. This is at least my third time being here. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. $6 is worth it for the hand slab, it's a whole lotta pizza! Light airy, crispy crust, flavorful sauce, topped with yummy cheese. The best!
(5)Joe R.
I dream of Slab. Ok, so I really dream of wedge. Why a wedge over a slab you say? Because you get dipping sauce included. Any other pizza joint question a ranch/blue cheese order. But at Slab they encourage it. I feel instantly at home. I also like that you can order just one serving if you want. When I leave Slab I say to myself -- I can't wait til next time.
(4)Brett F.
It's tough to review a restaurant during opening week, but I think Slab did a great job and will help transform Preble Street. With the soup kitchen in the middle and some seedier neighborhoods adjacent, Preble Street has always been one of those "Don't walk alone" type of deals. This is changing. A block up from the soup kitchen and a block from Congress sits Slab, at the end of the old Public Market building. Inside is a surprisingly large dining room with dark wood tones and sleek furniture. It would be a chill restaurant even in the winter. But summer is where Slab will shine. Outside are rows of orange picnic tables that seat over 100. You literally could come with 20 friends and all sit together (we did). Outdoor speakers play an eclectic mix and the location provides fun people watching. Paper menus on the table have food on one side and drinks on the other. If you're not in the mood for a pizza-ish item, I may pass on Slab. You can get a salad (it didn't look so great), but nearly everything else consists of dough, sauce and cheese in some combination. In the world of $15 small plates that wouldn't feed a child (I'm looking at you Central Provisions), Slab is a revelation. The 1 pound Slab is 2" thick with delicious sweet sauce and slathered in cheese. If you're hungry, this will fill you. Or it could be shared. It's $6. The meat lover's pizza (I forget its actual name) is basically a slice of pepperoni pizza with a peperoncini on top. A little disappointing given the description, but it was tasty and the bleu cheese dipping sauce is a nice touch. Most of the other food items, including small sandwiches and other pizzas are $4. Everything was good, but not great. For just pizza, I'd take the thinner crust Otto over Slab, but the Slab experience is miles better. I was a little disappointed in the beer menu. With probably 15+ local beers on tap it should be perfect. But at least 10 were 8 or 12 ounce beers at 16 ounce prices ($6+). When my tiny beer is more expensive than my giant food, I take issue. Too many low alcohol beers as well, though some people may like that. The $3 pint of Narragansett is a steal. The small wine and cocktail list is fine but average. Service was great while our party was smaller and confused as more people came. It was technically opening day and we had a party of 20, so I think she did a solid job, considering. A major issue was napkins. I support saving the environment, but I do not support grease all over my clothes. When the entire outdoors is asking for napkins every 5 minutes, maybe you should provide dispensers. Overall Slab is a terrific addition to downtown Portland. Inexpensive and appealing Sicilian food with craft beer and some of the most abundant outdoor seating in the city. It's worth a trip.
(4)Johnny S.
Excellent local pizza. We ate here the night before the Shipyard Half Marathon and had an excellent time. We each ordered one Slab-- which is plenty ( don't order more than one each). The crust was uniquely flavored, fulfilling to the last bite. I only wished that I lived in Portland so I could come back here again and again-- it might even be a reason to move from Boston.
(4)Bill M.
Holy Carb Madness! As others before me have said the immensity of the $6 dollar slab of pizza must be seen,hefted, and eaten to be fully appreciated. It's a feat of physics that these larger than life slabs of pizza are dense enough to weigh in over a pound, yet when bitten in to are pillowy and so yummy tender. Of course we had leftovers, no suprise. What was suprising was how good the pizza still was the next morning straight out if the fridge. Truly Amazing! So darn good and the best food value in Maine (possibly the country). Bonus round, you can order a slab for takeout. Beyond the food this place is beautiful, huge, and comfortable. The outside seating area seems to hold about 100 and is bound to become Portland's top spots to eat and watch the word go by. Slab also has a large selection of local brews and a small selection of creative cocktails. It has been pointed out that the beer selection is weighted with higher priced selections. GET OVER IT! Small craft products tend to cost more than mass produced ones. The trade-offf for costs is that these beers tend to be fantastic. Dont like the cost, stick to PBRs successor Naragahnset, and enjoy your insanely inexpensive food. ;) My only criticism is the silverware. With the goal of reducing the impact on the environment the food is served on biodegradable recycled sheets of paper (similar to Salvage). This is great way to reduce water use and keep costs down. However, the recycled paper utensils just don't hold up to the magnitude of the food. My fork broke after my second bite. No real worries, this is all essentially finger food anyway. My broken utensil barely slowed me down. I just dug right in with my hands. Post meal I could have used a wet wipe or more napkins, but that is a small quibble.
(4)Sarah H.
This was our first visit and we were very impressed with the location and the food. The salumi starter was tasty - the crispy bread, cheese spread and pepperoni were great, but I didn't love the pickled veggies. The hand slab is one pound of pillowy, pizza goodness. For $6, it is the best bargain around! I'll definitely be coming here again!
(5)Tarra H.
A great spot for an affordable, delicious slice. The 'slab' is bready with a lightly sweet red sauce and just the right amount of cheese. The atmosphere is stark but the food is worth a stop.
(4)Dawn T.
If the Industry Soft Opening was any indicator of how this team will handle being slammed - Bravo, well done, reasonably timed everything. Even with ample staff on hand, everyone was moving at top speed with happy faces and operating in concert. These types of evenings are to give the staff a chance to work out kinks before opening to the public at large, it appears they've got it down pat. Additionally, THEIR public may just be the chefs, servers, restauranteurs, brewers, and bartenders that had such a great time they'll want to be here much much more. The many Slabs served must have been very good since every crumb was consumed. Lyle Divinsky and Co. accompanied a relaxed and happy vibe with wonderful music that made me want to move. I hope he's back again and again making magic on the well placed outdoor stage. The only thing Slab could do to improve my experience is offer a Gluten Free Slab, which is a tall order. Success to you all, congratulations, you're off to a wonderful start. Seeing you soon and often.....
(4)Fella ..
DRIEST PIZZA IN PORTLAND! And if you ask for a side of sauce, because the pizza has none, they charge you!
(1)Stephen R.
Very casual but not to be missed local pizza dive. Great space (former public market bldg) and looks like they have a great outdoor patio for warmer times. The menu requires a little patience in navigating and figuring out, but stick with it - you'll be treated to amazing food and surprisingly inexpensive to boot! The dough used in many items, including the hummus and the slabs (their term for pizza 'slices') is unbelievable. Also had the veggie centric slab (done on a bed of long flat slices of carrot) - ingenious and delicious. They have a great selection of local brews on tap and a few fun specialty cocktails as well. They call it all Italian street food - I call it a treat not to be missed.
(5)Amy D.
There are many things I love about Slab. I love the big outdoor seating area. I love that they have a venue for outdoor live music. I love the great beer selection and the fact that it is one of the few places in town where I can get a casual/inexpensive meal that is still really tasty. And not unexpectedly, the pizza is great as it was (and still is) at Micucchis. There are a few things about Slab that are a little weird. There is luna bread (the special recipe used in the pizza crust) in everything. There is so much luna bread that you feel like it might have its own food group. Don't get me wrong, I too think the luna bread is delicious. It's like angel pillows kissing your taste buds. But the menu makes me feel like luna bread is attacking your face. I agree with different reviewers feelings on the beers constantly changing, to the point that you might order a few things on the menu and be told they are missing. And the service that is sometimes a little spotty. Slab is a great addition to the neighborhood and has revamped a lovely space in Portland that needed some fresh air. It's a great place to grab a bite with friends or a quick drink. It's definitely a nice place to hang out outside for a beer and a slice.
(3)Joe Y.
Best pizza I have ever had. The dough was soft, warm, fresh and delicious. The outside seating with live music topped off a great night out with my friends and family. We had a group of 6 so sitting outside was perfect for us. The service was great with prompt drink orders taken. Food seemed to come out fast as well but that could have been because our group was having an awesome time talking and enjoying the live music. The 'Hand Slab' size is adequate for a meal but if you are really hungry you might want two. The Half Slab is huge and would definitely feed 4. I actually got the Spicy Meat Wedge but it was a little small so I stole some of my wifes Hand Slab :)
(5)Alex L.
I'm blown away by the pizza, photos truly don't do it justice. Until you try it, you can't believe the texture and flavor. Everything is warm and gooey and very flavorful as everything blends together. The crust is simultaneously soft but crispy in spots. The cheese and sauce somehow mix in just the right proportions. The beer list is phenomenal and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Can't wait for the patio to open for music once the weather warms. Definitely a go-to when in Portland!
(5)Ships A.
Fantastic food fantastic drinks wonderful location ambience great servers friendly people BMX kids doing tricks in the background and amazing sea slaw pizza was great awesome awesome!
(5)Chrissy H.
I'm not going to try and sugar coat it, because I think Slab can handle it .This is not my favorite place to eat. Its not horrible, but all in all I have not been impressed with the food. I stand by my original opinion- the Spicy Meat Wedge is where its at. At $4 for a very generous slab, you just can't beat it. One time, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tried the spicy bean wedge. There were no beans! It was like I was eating a piece of bread with a few spices sprinkled on top. It took us a while to realize that there are also other little plates offered, which are curiously hidden snuggly amongst the beer, wine and cocktail list. I tried the Street Chicken. The spice on the skin was pretty tasty but the meat itself was a little dry. And their menu lists a myriad of great beers. The problem is- every time I order one, they're out. Always have a back up or two in your head, because chances are, the one you want won't be available. I've learned this the hard way. Also, the service is a little hit or miss. All of our servers have, for the most part, been very friendly. But there always seems to be an air of chaos. At times it feels a little disorganized and confused. Perhaps this is due to the seat yourself community tables on the patio. I am happy they got little caddies for their napkins and adorable wooden sporks and knives though. I would say food gets 3 stars. That being said- I love the outdoor seating arrangement! The long orange communal picnic tables create an intimate, easy-to-mingle atmosphere. And this a fantastic place to catch some great local musical artists. Slab is an unpretentious place to relax, enjoy a beer, meet new people and possibly discover your new favorite band. 5 stars for the atmosphere.
(4)Jeff P.
Simple. Quite simply delicious. Focaccia bread + marinara + cheese = happiness. Great beer and outdoor seating means I will definitely be back on a sunny day.
(4)Seth F.
Just go there...get the pizza and enjoy the really great tap beers.
(5)Lizzie M.
All four of us got sick from one end or the other from eating at slab. Not our cup of tea overly doughy bread not enough cheese and no veggies. Crossed this of our list, you should too. One of us did get a nickname I'm not saying who but someone's nickname is now meat wedge.
(1)Anne A.
Was dissapointed as the slabs ordered were not at all as good as the old Miccucci ones. Not enough sauce and cheese for all that bread and the dough was like biscuit, not a yeast rising dough and they seemed like they had been sitting out awhile. When I asked for extra sauce to dip the dry pizza in, we were charged for the sauce! The salad/slaw was excellent and a good value/ amount for the price. The beers were delicious, but too expensive 7 & $8 for a 12 oz pour. WE thought our overall bill was too high for what we got.
(2)Craig W.
Food: 4 out of 5 stars - Pizza delicious, starters not so much Service: 0 out of 5 stars - Easily the worst service I've ever experienced Overall: 2 out of 5 stars - I'll never eat here again and have recommended against it to friends. May consider take-out, but that's about it. 6:50 PM on a busy Friday: arrived at Slab with my girlfriend requesting a table for 2. Quoted a 45 minuted wait by the host. I told him sure and we'd wait downstairs at the bar so we can grab a drink. 7:50 PM finished 1 drink at the bar, still haven't been called for a table. Went upstairs to the host to check on the status. The host informed me that he called our names and we didn't answer and he see what he could do about getting a table. This being said, we were waiting at the bar as close to the host area as possible. I had a clear vantage point for when the host would walk downstairs to call names. He did NOT call my name, we have witnesses to attest to this. 8:00 PM finally seated, waitress arrives and takes our order. We order two starters: the Focaccia Pile and Salumi. We each order a Hand Slab. This is the last time we see our waitress until the food arrives. 8:35 PM Waitress quickly drops off all the food at the table and runs away before we can say anything. The salumi and main course arrive at the same time. The focaccia has not. 8:40 PM The focaccia arrives. Really? 40 minutes to slice a focaccia? The waitress again runs off. No napkins were provided, no forks, no knives, nothing. NOTHING. 8:50 PM We've only eaten the starters which were very underwhelming. We have been for far to long that we just want to get the slabs wrapped so we could get out of this awful place. I chug my beer and put the empty at the edge of the table... international sign for we need service. Waitress shows up, we request a box and our check. Waitress arrives with one tiny box that can only fit one slab and disappears again. 9:00 PM Finally the waitress returns to take our check. We have to request a second box for the other uneaten slab. 9:30 PM Arrive home, reheat slabs and eat. Pizza is delicious. On a side note: the table of 3 next to us also ordered food and drinks. It took so long for the food that they just paid only for the drinks and walked out.
(2)Gabrielle B.
For a 1 pound slab of pizza, I would expect to feel more satiated. It was okay, but lacked flavor. I think basil, oregano, garlic or anything would make this pizza more interesting. I visited on a busy Friday night near the end of summer with my boyfriend. We were seated at the worst table in the house, the one on the corner where the servers frequently walk by on their way to another table, but fail to see you waiting. After waiting for 5 or so minutes without being acknowledged, my boyfriend said "if she doesn't come over in 2 more minutes we're leaving". The waitress came over very quickly after him saying that, so we decided to give it a chance. We waited longer than I would expect for already cooked pizza, and ate it quickly. Keep in mind, this is easy to eat, doughy, airy pizza. It is on the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from Flatbread, another Portland pizza joint. I prefer thinner, crisper crust, so I would eat Flatbread or Pizza Joint over Slab any day.
(3)Matthew L.
(I signed up for Yelp just to write this review!) I'm not going to comment on many of the things that could attract someone to a restaurant: decor, atmosphere, service, etc. because at the end of the day, the food is what matter. I've eaten a lot of pizza in my life, and slab is HANDS DOWN the best pizza I have ever eaten in my entire life. I recently went to DC and asked a friend to bring me to the best pizza DC had to offer; nothing. Recently was in Boston at a place Rachel Ray (if that really means anything) considers the best place for pizza there; pale in comparison. The apps are great as well, but if you want amazing pizza; fluffy, a nice sweetness to the sauce, filling, with the right spices: SLAB. The first time I went, I went to work the next day and told my colleagues to cancel their dinner plans to go, and just at an organization-wide meeting told everyone about it (we're going there for a staff lunch now!). Anyways, I will stop rambling, but, go to Slab, tonight.
(5)Whitfield P.
I lived in Sicily for a few years and I never encountered one thing on the menu other than the pizza. Sicilians, I hate to break it to the world, eat round pizza. Square pizza is Neapolitan.
(3)George M.
The only thing I think that has changed in his pie is that the slabs are larger! What a very fine place to show off the best Sicilian style tomatoes pie in New England. I grew up in south philly pie and this is even better. The limited choice is just fine with me since each one is perfected. Light on toppings us authentic and just enough. Huge outdoor picnic table area is a bonus. Service was friendly and beer selection fantastic. And prices are remarkably low. Can't say more really.
(5)Nathan T.
If you like the pizza at Micucci's, you'll like the slab pizza here. But do NOT waste your time or calories on the girelles (puff pastry dessert) as they are kind of hard and rather bland. And who eats a girelle after eating what practically amounts to a loaf of bread with cheese, sauce and meat on it anyway? This place is great if you want a beer and a snack, but I wouldn't make plans to do dinner here, there's just not that much going on in terms of variety.
(3)Melissa N.
Great open space but we were at a small 2-top and the space felt tight. Had the shoes and gravy (sauce) for an app. Great sauce, and the bread was fresh and good flavor. Ordered a half slab which took up the whole table. Compared to Micucci's, felt the pizza was way too dry (was cooked and reheated maybe?) and had to order sauce to dip in (which we were charged for). Also was weirded out by no plates, but some type of butcher paper to eat on. Overall good pizza but order extra sauce.
(3)Christina H.
There were a lot of terrible reviews, but I decided to try this place anyway. It was really busy, but I was told that I could sit outside. I was alone, and I've gotten used to have kinda crap service when I'm alone, plus I had a book with me. Eventually, a young waitress came over, and after that everything was really quick. I had a root beer (hooray for local fair trade delicious Maine root beer) and a hand slab. The pizza was mostly bread, but a really fantastic bread. The sauce is sweet and delicious, and there is just a thin layer of cheese on top. I probably won't go back much because it's not my favorite style of pizza. However, these guys deserve high marks: for the kind of pizza that they are making, they're doing a hell of a job.
(4)Joe J.
Slab is fantastic. I wouldn't go as far to say it's the best pizza I've ever tasted but it is sure as hell damn good. They did a great job with this place and incorporating it into the old Public Market. The outdoor seating is unique with their long communal picnic tables. Oh, and one last thing, their beer selection is on POINT. Would recommend to everyone and anyone looking for a generously priced slab of pie.
(4)J P.
Had lunch there and went into it with a mindset of "new Portland restaurant". That was wrong. It's a beer bar with a bunch of ways to serve slabs of bread. The clue is the owner's other restaurant "Nosh". This is not dinner. The food is tasty while hot but is not food you'd take home. Don't mistake this for a pizza place. I find there are some establishments who emphasize food and some design. The 5 partners of this one spent a ton on design. I'm not sure who picked out the chairs but unless you're a size 6 or a guy with a 32" waist, the high school art class furniture will be very uncomfortable. Portland has too many choices for food for me to go back. These guys worked too hard to be cutesy.
(2)Jessica H.
How can you go wrong! Reasonable prices, great tasting food, great beer options. Only thing I could suggest is more gf options. My husband has ciliac and can't go here with me to enjoy.
(5)Brittany E.
Just tried Slab for the first time last night after hearing rave reviews from several friends over the past few weeks and I can definitely say that they were not exaggerating! Their "Hand Slab" which the waitress told us was their most popular item was delicious! If you are a person who eats the pizza for the crust this is the pizza for you, it was so thick and doughy and oh so good. P.S. rumor has it they sell $2 late night slabs for those long old port evenings!
(4)Andrew D.
So good! Great atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly service. The prices are fantastic. A very welcome addition to the city.
(4)Christine C.
I came for the slab and was not disappointed! It was every bit as good as at Micucci's, and remains, hands down, my favorite pizza in the world. The menu was not extensive, but I'm sure that most people will be drawn by the slab. We also tried the fried pizza, which was greasy, cheesy goodness, but rather difficult to eat, especially because plates were not provided (only a paper placemat to be used as a plate).
(4)J M.
Hummus was so flavorful and dipping bread was delicious. Got a half sheet of cheese pizza. By far the BEST pizza in Maine. Sweet tomato sauce, on top of a delightful pillow of heavenly dough, perfectly cooked to a nice crispy, yet tender bite. Lots of beer on tap. Very Nice and helpful staff. In spite of it's location, building is nice there is a nice outdoor seating location.
(5)Matt C.
I have to laugh at looking at some of the reviews here from 9 days ago and complaining. 9 days ago is basically opening day, clearly there will be growing pains. I was in for lunch toast and the panzanella salad was amazing!! Followed by the meat wedge and then split a cannoli for dessert. Each course was better than the last and the bartender was great walking us through the extensive beer list. This was my 2nd visit and even though the first visit was great this one was even better. Before you run and "yelp" about any restaurant give them a chance to get going, chances are on day 1 or 2 isn't going to always be the standard that will be the norm.
(5)JM G.
Do this!! Food is great, staff is great, young and energetic, excellent social values .
(5)Rachael M.
Deliciously Pleased. What to say? I loved the secret slab before and I love it more now that it's a mixed/Nosh production. Blends all the beauty of our community, consciousness of food, environment with a postmodern flair. Love the décor, love the fact that building is finally being brilliantly used, love the paper dishes/wood utensils. As our first visit to the space, we had to stick with a couple of dreamy hand slabs (short on sauce, I could've used a bit more, but who could argue with that bread; I'm going to dream about it tonite). Added a salumi appetizer which was pretty good for the price ($7. for 3 slices of salami, a full cup of pickled veggies - muffuletta relish, a lil' dish of creamy cheese and 5 or 6 crispy bread slices). Some great drinks - my guest had the Monchshof Schwarzbier (just put on today) which he said was great and I had the best cider I've ever had: the House Cidah from the Urban Farm Fermentory. All in all, what I like best is that the food is both unassuming and yet completely sexy. The atmosphere is cool and hip yet not pretentious (a hard line in this town). We'll be regulars, I can tell.
(4)Jimmy P.
Disappointing. (Especially since many here know what Stephen Lanzalotta can do). From an economic stand-point, it would appear that Mr. Lanzalotta could benefit nicely from the place but from a culinary stand-point it was a huge disappointment with the greatest being this is obviously a "Nosh" crowd and is certainly not what I would expect, or hope for, for or from Mr. Lanzalotta. Definitely not my kind of place. Nevertheless, we wish Mr. Lanzalotta well.
(2)Elizabeth L.
My stars aligned last night and I was able to visit Slab... It was really great. The bar was crowded with enthusiastic soccer fans watching the World Cup (a chorus of their groans and cheers kept us aware of how Argentina was fairing). We sat on the patio: where there is room for an army. Slab has a great beer selection on tap, so I enjoyed a delicious saison from Rising Tide. I had a slaw with curry dressing (which was really tasty) and the blissful "Shoes of the day".... Sweet sausage with spicy broccoli rabe and cheese. What are "Shoes"? They are Steve's signature Luna bread served as a hot open faced sandwich. The juices from the sausage and the broccoli absorbed into the soft center of the Luna, then it's topped with cheese and cooked until slightly caramelized. It was served with a side of his sweet tomato sauce. My taste buds spun around in happiness. My Son and my husband had "Sfinciuni" a slightly spicy slab pizza (which they really enjoyed) and my son's vegetarian girlfriend had a lovely carrot dish topped with vegan almond cheese. We were too full for dessert, but Slab had an Ice Cream Cone Cannoli that sounds deliciously dangerous. Well, we'll need to try again....
(5)Pat H.
The space is very cool, the outside dining area (huge and also very rare for Portland) and the pizza is absolutely delicious -- even though it does take a while longer than most pizza to come. Maybe the only negative/recommendation would be to offer a "deal" by getting the 4 lb slab. The 4 lb slab (4 individual slab pieces) costs the same as buying 4 individual slabs. So there's literally no incentive to get the 4 lb. Just my two cents.
(4)Harper J.
I mean, the hand slab is 1lb and $6. The drinks are a little on the pricy side, but the huge slice of pizza makes up for it.
(5)Angela S.
So I had never experienced slab pizza before and didn't know what to expect. I just ordered a couple "hand slabs" to go and got home and we were totally shocked! It was HUGE!! And so fluffy! It was like eating an entire loaf of fluffy white bread...but in a good way. Not a lot of toppings or anything but definitely tasty and filling. It was extra delicious to dip the ends in some olive oil at home!
(4)Susan L.
fantastic, the atmosphere, the servers, the look, the booths, the live music, everything. I even enjoyed the wood knives that worked very well. The pizza is delicious and we are so glad to see it back. However, I would say this is what I see as the difference in getting it here now as opposed to the past.: it was NOT hot, which it needs to be, there was much less cheese and even less sauce.I would like to see that change. It was delicious but this is a needed improvement. I have had it a million times. This is what we felt the two times back, since it was more then once I figure it must be the way they decided to do it. I will be back.........probably a lot.
(4)Erica S.
Oh man, this place is flippin' so good. No longer living in Maine, Slab was on my "I need to make it there list" for my short 4 day journey back home. So glad I made it back there. First off, the restaurant layout itself is cool, there are some tables inside and a large bar as well, but the patio, the PATIO!!! I think this might be one of my favorite patios in town. They have plenty of long picnic tables for communal dining, which is something I really dig. And they have a stage. For music. Live MUSIC. Food and music are basically the only two things I live for. And Grateful Dead cover bands? On the stage? With PIZZA? Okay, I'm sold. From what I gather, they have live music here often in the summer and into fall, and on Thursdays is Grateful Dead time. SO glad one of my 4 days home fell on a Thursday. Anyways, super cool patio, and music. Oh and they have mighty fine food... So, like any other normal person, pizza is in my top favorite things of all time. But this pizza is in my top favorite pizzas I've EVER had ever. I am crying now in Florida as I write this because I can not have it. This pizza is IT. The dough is really phenomenal. Thick and super doughy and I mean I could just kiss the dough forever. It has scrumptious light tomato sauce with some more scrumptious mozzarella and provolone. Oh, I am talking about the "hand slab". It is their signature piece and it is HUGE. Could I eat 2? Yeah. Could I eat 3? Maybe, I'd try. Is it still huge? Yeah. It is 1 pound and goes for $6. They also serve it as a half slab and full slab. Maybe next time I'll order a half for myself and see what damage I can do. Should I book my flight now? The slab was all I got this time around and that's all I needed. In the past I have gotten their vegetarian slice, which I remember enjoying but not nearly as much as the hand slab. They also used to have this slaw salad type appetizer which I remember being OBSESSED with. I was actually dreaming about it until I arrived a few weeks ago, and did not find it on the menu. I was sad to say the least but then cheered up with music and pizza.... and a spicy margarita!!! I almost forgot to mention the drinks. They have a great drink list and lots of good beers. I went with the spicy margarita and I have to say it was SPICY and one of the best drinks I had in Portland while being home. Way to go Slab, you made me quite happy once again. Did I mention Slab and Nosh are siblings? Maybe that's why I'm so in love.
(5)Bonnie M.
I love pizza. I do not love undercooked, doughy pizza. Unfortunately that's what I got last night. We had take out from Slab and I was so excited to get it one last time before we move out of state. I loved the regular slab the first time I got it. It was light, airy and so tasty. This time it was heavy and undercooked. Still tasty sauce and cheese and the edges were well cooked but anything 2" or more off of the crust was mostly inedible. Definitely disappointed but maybe that's ok since we won't likely be back in Portland to try the pizza and I'd hate to dream about it all the way across the country. All in all, I'd get Slab again, I would just be careful to make sure it is fully cooked.
(3)Mark D.
I feel like I can write an honest review now that I've ordered here half a dozen times or so. If your a Portlander who ventures out of the house even occasionally then there's no doubt you've heard of micucci's grocery's famous Sicilian Slab. I used to go to that crammed little grocery store years ago and stand there like a sorry SOB with all the rest of the cattle staring at the little shelve where the pizza goes when it comes out of the oven and praying that there was still a super saucy cheesy middle piece by the time I got to the front. Well to make a long story short it wasn't long before slab opened that I had noticed that micucci's pizza was not tasting as good as I remember it. It was then I learned the news that Lanzolatta the brain child behind the slab had parted ways with micucci's taking his recipe with him. Of course this is all ancient history now and we all know that he now has his very own place on Preble St. So let's talk about The Slab because I really don't pay much attention to anything else. I'm here for the SLAB!! I'm tired of all these Vegans on Yelp whining about how restaurants could do a better job with their silly vegan dishes. I mean who goes to a pizza joint to eat vegan seriously???To be honest I'm tired of restaurants trying to accommodate these picky eaters because I feel like it distorts and over complicates the menu. Especially with a place like SLAB that should be striving for simplicity and authenticity. I mean the restaurant is named after what they serve. So now that I've got this rant out of the way I'm going to talk about slab. This is not pizza. It's a slab. Something entirely different to what most people call pizza. it is absolutely delicious. I have actually never eaten at slab. I always take it to go, but I never order ahead because I want to go down to the bar and lovingly gaze at their uber local and extensive craft beer selection. If your a total beer snob like me you will love this bar. I can usually polish off a couple glasses of Dank IPA from the likes of Bissel or Foundation before my half slab is ready to go. One thing I've learned is to always ask for a side of the red sauce because I have run into a dry piece here and there. Sometimes I wish you could have a little more say in how the slab is made because I would probably order it well done with extra sauce and cheese, but at the same time I can see why he doesn't do it because maybe too much of a good thing would just make it normal. When the cosmos align and you get that perfect bite of slab with just the right amount of everything it is absolutely amazing! Take my advice and try it out for yourself.
(4)Joe J.
Slab is fantastic. I wouldn't go as far to say it's the best pizza I've ever tasted but it is sure as hell damn good. They did a great job with this place and incorporating it into the old Public Market. The outdoor seating is unique with their long communal picnic tables. Oh, and one last thing, their beer selection is on POINT. Would recommend to everyone and anyone looking for a generously priced slab of pie.
(4)Jocelyn A.
Let's just get this out of the way first, Lanzalotta's Sicilian slabs make all other slabs look like chewed up horse meat. This guy is the absolute king. If you think you've had this type of pizza before, you haven't. You haven't REALLY tried a slab until you've had Lanzalotta's. When I heard he was opening up his own restaurant I nearly fell out of my chair - too bad I had to wait an entire year until I made it up to Maine to try it. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait! The restaurant is full service, but it is very casual. There is a nice outdoor patio, as well as a roomy interior. I prefer eating indoors because the patio has community picnic tables, which is a trend I hope dies as quickly as it came. The inside is a mix of booths, tables and bar stools. The only problem with the menu here is that everything looks too good. Luckily, things are affordable, so you can order several different dishes. We decided to split the 'nzalata d'aranci (arugula, red onion, orange wheels, pickled fennel, moroccan olives, ricotta salata, limoncello vinaigrette), the meatball sandwich on luna bread, and the original hand slab. This was way more than enough for two hungry people. The meatball sandwich alone could feed two. Each one of these dishes was perfection. The salad was a nice refreshing complement to the incredible richness of the meatball sandwich. I'm not sure how he makes that luna bread so magical, but I think it has something to do with a few gallons of olive oil. The beer menu here is excellent (as are the prices). The list highlights beers from Maine (as it should), but also includes favorites from around the globe. The emphasis is on beer, but they serve cocktails and wine as well. I could not have been happier with my experience at Slab and can't wait to go back...maybe tomorrow ;-).
(5)Monica L.
Upon walking in, the ambiance is amazing. Very cool space. However, the praise stops there. I got "the hand slab" which is their original tomato, mozzarella and provolone Sicilian pie. It was certainly everything you would think a slab of pizza would look like, but it was honestly tasteless. Not enough cheese or sauce, and the dough didn't make up for the lack of either competent. I think I would enjoy it if it were $2 and I was drunk, but it was $6 and I was having a weekday dinner. To top it off, our waitress didn't introduce herself and was really rude and unhelpful to my friend who is lactose intolerant. I'm really sorry to leave such a bad review but I will not be returning.
(2)Andrew T.
I'm half Sicilian and my mother makes better pizza. I said it. This review is based solely on the pizza. The other part of the menu looked amazingly delicious. I will re-rate when I enjoy some of the other fare the menu has to offer. Atmosphere: very cool Service: solid and bartender very knowledge. Great selection of local beers.
(3)Christine C.
I came for the slab and was not disappointed! It was every bit as good as at Micucci's, and remains, hands down, my favorite pizza in the world. The menu was not extensive, but I'm sure that most people will be drawn by the slab. We also tried the fried pizza, which was greasy, cheesy goodness, but rather difficult to eat, especially because plates were not provided (only a paper placemat to be used as a plate).
(4)Shelley H.
If Sicilian pizza is your thing, this is an excellent place to grab a slice. If its not, but you like decent food, try it anyway. Very artisinal and authentic menu. That said, it is what I call a heavy handed menu: it is very specific and sidesteps simple flexibility and variation which would sell mode food but perhaps compromise said authenticity. For example, if you want a slice you have plain, mushroom onion, spicy pepperoni, or some concoction with breadcrumbs. That's it. No toppings, no customizing. Want thin crust? Only if you're willing to buy 32" of cheese and oregano for $25, and not after 9pm. Now, all this said: the slice I had (spicy meat wedge pictured) had plenty of heat and was excellent. The dessert list, also impressive. Beer and wine selections are top notch. Beautiful place but I would echo the service comments from other reviews with a theory: the waitress, who repeatedly kept complaining about being there 'all the time' was barely civil to me. First ignoring me then pressing me out the door, but fawned over every guy that walked through the door. Women, cold, indifferent, annoyed, it wasn't just ms, feel free to draw your own conclusions on what that's about... But I wholeheartedly encourage you to go there, male or female, and give it a try. It's a uniquely peaceful area of downtown Portland, and there is amazing outdoor seating. I'm gonna try to escape once I shove the Ginger ale cannoli in my face. cannoli flavors, plural. Omg I will have to be rolled outa here! Ok, now that I'm ordering tons of stuff, NOW I get the nicey nice... Sigh. Kidz these daze...
(5)Cindi B.
The best pizza ever! The coolest patio in town! A live band, how lucky are we! My favorite nest in town!
(5)Sebastian R.
I ordered the slab thinking because it wasn't loaded with toppings I wouldn't like it, but was hungry and any had already commented as to its flavor. It's delicious! No toppings needed of the many places I ate in Portland, slab was the one place I kept thinking about. Nice place, live music, interesting cutlery but most important, fresh dough, delicious sauce and fantastic cheese. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Matthew B.
After several visits I'm finally ready to write a review. The last visit included Slab hosting an outdoor Grateful Dead cover band, which was kind of awesome. Most of my meals have been great. It's the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from my favorite spot in town (OTTO) but it's still delicious. Thick but not too heavy, if you're a sicilian lover you'll be in pizza heaven. Be careful when ordering. Small groups need not order an entire slab. My one bad experience involved a luke warm slice of pizza. To their credit whoever was working in the kitchen that evening was seemingly surly but the server didn't want to make things right. Really want to give Slab a 5 star rating but not today. Deliciousness for sure and I'm sure to go back. Eventually, I might bump it up to a 5.
(4)Stephen C.
Slab is great. Their pizza is thick and hearty, the sauce is tangy and sweet - worth the $6 per slice. I can't speak to anything else on the menu... Yet! It's an ideal place to meet up for large groups of people. The live music they have is unique and fuels the fun and social atmosphere of Slab. Wear your dancin' shoes! The beer garden area is large, well lit and a must go in the summer time. Staff is friendly and helpful from my experiences. The booze is a little pricey but lots of local brews and specialty drinks. Check it ouuuut!
(4)Charles W.
Slab has really done a great job of carving out a spot in the Portland pizza scene. I have been here multiple times and each time they do a great job of making good pizza and making sure to bring in great beers to complement said pizza. The slab (which people get confused with the shoes all of the time) is the standard item. 1 pound of airy bread, tomato sauce, cheese. This thing should satisfy most people's hunger. Around 6 dollars it is a steal in Portland to fill you up and not hurt the budget. The beer list is an ever rotating tap of great microbrews (and we are not talking Shipyard microbrews either) Foundation, Rising Tide, Oxbow, UFF for just some of the local beverages that make there way to the tap list. The inside is very large and they took a corner out of Power Pay on Preble St. The outside area is very cool and they have bands that play out there often. My old man in men is going to regret saying this (the bands they get out there are good but way too loud and late for a Wednesday night!) The only thing I am not a fan of is the salumi appetizer. It felt very underwhelming for 3 pieces of salumi.. Parking can also be tricky depending on when you go. Stick to what they do well here. Pizza and beer!
(4)Alise K.
Love it here. I've been twice in 3 days. Last Saturday at lunch we were seated in a large comfy booth by the bar. Very friendly waitress. 2 amarettos on the rocks, a couple of local beers, a slab of pizza and a camponetta ( I think I spelled that wrong) sandwich. The sandwich was a mixture of eggplant, olives, and other yummy vegetarian things, all chopped up on a huge luna bread. Delish! Tonight I had the brocoli rabe/sausage smothered with melted cheese on Luna. Comes with a cup of marinara sauce to dip. Soooo good. My kids had the meatball sandwich, huge and a big hit. I love the atmosphere and everyone is smiling!!
(5)Tim P.
The meatball sandwich was phenomenal. Mixed with a great local beer list, slab is what Portland is all about.
(5)Celeste M.
I had been meaning to stop in here for awhile as I've been told by many people this is one of the best pizza joints in Portland. I'm one of those crust extremists where I like my pizza to be either paper thin and crispy or super thick and fluffy. This place nails the latter! Enter the hand slab which boasts 1 full pound of pizza deliciousness. It has just the right amount of sauce where it stays directly on the pizza and helps to hold the gooey cheese in place. And the crust...oh the fluffy, soft, warm crust. Ultimate perfection. Oh and it's only $6. Can't beat it.
(5)Kat E.
If you like a lot of dough with barely any sauce or cheese, this is the place for you. Pretty sad.
(1)Ken P.
I really liked the pizza, it is different but still really good. The slab crust is thick but light the sauce is just right. The beer taps are well chosen, maybe too well I had a hard time choosing. Great addition to Portlands rich list of choices.
(5)Drew S.
Ok, this place was not what I expected. It was almost as if you took old school french bread pizza and made it absolutely amazing. I mean really, big thick dough'ey pieces of pizza goodness. My wife had the mushroom wedge, I had the meat wedge, and we attempted to split a standard slab (our eyes were too big for our stomachs). Combine this with really friendly service and a tasty selection of local and craft beer makes a happy Drew. There was plenty of out door seating, cool interior, and we even found street parking on the 4th of July. I highly recommend this place, and my wife asked if I was willing to drive the 12 hrs to get there tonight so she could have another piece. If I could only bend space and time, then I would.
(5)Jessica G.
Pizza is good, however, I've been here on 3 separate occasions and each time received really bad customer service. Most recently I received no "thank you" or "have a nice day" of any kind and stood there while a waitress bad mouthed a family she just sat down to eat for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse to be so rude to your customers. One time and i would've considered it a fluke, all three times... they should be embarrassed.
(2)Maura Q.
I checked out Slab for the first time one night after work and I was in pizza heaven! Literally, the Hand Slab is like a pillow of pizza dreams. If you like thin crust you probably won't enjoy it as much, but there's nothing like a nice thick, soft crust. The Hand Slab is a 1lb slab of cheese pizza for only $6. They have wedges of other flavors and I hear the spicy meat wedge is great ($4). My co-worker and I went at 11, which means they only serve pizza, but that's what we went for! I'll definitely go back to try more pizza and some of their other food options! I would have given this place five stars but the service was terrible. I work in the restaurant industry and know how good service is supposed to be. Our waitress was not very good at all. She wasn't very friendly (seemed uninterested) and not that you have to be over the top, but at least pretend you like your job. Another waitress delivered our food and not once did our actual waitress come check on us to see how we were liking our food! She didn't come back until we were basically done to deliver our checks. I understand that it was late, but still they're open until at least 1:00 AM... It's not like we went in at 12:45!
(4)Eliza M.
SIX bucks for a hand slab. Kid friendly. Great beer selection. Outdoor seating in the summer. We've really enjoyed going to Slab quite a bit this year, due to its reasonable prices, DELICIOUS Sicilian slabs, and (let's face it) ability to accommodate a babe who likes to shriek sometimes. I'm happy to see they've been successful, especially after the great Miccuci's fall out. Edited to say - if you're looking for traditional NY style pizza, Slab is not your place. The Sicilian style is a specific one, so don't expect a floppy triangle of cheese and sauce.
(4)Steff D.
Personally, I think Slab is doing what they set out and promised the community they'd do (which is: serving relatively cheap, big portioned food along with an impressive line-up of beers as they've revitalized a part of our town's history [the old market] in a section of the city that's desperate for a facelift with an awesome outdoor space and homey indoor area, too all the while maintaining an exceptional level of eco-consciousness). Do I think they're perfect? No. But I'm thrilled to begin calling this place home... What I've ordered thus far: -/+1. Ceci alla Sicilia (a vegan dish of orange fried sage chickepea hummus, parsley-red onion salad, and warm Luna bread wedges for $5): Definitely a hearty portion of hummus for a fiver! But he hummus to bread ratio seemed way off as we had so much hummus leftover we were eating it with a spoon. I thought it was flavorful (though I didn't pick up on any of the "orange fried sage" which is the sole reason why I ordered it in the first place), delightfully chunky, and an excellent starter. I could have done without the forest of cilantro stalks that came with it, though. +2. Slab (the original 1-lb Sicilian hand slab for $6): There are few things that delight me in this world as much as Lanzalotta's slabs do (it's the stuff of late night food fantasies, lemme tell you). The dough was thick and sweet, the sauce was just acidic enough, and the cheese was gooey, mild, and seasoned just right. Unlike some people, I don't care what the temperature of my slab is - hot, room temp, or straight-from-the-fridge - it's delicious and takes on different unique, yummy characteristics in all its states. -3. Spicy Bean Wedge (a hand slab with cannelini beans, giardiniera, cheese for $4): unfortunately, I would NEVER order this again; when I had it, it had very few beans, but an overabundance of thick, undercooked wedges of carrot on it. The whole thing seemed both bland and doughy. However, the bleu cheese dipping sauce that came with it (which had a citrusy finish to it) was divine (the chunkier the better, in my opinion, and they've nailed it here). Be warned: each side of the stuff you order is .50 cents. So if you planned to order a bathtub sized vat of the stuff to pour it over everything (including your body), you might be charged a small fortune. -/+4. Cocktails - My favorite is the Molinari Brothers (amaro montenegro, solerno, limoncello, lemon, lime, and soda water) for $8.5. There's not a single thing I didn't like about it - I liked the flavor profile (that it satiated my need for something sweet, tart, and refreshing), I liked the size, and I liked the price (when I can get a good cocktail in Portlandtown for under $10, I'm an instant fan of your establishment!). It was also the perfect accompaniment to my food. On the opposite hand, the "Sage Fizz" (sage, limoncello, cucumber, soda for $10) was difficult for me to drink as it tasted like herbed rubbing alcohol... egads. +5. Beer - The first time I came I had a sour ale for about $7 that I see is already no longer on the menu (I wonder if these quick turn arounds for their beer selections is going to be commonplace... could be a way to get people coming back, I suppose, to see what's new; could be a way to annoy people who find something they love only to have it denied to them later on). Since then, I've come and have been told that beers - despite being on the menu - have been "already 86'd that day" leaving me with options I didn't want. Talk about super frustrating. Anyway, the point of this EXTREMELY long review is: if you're a fan of pizza, of Sicilian food, of outdoor spaces, of Portland, of beer, of mostly good cocktails, of Lanzalotta, of the Lanzalotta-Micucci's drama, of eating with your hands... then you definitely need to come here!
(4)Mike S.
Slabbbbbb of good stuff I'm gonna be honest, I am going to try to ignore the "fluff" on the menu because I came for the Sicilian... And the beer. I'll describe what I mean. The hand slab ("regular Sicilian") is fantastic. It's a pound of cheese, soft yet chewy dough, and fantastic sauce. Yup. It delivers all that I expected. It took a good twist with the spicy version as well! Damn good, and highly suggested! The opening day beer selection was masterful. It ranged all across the world including amazing beers from local such as a special Bissell Brothers ultra-session beer to Cantillion Gueze. I can only hope that these great beer selections, and the tasty collaborations, don't go away anytime soon. Here's where I need to put aside my bad thoughts. The rest of the menu was a bit lacking. The exception being the meatloaf meatball sandwich, which was pretty good. The caponata was a bit odd as was a couple other things that I can't remember the names of (see photos!). But let's be honest. I came for the main event and just hoped for some good extras. I did enjoy the outdoor space. What a great gathering space to have some pizza and beers with friends. The only complains is that the bugs liked the pizza, and us, also. All in all I really liked it and plan to go back, multiple times, and can't wait to see what other beers show up!
(4)Matt B.
As many know this place is the creation of some sort of intellectual property dispute with Micucci's. Well their loss is everyone's gain. The pizza itself was really interesting... light dough, large Sicilian slices. Not overly cheesey or saucy. Some may call that dry, I call it a nice balance. It's a canvas that is ready for your application of spices at the table. The apps were good, shoes and gravy as well as a pickled cauliflower with pepperoncini skewers. The table loved them and it was a great start. The drinks went down easy. It's a super awesome new space, we sat outside and enjoyed a perfect Portland evening. All it all it was excellent. Great job, Slab. This is a tough call, right on the borderline between four and five stars. I'm giving it the extra star because of the historical rareness of finding great slices in this area of the world and high functioning service.
(5)Jessica H.
How can you go wrong! Reasonable prices, great tasting food, great beer options. Only thing I could suggest is more gf options. My husband has ciliac and can't go here with me to enjoy.
(5)Brittany E.
Just tried Slab for the first time last night after hearing rave reviews from several friends over the past few weeks and I can definitely say that they were not exaggerating! Their "Hand Slab" which the waitress told us was their most popular item was delicious! If you are a person who eats the pizza for the crust this is the pizza for you, it was so thick and doughy and oh so good. P.S. rumor has it they sell $2 late night slabs for those long old port evenings!
(4)Andrew D.
So good! Great atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly service. The prices are fantastic. A very welcome addition to the city.
(4)Tony W.
Stopped in here for a beer and a slice (slab) on a Thursday night after an event in Portland and sat at the corner of the bar. I had read reviews about the pizza and about the beer, but I have to say that going in I was a bit dubious/jaded. Between Flatbread and Otto, how could the Portland pizza scene get any better? I was visiting around 9pm, so it was a bit slow. It's got a cozy, dark interior and an inviting bar. The first thing I noticed was the beer list, facing you right as you walk in. THE BEER! THE BEER! THE BEER. Twenty hard-to-find beers on tap. And certainly no Shipyard Export or Allagash White. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they just ain't got no time for that. We're talking Smuttynose Christmas Ales available for 4 1/2 minutes a year, or limited releases gone before they can even finish the Tweet. I imagine they employ a full-time staff member dedicated only to switching out tapped kegs. I'm not being facetious when I say that the range and diversity of Slab's beer selection rivals Novare Res. I may actually give Slab the tiebreak because you don't have to crawl over people to get a beer. And the pizza. As I quickly learned, it's not better pizza; it's DIFFERENT pizza that's on the same level of greatness. Whereas Flatbread and Otto like to trick their pizzas out with all sorts of funky combinations of tasty toppings, Slab is about pizza fundamentals, straight from the Old World. Delicious, fluffy (I've never described pizza as fluffy before) dough that pulled apart like funnel cake or fresh-out-of-the-fryer fried dough. Perfect, well seasoned yet simple pizza sauce. Light and well-placed amounts of cheese - not the giant fistfuls of shredded cheese that other pizza joints apply. It was well-prepared and hot out of the oven - a delicious slab of heaven. It seems like there are some mixed reviews regarding some of the food quality and consistency, and the service. All I had was a hand slab ($6) and a beer, and those were excellent (and well served).
(5)Lauren T.
So I visited Slab for the first time last night. There were things I loved and things I didn't. First of all the decor and overall vibe is very cool. There was a guy playing guitar that was pretty good and live music is always a plus. Started with an appetizer of sliders which were excellent! 3 came in an order and consisted of hamburger, melted cheese, pizza sauce, all on a biscuit! So yummy!! Next ordered the bean wedge ( cheese, carrots, olives, and cauliflower with a creamy dipping sauce), the meat wedge ( pepperoni, peperoncini peppers, and a spicy red sauce), the hand slab (very plain, little cheese and red sauce), and the sfinciuni ( my least favorite,anchovy sauce). The waitress was misleading with the sizes of the wedges/slabs- ordered way too much food. Prices were reasonable. Will be back. :)
(4)S And E H.
"The Anchovy" salad was amazing. Tart and bright flavors paired with the crunch from the romaine. The Stiggs needed more flavor but I guess that's why they give you the dipping sauce. The hand slab was all dough, tons of sauce and a tiny bit of cheese. The Spicy meat wedge was small and lackluster. So I would come back but only for the salad.
(3)John H.
I'm kind of torn about Slab. There are things I really like and some other things that I'm not such a big fan of. One thing I love is the original hand slab. It's great at Micuci's and it's great here. The spicy meat wedge is also pretty good. But after that the food goes kind of down hill. Sfinciuni is ridiculous to say, and bread crumbs are about a good a pizza topping as they sound. The spicy bean wedge I had had no beans at all, only a couple pieces of giardiniera. The caponata was just kind blah. Another great thing is the beer menu. They always have a nice selection of beers, usually including some limited edition stuff, or things brewed specifically for Slab. But this ends up leading to another thing that annoys me. Because so many of their beers are limited release, the kegs kick pretty quickly and are replaced by something else. This wouldn't be a big deal if there were any way for people out on the patio (obviously the place to sit if the weather allows) to find out. On a number of occasions I've tried to order multiple beers only to be told that they were kicked. When I asked what had replaced them I got a kind of non-committal/non-answer. The implication seemed to be that nothing had come on as replacement, for a half a dozen taps on a Saturday night. It seems more likely to me that they just didn't know, and didn't care to take the time to find out. So generally the service is iffy and the menu uneven, but the pizza slabs and beer are great, and it's an awesome venue for live music. Its not my favorite place in town, but it's certainly a place I go back to and enjoy.
(3)Chris H.
This was great. It passes this Sicilian's "Sicilian Test". However, could get a little more extensive with some more basic Sicilian fare . Love the location good to see the old public market active again. Really nice spot with outside seating. Staff was friendly. Nice take on a caponata!
(4)Christine L.
Light, fluffy, chewy--not words that you'd typically use to describe pizza! This place definitely provides something different, and it's a great place to grab food with friends. My only complaint is that I wasn't blown out of the water (high standards, oops!) and I need a little more on my half-slab than tomatoes and cheese! While I'm well aware of the other options on the menu, I can't seem to steer away from this hand-pulled wonder! Their beer selection is nice, and my friends and I split the Salumi app the other night: the toasted bread and pickled cauliflower were great, but I wasn't a fan of the dip & the tons and TONS of olives that came along with it.
(3)Amy P.
We were looking for a place to grab a quick bite outside. We were the only ones out there. Our waitress brought over waters and we ordered the house cider. It was absolutely amazing! It was more like a wine, really dry but I loved it. Not as sweet as angry orchard or downeast. We ordered a nzalata d'aranci to start. It was absolutely horrible. It had way too much dressing on it and was just overall unpleasant. We ordered a spicy meat and hand slab to share. Both were fabulous! The dough is so good! Very soft and fluffy. There wasn't a ton of cheese on it either which I appreciated. My only critique would be to have a little bit more sauce on the pizza but even then, I didn't bother to ask for any because it was so good. I would definitely come back!
(4)Jim B.
There's a history behind Stephen Lanzalotta's migration from India Street (and Sophia's, prior), where he was selling a famous style of pizza out of the back of a well-known Italian bakery, to Portland's Public Market, on the corner of Cumberland and Preble. If you don't know about it, then either you don't follow Portland's food scene closely, or more likely, couldn't care less about history of any kind. Actually, there's a great two-part interview with Lanzalotta at Eater Maine that you should check out from December, 2013, if you'd like more on this. Pizza is a food that's ubiquitous and can be found in all manner of styles and varieties in Maine and elsewhere, most not terribly cutting-edge or awe-inspiring. It's also one of those foods that when I read people raving about others making it, I'm generally nonplussed (kind of like I am with barbecue). I find that with both of these foods, people like what they like, and often, their affections don't mirror mine. So when I kept hearing rumblings about Slab and Lanzalotta's "perfect pillows of dough," I was resistant--at first. I mean, what could he be doing with dough, tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever else you top a pizza with that hadn't been done already in Portland? Plenty, actually--or perhaps, it's not that he's doing anything that's necessarily new, but honing a style of pizza that Portland is lacking in--mainly, the Sicilian slice. Sicilian-style pizza has its own deep and rich history--you can look it up. All you need to know in relation to Slab and for the purposes of this review is this--think thick, doughy goodness, topped with a flavorful, tomato-based sauce, mozzarella cheese, offered via abundant slabs of intense, oozing fusions of flavor. That's Slab in one sentence and all the rest is superfluous (maybe?). The Public Market, and the area just one block south of Congress Street is definitely in need of some love and something more than most of what's going on there right now. Slab is a tasteful infusion of spark, plunking you down in an area that's not quite as hipster as a few others in town, which is just fine by me. My wife and I decided to sit ourselves down out in the picnic area/beer garden and as an added bonus, the amazingly-talented Eric Bettencourt was there serenading the small, mid-afternoon crowd of Slab-goers. This area is spacious, and filled with orange picnic tables, with birch trees surrounding the fenced in area. In my opinion, it offered the perfect spot for eating pizza and drinking beer, which is what we did. There is also a smaller, but homey indoor seating area, along with a small bar. We both ordered the hand slab, which is a pound of pillowy dough, topped with Lanzalotta's homemade sauce, and mozzarella cheese. It's all you really need with a pint of beer, in my opinion. And when you have local beers like Bunker Brewing's Salad Daze on tap, then you've really got something going on. Simplicity, leading to a profound experience of eating. There are other things on the menu, variations of the hand slab, like the spicy meat wedge, for you carnivores. This one is less fluffy, dough-wise, topped with thinly-sliced pepperoni that bakes to a crispness similar to perfectly-cooked bacon--it crumbles, which I really liked. Oh, and the wedge was topped with a pepperoncini, which is always a plus in my book of foods and flavors, and comes with creamy blue cheese for dipping, which was also nice. Slab offers an extensive specials board, too. We picked the Sea Slaw off this list of offerings, and it was the perfect accompaniment to slabs of Sicilian-style pizza. Purple cabbage dressed perfectly, and seasoned just the way cabbage should be, with fresh basil mixed in. Slab is a partnership between Lanzalotta and Jason Loring, of Nosh, he of the bacon-dusted fries and pork-based exquisiteness, up on Congress. Get you down to Slab for some Sicilian street food, soon!
(5)Shawn L.
Okay.... it's hard for me to describe pizza as "life changing". Because what kind of boring life would I be living if some crust, sauce, and cheese changed my life. But if I COULD... I would say Slab pizza was as close to life-changing as I've had a food be. Hey, pizza is pizza... right? WRONG! I'm a pizza freak... love it. And have had it from thousands of places. Slab pizza... specifically their hand slab, knocks out any near-competing pizza for me. The bread/crust was soft and airy... the cheese sparse enough to not overpower the rest of the ingredients. And the sauce? Ohhh... that sauce was sweet and tasty. It just all works together, magically, and Slab has become my new favorite pizza place in Maine. If you go just for the hand slab, you'll be doing your taste buds a fave. I went to Slab right before seeing a movie... and let's just say Slab was my favorite part of the entire night. Go... just go, ok?
(5)Emily B.
I don't think there was as soul in Portland who wasn't psyched for Slab to open (except for maybe the fine folks at Micucci's but we won't get into that). I was right there with them and eagerly marched in during their first week of business. My initial visit occurred pre-prime dinner time, which I think was lucky timing on our part because the place was less crowded than I've seen it on any other visit. Our server was incredibly friendly to the point that I actually thought we might know each other. Turns out, he just really likes his job, which is awesome to see as a customer. One of the things I was most excited about was the patio space, and it doesn't disappoint. The indoor area is beautifully redone as well. The Hand Slab is the classic that everyone's come to expect from Steve. No surprises there, except that there seems to be a bit of a consistency issue that's resulted in levels of cheesiness, doughiness, and doneness that are across the board. They're all tasty to me, but I've talked with other diners who have left less than impressed when their dining partner's slab was tastier than theirs. The Spicy Bean Wedge was light on the beans and heavy on the giardiniera (pickled veggies) which overwhelmed my taste buds to the point that I could only make it halfway through my slice. The flavor's great, but proportions seemed off to me. If anyone from Slab reads this, please please PLEASE staff your restaurant more appropriately. The one issue we've run into here is a lack of good service, and it has nothing to do with how hard the servers are working. If you have a band playing on a weekend night, you need a few extra hands on deck. There's no excuse for beers that take 40+ minutes to appear - and even then they were coming in sporadically, as if the bartender couldn't pour all of our table's beverages at once (none of them were cocktails). As other diners have mentioned, there are cheap slabs available if you visit later in the evening. I'm hoping things get smoother as they go. It's definitely a great spot, just needs a little more attention to detail.
(3)Joe Y.
Best pizza I have ever had. The dough was soft, warm, fresh and delicious. The outside seating with live music topped off a great night out with my friends and family. We had a group of 6 so sitting outside was perfect for us. The service was great with prompt drink orders taken. Food seemed to come out fast as well but that could have been because our group was having an awesome time talking and enjoying the live music. The 'Hand Slab' size is adequate for a meal but if you are really hungry you might want two. The Half Slab is huge and would definitely feed 4. I actually got the Spicy Meat Wedge but it was a little small so I stole some of my wifes Hand Slab :)
(5)Whit D.
Everyone who gets out in Portland already knows that Steve's slabs are delicious. At Slab they are a little less saucy than I remember from his slabs at Micuccis, but no big deal, you can just ask for extra sauce for a bit extra (I like getting the spicy sauce on the side). The slaw salad is simple and delicious. I haven't tried much on the menu because its so hard to stray from the standard slab, but everything I have tried has been very good. The outdoor seating is nice in the summer and the bar is great in the winter. Slab is the perfect spot to grab a casual, inexpensive lunch or dinner and leave with leftovers. 5 stars for food. The problem I have with Slab is the service. I have eaten at slab 15-20 times since they opened and have never had good service. A few servers have been average, the rest have been below average to downright rude. I worked as a server for 15 years. I'm very understanding when it comes to being busy, understaffed, or things just not going smoothly, but there's no excuse for blatantly not caring about your customers and their experience. I'll keep going back for the food, but this could be a 5 star place if the service improved.
(3)Liliana C.
The pizza here was yummy but outstandingly heavy. No need to order more than one slice per person--even if you're hungry. Other than that, I would expect anyone would enjoy!
(4)Karen R.
I am a fan of the slab pizza. I have had this many times at Micucci's and have a previous review raving about it. I was very excited to see this new restaurant in an up and coming area that deserves great restaurants and shops since the demise of the Public Market. We went here for a slab and a beer. The ambiance is very cool and they have a very large selection of craft beers on tap. Many I am unfamiliar with, but some really cool choices that I hear change daily. We ordered a slab and it was good, do not get me wrong, same amazing crust and sauce, but mine was lacking cheese. There was really barely any there. As a cheese lover, it is a must have, and my previous slabs did not disappoint. Looking at others slabs around me, it appeared that theirs too were short on cheese. I am going to give this place another try...will ask for extra cheese and hope for the best. I want to give this place 5 stars, but my first visit was not quite there.
(3)M G.
Great meatball sub! Big enough for two! We also shared a slaw salad with lime dressing. Cool, eclectic beer selections, our server said they will change all the time. The beer garden-style eating area is surprisingly comfortable. Wooden forks, knives and paper plates make this an Eco friendly place that recycles everything! Kudos! Will visit again;-)
(5)Kerey S.
The pizza was alright, the service was terrible. We had a rude remark regarding a recent tragedy. Things were fine until we didn't see our server again. One of our party had to go up to the bar to get a drink. We felt rushed the entire time even though your online menu says you're open until 1 am. As industry workers ourselves, we understand the frustrations, but the attitude of our waitress was rude and unnecessary. We will be back again because the pizza was good, but hope the service will be more suitable.
(2)Dani F.
I've been to Slab for lunch twice in 2 weeks--that's a sure sign that I'll probably be back twice more within the next two weeks. This place is a gem. Glad to see a thriving food joint in the former Public Market Building (brings back fond memories of getting off campus lunch here in high school in late 90s/early 00s). Came first with a friend and sat outside--shared a handslab and a chocolate-bourbon cannoli in a cone. Delish! Steve really knows how to make a sauce sweet without being unbalanced, and the deserts are perfection (only bummer was using the eco-friendly spork to eat the cannoli, kept feeling like I might get a bamboo splinter--maybe there's another eco-friendly utensil alternative?) Had lunch solo on my second visit, and sat at the bar. The interior of this place is much larger than I first noticed--lots of room to bring a party of friends here. Had another handslab (looking forward to trying other menu options, but I was craving that sicilian slab on perfectly pillowy luna crust). Hung out with bartender Ryan for about 45 minutes, before heading back to work. Great getaway from my office for lunch and felt totally welcome eating solo at the bar. Coming back with my unfortunate-dairy-allergy afflicted wife to try out some of the vegan options and the new chicken dish! (and more desserts for me!)
(4)Christa H.
It's super trendy looking inside if you're into that. It is nice to see businesses coming back to this area of town. The food is relatively inexpensive. The hand slab was huge and I thought well worth the $6 price. It was like eating a fluffy pillow slathered in tomato sauce. The beer menu had some interesting options and the prices looked on par with other restaurants in town. Avoid the salumi appetizer and save your pennies. For what you get, it isn't worth the amount they charge. We only got three pieces of salami to share. We ended up with a ton of pieces of bread and a whole mess of the relish. If you aren't a fan of green olives, you'll hate the relish. I really want to go back and try other slabs plus a different appetizer.
(4)Ashley T.
This place is one of my favorite places to go to eat now. The vibe of the place is super laid-back and I love the rotating beer list. The beer garden feel has been perfected! The music they play is on point. My only complaint is the warmth of the pizza. One time I went there with my family who was visiting from NYC and we ordered a half order and it was lukewarm. We were so hungry we didn't complain but I would have because why pay all that money for lukewarm food! Being from NYC and enjoying L&B regularly I must say this comes close to a perfect sicilian slice. WAYYYYYY BETTER THAN THE GROCERY ONE! He probably tweeked the recipe and is better for it! KUDOS!
(4)J P.
Had lunch there and went into it with a mindset of "new Portland restaurant". That was wrong. It's a beer bar with a bunch of ways to serve slabs of bread. The clue is the owner's other restaurant "Nosh". This is not dinner. The food is tasty while hot but is not food you'd take home. Don't mistake this for a pizza place. I find there are some establishments who emphasize food and some design. The 5 partners of this one spent a ton on design. I'm not sure who picked out the chairs but unless you're a size 6 or a guy with a 32" waist, the high school art class furniture will be very uncomfortable. Portland has too many choices for food for me to go back. These guys worked too hard to be cutesy.
(2)Brett F.
It's tough to review a restaurant during opening week, but I think Slab did a great job and will help transform Preble Street. With the soup kitchen in the middle and some seedier neighborhoods adjacent, Preble Street has always been one of those "Don't walk alone" type of deals. This is changing. A block up from the soup kitchen and a block from Congress sits Slab, at the end of the old Public Market building. Inside is a surprisingly large dining room with dark wood tones and sleek furniture. It would be a chill restaurant even in the winter. But summer is where Slab will shine. Outside are rows of orange picnic tables that seat over 100. You literally could come with 20 friends and all sit together (we did). Outdoor speakers play an eclectic mix and the location provides fun people watching. Paper menus on the table have food on one side and drinks on the other. If you're not in the mood for a pizza-ish item, I may pass on Slab. You can get a salad (it didn't look so great), but nearly everything else consists of dough, sauce and cheese in some combination. In the world of $15 small plates that wouldn't feed a child (I'm looking at you Central Provisions), Slab is a revelation. The 1 pound Slab is 2" thick with delicious sweet sauce and slathered in cheese. If you're hungry, this will fill you. Or it could be shared. It's $6. The meat lover's pizza (I forget its actual name) is basically a slice of pepperoni pizza with a peperoncini on top. A little disappointing given the description, but it was tasty and the bleu cheese dipping sauce is a nice touch. Most of the other food items, including small sandwiches and other pizzas are $4. Everything was good, but not great. For just pizza, I'd take the thinner crust Otto over Slab, but the Slab experience is miles better. I was a little disappointed in the beer menu. With probably 15+ local beers on tap it should be perfect. But at least 10 were 8 or 12 ounce beers at 16 ounce prices ($6+). When my tiny beer is more expensive than my giant food, I take issue. Too many low alcohol beers as well, though some people may like that. The $3 pint of Narragansett is a steal. The small wine and cocktail list is fine but average. Service was great while our party was smaller and confused as more people came. It was technically opening day and we had a party of 20, so I think she did a solid job, considering. A major issue was napkins. I support saving the environment, but I do not support grease all over my clothes. When the entire outdoors is asking for napkins every 5 minutes, maybe you should provide dispensers. Overall Slab is a terrific addition to downtown Portland. Inexpensive and appealing Sicilian food with craft beer and some of the most abundant outdoor seating in the city. It's worth a trip.
(4)Johnny S.
Excellent local pizza. We ate here the night before the Shipyard Half Marathon and had an excellent time. We each ordered one Slab-- which is plenty ( don't order more than one each). The crust was uniquely flavored, fulfilling to the last bite. I only wished that I lived in Portland so I could come back here again and again-- it might even be a reason to move from Boston.
(4)Bill M.
Holy Carb Madness! As others before me have said the immensity of the $6 dollar slab of pizza must be seen,hefted, and eaten to be fully appreciated. It's a feat of physics that these larger than life slabs of pizza are dense enough to weigh in over a pound, yet when bitten in to are pillowy and so yummy tender. Of course we had leftovers, no suprise. What was suprising was how good the pizza still was the next morning straight out if the fridge. Truly Amazing! So darn good and the best food value in Maine (possibly the country). Bonus round, you can order a slab for takeout. Beyond the food this place is beautiful, huge, and comfortable. The outside seating area seems to hold about 100 and is bound to become Portland's top spots to eat and watch the word go by. Slab also has a large selection of local brews and a small selection of creative cocktails. It has been pointed out that the beer selection is weighted with higher priced selections. GET OVER IT! Small craft products tend to cost more than mass produced ones. The trade-offf for costs is that these beers tend to be fantastic. Dont like the cost, stick to PBRs successor Naragahnset, and enjoy your insanely inexpensive food. ;) My only criticism is the silverware. With the goal of reducing the impact on the environment the food is served on biodegradable recycled sheets of paper (similar to Salvage). This is great way to reduce water use and keep costs down. However, the recycled paper utensils just don't hold up to the magnitude of the food. My fork broke after my second bite. No real worries, this is all essentially finger food anyway. My broken utensil barely slowed me down. I just dug right in with my hands. Post meal I could have used a wet wipe or more napkins, but that is a small quibble.
(4)Sarah H.
This was our first visit and we were very impressed with the location and the food. The salumi starter was tasty - the crispy bread, cheese spread and pepperoni were great, but I didn't love the pickled veggies. The hand slab is one pound of pillowy, pizza goodness. For $6, it is the best bargain around! I'll definitely be coming here again!
(5)Tarra H.
A great spot for an affordable, delicious slice. The 'slab' is bready with a lightly sweet red sauce and just the right amount of cheese. The atmosphere is stark but the food is worth a stop.
(4)Dawn T.
If the Industry Soft Opening was any indicator of how this team will handle being slammed - Bravo, well done, reasonably timed everything. Even with ample staff on hand, everyone was moving at top speed with happy faces and operating in concert. These types of evenings are to give the staff a chance to work out kinks before opening to the public at large, it appears they've got it down pat. Additionally, THEIR public may just be the chefs, servers, restauranteurs, brewers, and bartenders that had such a great time they'll want to be here much much more. The many Slabs served must have been very good since every crumb was consumed. Lyle Divinsky and Co. accompanied a relaxed and happy vibe with wonderful music that made me want to move. I hope he's back again and again making magic on the well placed outdoor stage. The only thing Slab could do to improve my experience is offer a Gluten Free Slab, which is a tall order. Success to you all, congratulations, you're off to a wonderful start. Seeing you soon and often.....
(4)Stephen R.
Very casual but not to be missed local pizza dive. Great space (former public market bldg) and looks like they have a great outdoor patio for warmer times. The menu requires a little patience in navigating and figuring out, but stick with it - you'll be treated to amazing food and surprisingly inexpensive to boot! The dough used in many items, including the hummus and the slabs (their term for pizza 'slices') is unbelievable. Also had the veggie centric slab (done on a bed of long flat slices of carrot) - ingenious and delicious. They have a great selection of local brews on tap and a few fun specialty cocktails as well. They call it all Italian street food - I call it a treat not to be missed.
(5)Fella ..
DRIEST PIZZA IN PORTLAND! And if you ask for a side of sauce, because the pizza has none, they charge you!
(1)Amy D.
There are many things I love about Slab. I love the big outdoor seating area. I love that they have a venue for outdoor live music. I love the great beer selection and the fact that it is one of the few places in town where I can get a casual/inexpensive meal that is still really tasty. And not unexpectedly, the pizza is great as it was (and still is) at Micucchis. There are a few things about Slab that are a little weird. There is luna bread (the special recipe used in the pizza crust) in everything. There is so much luna bread that you feel like it might have its own food group. Don't get me wrong, I too think the luna bread is delicious. It's like angel pillows kissing your taste buds. But the menu makes me feel like luna bread is attacking your face. I agree with different reviewers feelings on the beers constantly changing, to the point that you might order a few things on the menu and be told they are missing. And the service that is sometimes a little spotty. Slab is a great addition to the neighborhood and has revamped a lovely space in Portland that needed some fresh air. It's a great place to grab a bite with friends or a quick drink. It's definitely a nice place to hang out outside for a beer and a slice.
(3)Alex L.
I'm blown away by the pizza, photos truly don't do it justice. Until you try it, you can't believe the texture and flavor. Everything is warm and gooey and very flavorful as everything blends together. The crust is simultaneously soft but crispy in spots. The cheese and sauce somehow mix in just the right proportions. The beer list is phenomenal and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Can't wait for the patio to open for music once the weather warms. Definitely a go-to when in Portland!
(5)Ships A.
Fantastic food fantastic drinks wonderful location ambience great servers friendly people BMX kids doing tricks in the background and amazing sea slaw pizza was great awesome awesome!
(5)Adam B.
easily the best sicilian style pizza i have had in the states..... spicy meat wedge (hold the banana pepper and blue cheese though) and the mushroom wedge (with onions and caper, oh my!), woohoo!
(5)Chrissy H.
I'm not going to try and sugar coat it, because I think Slab can handle it .This is not my favorite place to eat. Its not horrible, but all in all I have not been impressed with the food. I stand by my original opinion- the Spicy Meat Wedge is where its at. At $4 for a very generous slab, you just can't beat it. One time, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tried the spicy bean wedge. There were no beans! It was like I was eating a piece of bread with a few spices sprinkled on top. It took us a while to realize that there are also other little plates offered, which are curiously hidden snuggly amongst the beer, wine and cocktail list. I tried the Street Chicken. The spice on the skin was pretty tasty but the meat itself was a little dry. And their menu lists a myriad of great beers. The problem is- every time I order one, they're out. Always have a back up or two in your head, because chances are, the one you want won't be available. I've learned this the hard way. Also, the service is a little hit or miss. All of our servers have, for the most part, been very friendly. But there always seems to be an air of chaos. At times it feels a little disorganized and confused. Perhaps this is due to the seat yourself community tables on the patio. I am happy they got little caddies for their napkins and adorable wooden sporks and knives though. I would say food gets 3 stars. That being said- I love the outdoor seating arrangement! The long orange communal picnic tables create an intimate, easy-to-mingle atmosphere. And this a fantastic place to catch some great local musical artists. Slab is an unpretentious place to relax, enjoy a beer, meet new people and possibly discover your new favorite band. 5 stars for the atmosphere.
(4)Jeff P.
Simple. Quite simply delicious. Focaccia bread + marinara + cheese = happiness. Great beer and outdoor seating means I will definitely be back on a sunny day.
(4)Seth F.
Just go there...get the pizza and enjoy the really great tap beers.
(5)Lizzie M.
All four of us got sick from one end or the other from eating at slab. Not our cup of tea overly doughy bread not enough cheese and no veggies. Crossed this of our list, you should too. One of us did get a nickname I'm not saying who but someone's nickname is now meat wedge.
(1)Anne A.
Was dissapointed as the slabs ordered were not at all as good as the old Miccucci ones. Not enough sauce and cheese for all that bread and the dough was like biscuit, not a yeast rising dough and they seemed like they had been sitting out awhile. When I asked for extra sauce to dip the dry pizza in, we were charged for the sauce! The salad/slaw was excellent and a good value/ amount for the price. The beers were delicious, but too expensive 7 & $8 for a 12 oz pour. WE thought our overall bill was too high for what we got.
(2)Craig W.
Food: 4 out of 5 stars - Pizza delicious, starters not so much Service: 0 out of 5 stars - Easily the worst service I've ever experienced Overall: 2 out of 5 stars - I'll never eat here again and have recommended against it to friends. May consider take-out, but that's about it. 6:50 PM on a busy Friday: arrived at Slab with my girlfriend requesting a table for 2. Quoted a 45 minuted wait by the host. I told him sure and we'd wait downstairs at the bar so we can grab a drink. 7:50 PM finished 1 drink at the bar, still haven't been called for a table. Went upstairs to the host to check on the status. The host informed me that he called our names and we didn't answer and he see what he could do about getting a table. This being said, we were waiting at the bar as close to the host area as possible. I had a clear vantage point for when the host would walk downstairs to call names. He did NOT call my name, we have witnesses to attest to this. 8:00 PM finally seated, waitress arrives and takes our order. We order two starters: the Focaccia Pile and Salumi. We each order a Hand Slab. This is the last time we see our waitress until the food arrives. 8:35 PM Waitress quickly drops off all the food at the table and runs away before we can say anything. The salumi and main course arrive at the same time. The focaccia has not. 8:40 PM The focaccia arrives. Really? 40 minutes to slice a focaccia? The waitress again runs off. No napkins were provided, no forks, no knives, nothing. NOTHING. 8:50 PM We've only eaten the starters which were very underwhelming. We have been for far to long that we just want to get the slabs wrapped so we could get out of this awful place. I chug my beer and put the empty at the edge of the table... international sign for we need service. Waitress shows up, we request a box and our check. Waitress arrives with one tiny box that can only fit one slab and disappears again. 9:00 PM Finally the waitress returns to take our check. We have to request a second box for the other uneaten slab. 9:30 PM Arrive home, reheat slabs and eat. Pizza is delicious. On a side note: the table of 3 next to us also ordered food and drinks. It took so long for the food that they just paid only for the drinks and walked out.
(2)Gabrielle B.
For a 1 pound slab of pizza, I would expect to feel more satiated. It was okay, but lacked flavor. I think basil, oregano, garlic or anything would make this pizza more interesting. I visited on a busy Friday night near the end of summer with my boyfriend. We were seated at the worst table in the house, the one on the corner where the servers frequently walk by on their way to another table, but fail to see you waiting. After waiting for 5 or so minutes without being acknowledged, my boyfriend said "if she doesn't come over in 2 more minutes we're leaving". The waitress came over very quickly after him saying that, so we decided to give it a chance. We waited longer than I would expect for already cooked pizza, and ate it quickly. Keep in mind, this is easy to eat, doughy, airy pizza. It is on the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from Flatbread, another Portland pizza joint. I prefer thinner, crisper crust, so I would eat Flatbread or Pizza Joint over Slab any day.
(3)Soliz P.
I came here with some friends for a study break one night and must say I will be back. The ambiance was really nice for me with the lower level lighting and the faux balcony window that reminded me of romeo and juliet. Being the middle of winter and having suffered through a few snow storms I can't comment on the outdoor seating but I'm looking forward to eating my pizza outside when it warms up a bit. As far as the pizza itself goes this may be the first time I've been full on a single wedge of pizza. I got the spicy meat wedge which was overall good but flavor wise was a little underwhelming. The bleu cheese dip was lovely though and picked it up a notch. I think next time I'll definitely try the original slab and see how it compares.
(4)Allison C.
We came here for 3 things: local beer, lunch outside in a garden, and giant squares of sauce, cheese, and heavenly goodness. All of our needs were met. The beer garden is absolutely delightful--a shaded respite in the middle of the city. The beers are local and varied, definitely something for everyone. The pizza did not disappoint; and while we waited almost 2 hours for food (it had only been open a few days, after all) we knew what was coming at the other end of those 120+ minutes and we were rewarded. My brother decided to try the less-traditional shoes and gravy and was pretty much transported to another dimension of food nirvana. Also recommend the curried slaw, just beware the recycled paper/cardboard spork which isn't the most fun. ENJOY, Portland!!! :) **SIDENOTE: just found out from an insider that if you happen to be near there around 1 am on Friday or Saturday night, they will be selling all leftover slab for $1 each. Now if that's not a great deal when you're drunk and hungry I don't know what is!
(5)Chris G.
Man plans, god laughs. I had suuuuch high hopes... But not unrealistic ones! The patio rules on a summer day, a great place for a beer... ESPECIALLY if you're not with someone with a foreign drivers license.... My friend (a visa'd resident, in his 30s) was not served a beer even though his England driver's license had his DOB visible as well as a picture and a signature. WEAK. The pizza should rule, but... It's not as good as Micucci's. It's close, but no cigar. And $14 for the meatball thing? It's the best thing I've eaten at slab so far but $14?!? They recommended that 2 people split it, but we could have each ordered one... Though $7 was a much more palatable price. $14! The broccoli raab stuff is overpoweringly bitter given how much they lump on some of the offerings... 1/4 of the amount would give a much more sensible spike of bitterness as opposed to the wave of it you get currently. Also seems weird to not be open on Sundays, but without the weather to support the patio, I don't see myself being super sad about it either.
(3)Deborah J.
Have to say that I was disappointed. My slab was a corner with really dense crust, not really hot and scrumptious like the ones at Micuccis, and served in a basket, not a plate. The cannoli was an overkill with waffle cones delivered from VA and too dense filling. Not as good as the delicate ones at Otto pizza. Probably will not return....$33 for 2 slabs, 2 pepsi colas, and 2 cannolis. Too much for average food.
(3)Patrick L.
I was SO excited to try Slab. I rallied folks at the office to go in on a huge order. I walked down, ordered (because, you know, they don't have a working phone number - is that hip these days?), and really liked the space (although the traffic flow by the unofficial waiting area at front door was comically awkward), the bar was lovely and had an impressive tap list, and lo, a friendly wavy across the room to someone we knew! Minutes later we dragged 8lbs of pizza back to the office (only 2 blocks, mind you), and unveiled it to a sea of ohhs and ahhs. It was... not hot, not warm... it just... was. I noticed the underside of the box was room temp when it was handed to me, but I assumed that it was just really thick cardboard. How is that possible? Why was it cold? I simply don't understand it. A (cheese-less) third of my slice went into the trash. Sadly, nobody else finished theirs either. Next!
(2)Ada L.
I had one of the meatball meatloaf "monster sandwiches." This is easily 2 meals for one person. Eating the "sandwich" with your hands can be very messy with the gooey cheese oozing out and the thick sauce running between the fluffy slabs of bread. Great carb meal if you want to splurge. Unfortunately the meatball was not the best part, there wasn't enough meat to bread ratio for it to be a sandwich. And it wasn't meaty enough with all the other fillers from the "meatloaf" part. Overall I would still go back, delicious still.
(4)Langdon A.
I'm from New Haven, home of thin crust, "apizza" style pizza. Never got into Sicilian style. Well, all I can say is the hand slab here was fantastic. Fluffy, airy, slightly crispy, and so flavorful. Very different pizza from what I'm used to, but something I would love to have again. Unfortunately, as some others have mentioned, the temperature of the slabs is a real issue. We actually sent our first ones back to be heated more, as they were barely warm. They actually brought out two fresh ones, but alas, they were essentially the same exact temperature as the ones we sent back! As good as the slabs were, they would be better if served hot. And it's not like the pizza comes out just a couple minutes after you order - i.e., if you're making us wait, shouldn't the pizza be hot right out of the oven when you bring it? I don't get this at all. Also, the salad we started with (the one with cabbage) was decent, but nothing great. Overall, an excellent pizza recipe makes this place quite good, but to be great, they need to consistently serve the pizza hot.
(4)Kelly R.
Simply amazing. Great pizza, beer, music and atmosphere. The beer is a bit pricey and I wish they had more options for toppings but it's totally worth it! I'm so excited about this place, in in love.
(4)Heather F.
Went here after drinks at a local bar, 7:30 on a Saturday evening. We had a large group of 14 and were easily accommodated in the large outdoor seating area. The service was quick but not rushed and very attentive for such a large group. They have a great selection of cocktails, beer, and wine. The pizza was delicious as was the salad (try the slaw with curry dressing or greens with capered calamari). The desserts left something to be desired, which is the only reason for 4 stars and not 5. The bill at the end of the night was very reasonable as well, about $80 for four people on one check. We got an app, 5 pieces of pizza, 2 desserts, and 4 drinks.
(4)Ashley L.
This place is right in the heart of downtown Portland, minutes from the Old Port in the old public market. It's a great location, with a large outdoor space with lots of seating, a spot for live music and a cool interior decor. While it wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, it was still really good!! I got the traditional hand slab for $6 - a good price considering the size of pizza you get. They have a HUGE assortment of beer, which apparently changes very often so there's a lot of variety. The menu is still in flux because of the soft-opening, but there are unique starters and pizzas including a hummus starter and a fried pizza. Totally worth the frustration of driving in downtown Portland around dinner time!! My boyfriend and I definitely want to come back here and enjoy some live music outside, under the twinkly lights in the trees with some delicious pizza.
(4)Alice C.
I absolutely adore pizza. I am on a lifelong mission to find the best I can, I love it that much. I was really excited to try Slab hoping to avoid the madness that sometimes can surround trying to get a slice at Micuccis. So the idea of being able to be seated, order a good beer, be served pizza sans chaos seemed like a win- win to me. Finally, I made it to Slab! But...I was fully expecting the slabs I have previously gotten at Micuccis; a pillowy luscious crust generously sauced with sweet tomatoey freshness, gorgeous gooey cheese and hopefully the choice of pepperoni or olives. Nope. Slab pizza, although good, simply does not have near enough sauce or cheese to satisfy my American taste buds. Hey, it is what it is, and I am what I am. I love saucy, cheesy pizza, preferably with pepperoni, please! $6 is a good deal, but I would happily pay $8-9 (maybe even $10) for a soupy, sloppy pepperoni slab of Slab because the venue is really cool, the beer is awesome, the waitstaff was decent and I would love to love Slab! But I just liked. I'll give it another shot though, maybe try something else. But I will certainly continue to go through whatever ordeal I may have to to get Micuccis slab style pizza because the taste buds want what the taste buds want! Simple as that.
(3)Brittany D.
personally I think this place is overrated. the past three times I've eaten here the food is not hot and the pizza is raw undercooked dough. not that great.. beer selection is though
(2)carol a.
I've been a longtime devotee of the chef when he was at micucci so I've been dying to try slab. I'm happy to say that the pizza is just as good as it was (!!!!) when he was there. We drove an hour for it and would easily drive several hours. I'm looking forward to trying other menu items the next time we return.
(5)Jim S.
Had a nice meal at Slab. Pizza was good and enjoyed the atmosphere. Menu is confusing and they could have done a better job explaining the concept. Overall a nice experience.
(4)Anna M.
AMAZING got a half-slab with my boyfriend and it was enough to have leftovers for two days. Huge amount of food.. Probably like 2 regular large pizzas and for only $25! The service was friendly and we got our food in a very reasonable amount of time Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Ver C.
Slab has great pizza and there's no doubt about it that everyone can agree with that statement. What this fine establishment really needs to work on though is their concept of "take-out". Why offer it if you have no idea how it even works? My fiance and I just ordered two slabs here yesterday (09/30/14) and had a terrible experience. We thought calling ahead of time would work in our favor but instead it really back fired on us. Once my fiance arrived to Slab, he was told that their "credit card processing machine was down". They told him to wait while they figured out what was wrong with it and so he did. As time started ticking by, I called my fiance as I was in the car waiting for it seemed like forever. I was really starting to wonder what was taking so long, I mean, we're only picking up two pieces of pizza! He told me that their machine was down and they told him to wait while they straightened it out. Well, almost 30 minutes went by and finally a manager said he would need to take money out of an ATM. So what did he do? He walked over to the ATM across the street and found out it was out of order. So again, he walked back to Slab and told them the ATM was down and he needed to get going. They said they would take down his information and charge his card once the machine was running again. He asked them, "Can't you just give me the pizzas?" and they said no. Are you kidding me? You can't give us two free slabs after waiting 30 minutes?! Oh, but you have no problem with giving us new slabs which aren't cold. Which, by the way, we'll still get charged for regardless. Really Slab? It's a shame too because my fiance and I have been eating pizza from you since your days at Micucci's. Guess we know how you like to treat your customers.
(3)Nancy S.
First visit, heard the hype, ready to be amazed. Started with Slaw Salad: AMAZING, all fresh with curry dressing with a touch of heat - $6 bucks so worth it. Partner had Hand Slab, interesting rendition, Luna dough as light as a feather, mighty tasty. I had the Monster Meatball, large but hardly a monster. Tasty meatballs, but 2 sandwich halves and only 3 meatballs? Geez did they think I would not notice? One half of the sandwich had 2 meatballs, the other half 1 meatball. Makes no sense for $14. Yummy sandwich, shared with partner who was still mighty hungry after his slab. Server brought me another meatball when I mentioned it - nice touch. But come on. the sandwich needs 4 meatballs. Monday night service was attentive and downright friendly. Would stay clear on a a weekend. Will be back!
(4)Jeffrey I.
So I had the worst experience at Slab. I went there before the opening night of the Portland Pirates and needless to say the place sucks. after nearly a half hour of waiting (the place was full but it's not a big returant to warrant that long of a wait. It's pizza....) they came out and told us it would be another 15-20 minutes which came and went. Even after trying to get an ETA on our food, said waitress came back saying "the kitchen isn't communicating well with us so we don't know when your food will be out". At that point we decided we didn't want the food since we were running so late to the game. Im sorry but nearly an hour for pizza is bit much...also the pizza was sub par it looked like it was warmed up in a microwave. I can gladly say I will NEVER eat at that shit hole again. If your looking for good pizza, don't go to Slab. Go to Otto's!
(1)lindsey k.
I checked out Slab last night for the first time. I absolutely loved the decor and especially loved their outside seating! The beer selection was great. My only suggestions to Slab would be to add felt to the bottom of the barstools. They were very loud whenever somebody would pull out or push in their chair. Also, I was told by the bartender that their current menu is only a small portion of what they are working on. They apparently are going to expand the menu to four or five times the options. As somebody who is lactose intolerant, I would absolutely LOVE to see some more dairy-free options. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, but I couldn't enjoy what my boyfriend was having. However, I understand that most people are not lactose intolerant, so their menu works for the majority. The bartender also mentioned that a cashew-cheese pizza might be making it onto the updated full menu in the future. I look forward to it!
(4)Renee B.
Good lord the pizza dough is amazing and I like thin crust. Everything was so delicious I almost died from overrating. It was even good days later heated up.
(5)David G.
The location is good and the interior is very cool. Large windows and clean, modern design create a nice atmosphere. The pizza is not my idea of a great slice. Thick, fluffy, and lacking in sauce and cheese it is distinctly different than a traditional pizza. However, the crust, sauce, and cheese are all delicious as individual parts. We had prompt, albeit disinterested service, and I would certainly return to try a different pie.
(3)Jennifer B.
Best pizza I've ever had - light fluffy dough - tomato sauce was clean and fresh - just fabulous:) The focaccia was delish - YUMMY! Staff was excellent - this being my first visit - they were very helpful! Can't wait to return - I'm ordering dessert next time!
(5)Erin H.
Amazing food, well, I'm assuming the rest is great where I can't help but get the hand slab every time. This is at least my third time being here. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. $6 is worth it for the hand slab, it's a whole lotta pizza! Light airy, crispy crust, flavorful sauce, topped with yummy cheese. The best!
(5)Joe R.
I dream of Slab. Ok, so I really dream of wedge. Why a wedge over a slab you say? Because you get dipping sauce included. Any other pizza joint question a ranch/blue cheese order. But at Slab they encourage it. I feel instantly at home. I also like that you can order just one serving if you want. When I leave Slab I say to myself -- I can't wait til next time.
(4)N Y.
Slab is a cool and fun place to visit or just to stop by to take a slab (piece, half or whole) to go. The pizza is good overall, sauce is very tasty, cheese is a little light and the crust is very good (doughy and has nice flavor). The cooking style is traditional for Sicilian style pizza and done well. Beer on tap is very good quality and there are 15 - 20 taps. Reasons for low review are the cost of pizza is much to high for the product sold, the sauce is often not enough which results with dry pizza and the amount of cheese is very inconsistent. Almost feels like eating only dough at times. Hope Slab continues to improve as this a unique local spot with huge potential.
(3)Matthew L.
(I signed up for Yelp just to write this review!) I'm not going to comment on many of the things that could attract someone to a restaurant: decor, atmosphere, service, etc. because at the end of the day, the food is what matter. I've eaten a lot of pizza in my life, and slab is HANDS DOWN the best pizza I have ever eaten in my entire life. I recently went to DC and asked a friend to bring me to the best pizza DC had to offer; nothing. Recently was in Boston at a place Rachel Ray (if that really means anything) considers the best place for pizza there; pale in comparison. The apps are great as well, but if you want amazing pizza; fluffy, a nice sweetness to the sauce, filling, with the right spices: SLAB. The first time I went, I went to work the next day and told my colleagues to cancel their dinner plans to go, and just at an organization-wide meeting told everyone about it (we're going there for a staff lunch now!). Anyways, I will stop rambling, but, go to Slab, tonight.
(5)Whitfield P.
I lived in Sicily for a few years and I never encountered one thing on the menu other than the pizza. Sicilians, I hate to break it to the world, eat round pizza. Square pizza is Neapolitan.
(3)Nathan T.
If you like the pizza at Micucci's, you'll like the slab pizza here. But do NOT waste your time or calories on the girelles (puff pastry dessert) as they are kind of hard and rather bland. And who eats a girelle after eating what practically amounts to a loaf of bread with cheese, sauce and meat on it anyway? This place is great if you want a beer and a snack, but I wouldn't make plans to do dinner here, there's just not that much going on in terms of variety.
(3)George M.
The only thing I think that has changed in his pie is that the slabs are larger! What a very fine place to show off the best Sicilian style tomatoes pie in New England. I grew up in south philly pie and this is even better. The limited choice is just fine with me since each one is perfected. Light on toppings us authentic and just enough. Huge outdoor picnic table area is a bonus. Service was friendly and beer selection fantastic. And prices are remarkably low. Can't say more really.
(5)Melissa N.
Great open space but we were at a small 2-top and the space felt tight. Had the shoes and gravy (sauce) for an app. Great sauce, and the bread was fresh and good flavor. Ordered a half slab which took up the whole table. Compared to Micucci's, felt the pizza was way too dry (was cooked and reheated maybe?) and had to order sauce to dip in (which we were charged for). Also was weirded out by no plates, but some type of butcher paper to eat on. Overall good pizza but order extra sauce.
(3)Christina H.
There were a lot of terrible reviews, but I decided to try this place anyway. It was really busy, but I was told that I could sit outside. I was alone, and I've gotten used to have kinda crap service when I'm alone, plus I had a book with me. Eventually, a young waitress came over, and after that everything was really quick. I had a root beer (hooray for local fair trade delicious Maine root beer) and a hand slab. The pizza was mostly bread, but a really fantastic bread. The sauce is sweet and delicious, and there is just a thin layer of cheese on top. I probably won't go back much because it's not my favorite style of pizza. However, these guys deserve high marks: for the kind of pizza that they are making, they're doing a hell of a job.
(4)J M.
Hummus was so flavorful and dipping bread was delicious. Got a half sheet of cheese pizza. By far the BEST pizza in Maine. Sweet tomato sauce, on top of a delightful pillow of heavenly dough, perfectly cooked to a nice crispy, yet tender bite. Lots of beer on tap. Very Nice and helpful staff. In spite of it's location, building is nice there is a nice outdoor seating location.
(5)JM G.
Do this!! Food is great, staff is great, young and energetic, excellent social values .
(5)Matt C.
I have to laugh at looking at some of the reviews here from 9 days ago and complaining. 9 days ago is basically opening day, clearly there will be growing pains. I was in for lunch toast and the panzanella salad was amazing!! Followed by the meat wedge and then split a cannoli for dessert. Each course was better than the last and the bartender was great walking us through the extensive beer list. This was my 2nd visit and even though the first visit was great this one was even better. Before you run and "yelp" about any restaurant give them a chance to get going, chances are on day 1 or 2 isn't going to always be the standard that will be the norm.
(5)Rachael M.
Deliciously Pleased. What to say? I loved the secret slab before and I love it more now that it's a mixed/Nosh production. Blends all the beauty of our community, consciousness of food, environment with a postmodern flair. Love the décor, love the fact that building is finally being brilliantly used, love the paper dishes/wood utensils. As our first visit to the space, we had to stick with a couple of dreamy hand slabs (short on sauce, I could've used a bit more, but who could argue with that bread; I'm going to dream about it tonite). Added a salumi appetizer which was pretty good for the price ($7. for 3 slices of salami, a full cup of pickled veggies - muffuletta relish, a lil' dish of creamy cheese and 5 or 6 crispy bread slices). Some great drinks - my guest had the Monchshof Schwarzbier (just put on today) which he said was great and I had the best cider I've ever had: the House Cidah from the Urban Farm Fermentory. All in all, what I like best is that the food is both unassuming and yet completely sexy. The atmosphere is cool and hip yet not pretentious (a hard line in this town). We'll be regulars, I can tell.
(4)Jimmy P.
Disappointing. (Especially since many here know what Stephen Lanzalotta can do). From an economic stand-point, it would appear that Mr. Lanzalotta could benefit nicely from the place but from a culinary stand-point it was a huge disappointment with the greatest being this is obviously a "Nosh" crowd and is certainly not what I would expect, or hope for, for or from Mr. Lanzalotta. Definitely not my kind of place. Nevertheless, we wish Mr. Lanzalotta well.
(2)Elizabeth L.
My stars aligned last night and I was able to visit Slab... It was really great. The bar was crowded with enthusiastic soccer fans watching the World Cup (a chorus of their groans and cheers kept us aware of how Argentina was fairing). We sat on the patio: where there is room for an army. Slab has a great beer selection on tap, so I enjoyed a delicious saison from Rising Tide. I had a slaw with curry dressing (which was really tasty) and the blissful "Shoes of the day".... Sweet sausage with spicy broccoli rabe and cheese. What are "Shoes"? They are Steve's signature Luna bread served as a hot open faced sandwich. The juices from the sausage and the broccoli absorbed into the soft center of the Luna, then it's topped with cheese and cooked until slightly caramelized. It was served with a side of his sweet tomato sauce. My taste buds spun around in happiness. My Son and my husband had "Sfinciuni" a slightly spicy slab pizza (which they really enjoyed) and my son's vegetarian girlfriend had a lovely carrot dish topped with vegan almond cheese. We were too full for dessert, but Slab had an Ice Cream Cone Cannoli that sounds deliciously dangerous. Well, we'll need to try again....
(5)Harper J.
I mean, the hand slab is 1lb and $6. The drinks are a little on the pricy side, but the huge slice of pizza makes up for it.
(5)Pat H.
The space is very cool, the outside dining area (huge and also very rare for Portland) and the pizza is absolutely delicious -- even though it does take a while longer than most pizza to come. Maybe the only negative/recommendation would be to offer a "deal" by getting the 4 lb slab. The 4 lb slab (4 individual slab pieces) costs the same as buying 4 individual slabs. So there's literally no incentive to get the 4 lb. Just my two cents.
(4)Angela S.
So I had never experienced slab pizza before and didn't know what to expect. I just ordered a couple "hand slabs" to go and got home and we were totally shocked! It was HUGE!! And so fluffy! It was like eating an entire loaf of fluffy white bread...but in a good way. Not a lot of toppings or anything but definitely tasty and filling. It was extra delicious to dip the ends in some olive oil at home!
(4)Susan L.
fantastic, the atmosphere, the servers, the look, the booths, the live music, everything. I even enjoyed the wood knives that worked very well. The pizza is delicious and we are so glad to see it back. However, I would say this is what I see as the difference in getting it here now as opposed to the past.: it was NOT hot, which it needs to be, there was much less cheese and even less sauce.I would like to see that change. It was delicious but this is a needed improvement. I have had it a million times. This is what we felt the two times back, since it was more then once I figure it must be the way they decided to do it. I will be back.........probably a lot.
(4)Soliz P.
I came here with some friends for a study break one night and must say I will be back. The ambiance was really nice for me with the lower level lighting and the faux balcony window that reminded me of romeo and juliet. Being the middle of winter and having suffered through a few snow storms I can't comment on the outdoor seating but I'm looking forward to eating my pizza outside when it warms up a bit. As far as the pizza itself goes this may be the first time I've been full on a single wedge of pizza. I got the spicy meat wedge which was overall good but flavor wise was a little underwhelming. The bleu cheese dip was lovely though and picked it up a notch. I think next time I'll definitely try the original slab and see how it compares.
(4)Allison C.
We came here for 3 things: local beer, lunch outside in a garden, and giant squares of sauce, cheese, and heavenly goodness. All of our needs were met. The beer garden is absolutely delightful--a shaded respite in the middle of the city. The beers are local and varied, definitely something for everyone. The pizza did not disappoint; and while we waited almost 2 hours for food (it had only been open a few days, after all) we knew what was coming at the other end of those 120+ minutes and we were rewarded. My brother decided to try the less-traditional shoes and gravy and was pretty much transported to another dimension of food nirvana. Also recommend the curried slaw, just beware the recycled paper/cardboard spork which isn't the most fun. ENJOY, Portland!!! :) **SIDENOTE: just found out from an insider that if you happen to be near there around 1 am on Friday or Saturday night, they will be selling all leftover slab for $1 each. Now if that's not a great deal when you're drunk and hungry I don't know what is!
(5)Chris G.
Man plans, god laughs. I had suuuuch high hopes... But not unrealistic ones! The patio rules on a summer day, a great place for a beer... ESPECIALLY if you're not with someone with a foreign drivers license.... My friend (a visa'd resident, in his 30s) was not served a beer even though his England driver's license had his DOB visible as well as a picture and a signature. WEAK. The pizza should rule, but... It's not as good as Micucci's. It's close, but no cigar. And $14 for the meatball thing? It's the best thing I've eaten at slab so far but $14?!? They recommended that 2 people split it, but we could have each ordered one... Though $7 was a much more palatable price. $14! The broccoli raab stuff is overpoweringly bitter given how much they lump on some of the offerings... 1/4 of the amount would give a much more sensible spike of bitterness as opposed to the wave of it you get currently. Also seems weird to not be open on Sundays, but without the weather to support the patio, I don't see myself being super sad about it either.
(3)Patrick L.
I was SO excited to try Slab. I rallied folks at the office to go in on a huge order. I walked down, ordered (because, you know, they don't have a working phone number - is that hip these days?), and really liked the space (although the traffic flow by the unofficial waiting area at front door was comically awkward), the bar was lovely and had an impressive tap list, and lo, a friendly wavy across the room to someone we knew! Minutes later we dragged 8lbs of pizza back to the office (only 2 blocks, mind you), and unveiled it to a sea of ohhs and ahhs. It was... not hot, not warm... it just... was. I noticed the underside of the box was room temp when it was handed to me, but I assumed that it was just really thick cardboard. How is that possible? Why was it cold? I simply don't understand it. A (cheese-less) third of my slice went into the trash. Sadly, nobody else finished theirs either. Next!
(2)Ada L.
I had one of the meatball meatloaf "monster sandwiches." This is easily 2 meals for one person. Eating the "sandwich" with your hands can be very messy with the gooey cheese oozing out and the thick sauce running between the fluffy slabs of bread. Great carb meal if you want to splurge. Unfortunately the meatball was not the best part, there wasn't enough meat to bread ratio for it to be a sandwich. And it wasn't meaty enough with all the other fillers from the "meatloaf" part. Overall I would still go back, delicious still.
(4)Langdon A.
I'm from New Haven, home of thin crust, "apizza" style pizza. Never got into Sicilian style. Well, all I can say is the hand slab here was fantastic. Fluffy, airy, slightly crispy, and so flavorful. Very different pizza from what I'm used to, but something I would love to have again. Unfortunately, as some others have mentioned, the temperature of the slabs is a real issue. We actually sent our first ones back to be heated more, as they were barely warm. They actually brought out two fresh ones, but alas, they were essentially the same exact temperature as the ones we sent back! As good as the slabs were, they would be better if served hot. And it's not like the pizza comes out just a couple minutes after you order - i.e., if you're making us wait, shouldn't the pizza be hot right out of the oven when you bring it? I don't get this at all. Also, the salad we started with (the one with cabbage) was decent, but nothing great. Overall, an excellent pizza recipe makes this place quite good, but to be great, they need to consistently serve the pizza hot.
(4)Kelly R.
Simply amazing. Great pizza, beer, music and atmosphere. The beer is a bit pricey and I wish they had more options for toppings but it's totally worth it! I'm so excited about this place, in in love.
(4)Heather F.
Went here after drinks at a local bar, 7:30 on a Saturday evening. We had a large group of 14 and were easily accommodated in the large outdoor seating area. The service was quick but not rushed and very attentive for such a large group. They have a great selection of cocktails, beer, and wine. The pizza was delicious as was the salad (try the slaw with curry dressing or greens with capered calamari). The desserts left something to be desired, which is the only reason for 4 stars and not 5. The bill at the end of the night was very reasonable as well, about $80 for four people on one check. We got an app, 5 pieces of pizza, 2 desserts, and 4 drinks.
(4)Ashley L.
This place is right in the heart of downtown Portland, minutes from the Old Port in the old public market. It's a great location, with a large outdoor space with lots of seating, a spot for live music and a cool interior decor. While it wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, it was still really good!! I got the traditional hand slab for $6 - a good price considering the size of pizza you get. They have a HUGE assortment of beer, which apparently changes very often so there's a lot of variety. The menu is still in flux because of the soft-opening, but there are unique starters and pizzas including a hummus starter and a fried pizza. Totally worth the frustration of driving in downtown Portland around dinner time!! My boyfriend and I definitely want to come back here and enjoy some live music outside, under the twinkly lights in the trees with some delicious pizza.
(4)Brittany D.
personally I think this place is overrated. the past three times I've eaten here the food is not hot and the pizza is raw undercooked dough. not that great.. beer selection is though
(2)Alice C.
I absolutely adore pizza. I am on a lifelong mission to find the best I can, I love it that much. I was really excited to try Slab hoping to avoid the madness that sometimes can surround trying to get a slice at Micuccis. So the idea of being able to be seated, order a good beer, be served pizza sans chaos seemed like a win- win to me. Finally, I made it to Slab! But...I was fully expecting the slabs I have previously gotten at Micuccis; a pillowy luscious crust generously sauced with sweet tomatoey freshness, gorgeous gooey cheese and hopefully the choice of pepperoni or olives. Nope. Slab pizza, although good, simply does not have near enough sauce or cheese to satisfy my American taste buds. Hey, it is what it is, and I am what I am. I love saucy, cheesy pizza, preferably with pepperoni, please! $6 is a good deal, but I would happily pay $8-9 (maybe even $10) for a soupy, sloppy pepperoni slab of Slab because the venue is really cool, the beer is awesome, the waitstaff was decent and I would love to love Slab! But I just liked. I'll give it another shot though, maybe try something else. But I will certainly continue to go through whatever ordeal I may have to to get Micuccis slab style pizza because the taste buds want what the taste buds want! Simple as that.
(3)carol a.
I've been a longtime devotee of the chef when he was at micucci so I've been dying to try slab. I'm happy to say that the pizza is just as good as it was (!!!!) when he was there. We drove an hour for it and would easily drive several hours. I'm looking forward to trying other menu items the next time we return.
(5)Jim S.
Had a nice meal at Slab. Pizza was good and enjoyed the atmosphere. Menu is confusing and they could have done a better job explaining the concept. Overall a nice experience.
(4)Anna M.
AMAZING got a half-slab with my boyfriend and it was enough to have leftovers for two days. Huge amount of food.. Probably like 2 regular large pizzas and for only $25! The service was friendly and we got our food in a very reasonable amount of time Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Ver C.
Slab has great pizza and there's no doubt about it that everyone can agree with that statement. What this fine establishment really needs to work on though is their concept of "take-out". Why offer it if you have no idea how it even works? My fiance and I just ordered two slabs here yesterday (09/30/14) and had a terrible experience. We thought calling ahead of time would work in our favor but instead it really back fired on us. Once my fiance arrived to Slab, he was told that their "credit card processing machine was down". They told him to wait while they figured out what was wrong with it and so he did. As time started ticking by, I called my fiance as I was in the car waiting for it seemed like forever. I was really starting to wonder what was taking so long, I mean, we're only picking up two pieces of pizza! He told me that their machine was down and they told him to wait while they straightened it out. Well, almost 30 minutes went by and finally a manager said he would need to take money out of an ATM. So what did he do? He walked over to the ATM across the street and found out it was out of order. So again, he walked back to Slab and told them the ATM was down and he needed to get going. They said they would take down his information and charge his card once the machine was running again. He asked them, "Can't you just give me the pizzas?" and they said no. Are you kidding me? You can't give us two free slabs after waiting 30 minutes?! Oh, but you have no problem with giving us new slabs which aren't cold. Which, by the way, we'll still get charged for regardless. Really Slab? It's a shame too because my fiance and I have been eating pizza from you since your days at Micucci's. Guess we know how you like to treat your customers.
(3)Nancy S.
First visit, heard the hype, ready to be amazed. Started with Slaw Salad: AMAZING, all fresh with curry dressing with a touch of heat - $6 bucks so worth it. Partner had Hand Slab, interesting rendition, Luna dough as light as a feather, mighty tasty. I had the Monster Meatball, large but hardly a monster. Tasty meatballs, but 2 sandwich halves and only 3 meatballs? Geez did they think I would not notice? One half of the sandwich had 2 meatballs, the other half 1 meatball. Makes no sense for $14. Yummy sandwich, shared with partner who was still mighty hungry after his slab. Server brought me another meatball when I mentioned it - nice touch. But come on. the sandwich needs 4 meatballs. Monday night service was attentive and downright friendly. Would stay clear on a a weekend. Will be back!
(4)Jeffrey I.
So I had the worst experience at Slab. I went there before the opening night of the Portland Pirates and needless to say the place sucks. after nearly a half hour of waiting (the place was full but it's not a big returant to warrant that long of a wait. It's pizza....) they came out and told us it would be another 15-20 minutes which came and went. Even after trying to get an ETA on our food, said waitress came back saying "the kitchen isn't communicating well with us so we don't know when your food will be out". At that point we decided we didn't want the food since we were running so late to the game. Im sorry but nearly an hour for pizza is bit much...also the pizza was sub par it looked like it was warmed up in a microwave. I can gladly say I will NEVER eat at that shit hole again. If your looking for good pizza, don't go to Slab. Go to Otto's!
(1)lindsey k.
I checked out Slab last night for the first time. I absolutely loved the decor and especially loved their outside seating! The beer selection was great. My only suggestions to Slab would be to add felt to the bottom of the barstools. They were very loud whenever somebody would pull out or push in their chair. Also, I was told by the bartender that their current menu is only a small portion of what they are working on. They apparently are going to expand the menu to four or five times the options. As somebody who is lactose intolerant, I would absolutely LOVE to see some more dairy-free options. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, but I couldn't enjoy what my boyfriend was having. However, I understand that most people are not lactose intolerant, so their menu works for the majority. The bartender also mentioned that a cashew-cheese pizza might be making it onto the updated full menu in the future. I look forward to it!
(4)Renee B.
Good lord the pizza dough is amazing and I like thin crust. Everything was so delicious I almost died from overrating. It was even good days later heated up.
(5)David G.
The location is good and the interior is very cool. Large windows and clean, modern design create a nice atmosphere. The pizza is not my idea of a great slice. Thick, fluffy, and lacking in sauce and cheese it is distinctly different than a traditional pizza. However, the crust, sauce, and cheese are all delicious as individual parts. We had prompt, albeit disinterested service, and I would certainly return to try a different pie.
(3)Christine L.
Light, fluffy, chewy--not words that you'd typically use to describe pizza! This place definitely provides something different, and it's a great place to grab food with friends. My only complaint is that I wasn't blown out of the water (high standards, oops!) and I need a little more on my half-slab than tomatoes and cheese! While I'm well aware of the other options on the menu, I can't seem to steer away from this hand-pulled wonder! Their beer selection is nice, and my friends and I split the Salumi app the other night: the toasted bread and pickled cauliflower were great, but I wasn't a fan of the dip & the tons and TONS of olives that came along with it.
(3)Tony W.
Stopped in here for a beer and a slice (slab) on a Thursday night after an event in Portland and sat at the corner of the bar. I had read reviews about the pizza and about the beer, but I have to say that going in I was a bit dubious/jaded. Between Flatbread and Otto, how could the Portland pizza scene get any better? I was visiting around 9pm, so it was a bit slow. It's got a cozy, dark interior and an inviting bar. The first thing I noticed was the beer list, facing you right as you walk in. THE BEER! THE BEER! THE BEER. Twenty hard-to-find beers on tap. And certainly no Shipyard Export or Allagash White. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they just ain't got no time for that. We're talking Smuttynose Christmas Ales available for 4 1/2 minutes a year, or limited releases gone before they can even finish the Tweet. I imagine they employ a full-time staff member dedicated only to switching out tapped kegs. I'm not being facetious when I say that the range and diversity of Slab's beer selection rivals Novare Res. I may actually give Slab the tiebreak because you don't have to crawl over people to get a beer. And the pizza. As I quickly learned, it's not better pizza; it's DIFFERENT pizza that's on the same level of greatness. Whereas Flatbread and Otto like to trick their pizzas out with all sorts of funky combinations of tasty toppings, Slab is about pizza fundamentals, straight from the Old World. Delicious, fluffy (I've never described pizza as fluffy before) dough that pulled apart like funnel cake or fresh-out-of-the-fryer fried dough. Perfect, well seasoned yet simple pizza sauce. Light and well-placed amounts of cheese - not the giant fistfuls of shredded cheese that other pizza joints apply. It was well-prepared and hot out of the oven - a delicious slab of heaven. It seems like there are some mixed reviews regarding some of the food quality and consistency, and the service. All I had was a hand slab ($6) and a beer, and those were excellent (and well served).
(5)Lauren T.
So I visited Slab for the first time last night. There were things I loved and things I didn't. First of all the decor and overall vibe is very cool. There was a guy playing guitar that was pretty good and live music is always a plus. Started with an appetizer of sliders which were excellent! 3 came in an order and consisted of hamburger, melted cheese, pizza sauce, all on a biscuit! So yummy!! Next ordered the bean wedge ( cheese, carrots, olives, and cauliflower with a creamy dipping sauce), the meat wedge ( pepperoni, peperoncini peppers, and a spicy red sauce), the hand slab (very plain, little cheese and red sauce), and the sfinciuni ( my least favorite,anchovy sauce). The waitress was misleading with the sizes of the wedges/slabs- ordered way too much food. Prices were reasonable. Will be back. :)
(4)S And E H.
"The Anchovy" salad was amazing. Tart and bright flavors paired with the crunch from the romaine. The Stiggs needed more flavor but I guess that's why they give you the dipping sauce. The hand slab was all dough, tons of sauce and a tiny bit of cheese. The Spicy meat wedge was small and lackluster. So I would come back but only for the salad.
(3)Shawn L.
Okay.... it's hard for me to describe pizza as "life changing". Because what kind of boring life would I be living if some crust, sauce, and cheese changed my life. But if I COULD... I would say Slab pizza was as close to life-changing as I've had a food be. Hey, pizza is pizza... right? WRONG! I'm a pizza freak... love it. And have had it from thousands of places. Slab pizza... specifically their hand slab, knocks out any near-competing pizza for me. The bread/crust was soft and airy... the cheese sparse enough to not overpower the rest of the ingredients. And the sauce? Ohhh... that sauce was sweet and tasty. It just all works together, magically, and Slab has become my new favorite pizza place in Maine. If you go just for the hand slab, you'll be doing your taste buds a fave. I went to Slab right before seeing a movie... and let's just say Slab was my favorite part of the entire night. Go... just go, ok?
(5)Ada L.
I had one of the meatball meatloaf "monster sandwiches." This is easily 2 meals for one person. Eating the "sandwich" with your hands can be very messy with the gooey cheese oozing out and the thick sauce running between the fluffy slabs of bread. Great carb meal if you want to splurge. Unfortunately the meatball was not the best part, there wasn't enough meat to bread ratio for it to be a sandwich. And it wasn't meaty enough with all the other fillers from the "meatloaf" part. Overall I would still go back, delicious still.
(4)Emily B.
I don't think there was as soul in Portland who wasn't psyched for Slab to open (except for maybe the fine folks at Micucci's but we won't get into that). I was right there with them and eagerly marched in during their first week of business. My initial visit occurred pre-prime dinner time, which I think was lucky timing on our part because the place was less crowded than I've seen it on any other visit. Our server was incredibly friendly to the point that I actually thought we might know each other. Turns out, he just really likes his job, which is awesome to see as a customer. One of the things I was most excited about was the patio space, and it doesn't disappoint. The indoor area is beautifully redone as well. The Hand Slab is the classic that everyone's come to expect from Steve. No surprises there, except that there seems to be a bit of a consistency issue that's resulted in levels of cheesiness, doughiness, and doneness that are across the board. They're all tasty to me, but I've talked with other diners who have left less than impressed when their dining partner's slab was tastier than theirs. The Spicy Bean Wedge was light on the beans and heavy on the giardiniera (pickled veggies) which overwhelmed my taste buds to the point that I could only make it halfway through my slice. The flavor's great, but proportions seemed off to me. If anyone from Slab reads this, please please PLEASE staff your restaurant more appropriately. The one issue we've run into here is a lack of good service, and it has nothing to do with how hard the servers are working. If you have a band playing on a weekend night, you need a few extra hands on deck. There's no excuse for beers that take 40+ minutes to appear - and even then they were coming in sporadically, as if the bartender couldn't pour all of our table's beverages at once (none of them were cocktails). As other diners have mentioned, there are cheap slabs available if you visit later in the evening. I'm hoping things get smoother as they go. It's definitely a great spot, just needs a little more attention to detail.
(3)Joe Y.
Best pizza I have ever had. The dough was soft, warm, fresh and delicious. The outside seating with live music topped off a great night out with my friends and family. We had a group of 6 so sitting outside was perfect for us. The service was great with prompt drink orders taken. Food seemed to come out fast as well but that could have been because our group was having an awesome time talking and enjoying the live music. The 'Hand Slab' size is adequate for a meal but if you are really hungry you might want two. The Half Slab is huge and would definitely feed 4. I actually got the Spicy Meat Wedge but it was a little small so I stole some of my wifes Hand Slab :)
(5)Patrick L.
I was SO excited to try Slab. I rallied folks at the office to go in on a huge order. I walked down, ordered (because, you know, they don't have a working phone number - is that hip these days?), and really liked the space (although the traffic flow by the unofficial waiting area at front door was comically awkward), the bar was lovely and had an impressive tap list, and lo, a friendly wavy across the room to someone we knew! Minutes later we dragged 8lbs of pizza back to the office (only 2 blocks, mind you), and unveiled it to a sea of ohhs and ahhs. It was... not hot, not warm... it just... was. I noticed the underside of the box was room temp when it was handed to me, but I assumed that it was just really thick cardboard. How is that possible? Why was it cold? I simply don't understand it. A (cheese-less) third of my slice went into the trash. Sadly, nobody else finished theirs either. Next!
(2)Langdon A.
I'm from New Haven, home of thin crust, "apizza" style pizza. Never got into Sicilian style. Well, all I can say is the hand slab here was fantastic. Fluffy, airy, slightly crispy, and so flavorful. Very different pizza from what I'm used to, but something I would love to have again. Unfortunately, as some others have mentioned, the temperature of the slabs is a real issue. We actually sent our first ones back to be heated more, as they were barely warm. They actually brought out two fresh ones, but alas, they were essentially the same exact temperature as the ones we sent back! As good as the slabs were, they would be better if served hot. And it's not like the pizza comes out just a couple minutes after you order - i.e., if you're making us wait, shouldn't the pizza be hot right out of the oven when you bring it? I don't get this at all. Also, the salad we started with (the one with cabbage) was decent, but nothing great. Overall, an excellent pizza recipe makes this place quite good, but to be great, they need to consistently serve the pizza hot.
(4)Kelly R.
Simply amazing. Great pizza, beer, music and atmosphere. The beer is a bit pricey and I wish they had more options for toppings but it's totally worth it! I'm so excited about this place, in in love.
(4)Heather F.
Went here after drinks at a local bar, 7:30 on a Saturday evening. We had a large group of 14 and were easily accommodated in the large outdoor seating area. The service was quick but not rushed and very attentive for such a large group. They have a great selection of cocktails, beer, and wine. The pizza was delicious as was the salad (try the slaw with curry dressing or greens with capered calamari). The desserts left something to be desired, which is the only reason for 4 stars and not 5. The bill at the end of the night was very reasonable as well, about $80 for four people on one check. We got an app, 5 pieces of pizza, 2 desserts, and 4 drinks.
(4)Angela S.
So I had never experienced slab pizza before and didn't know what to expect. I just ordered a couple "hand slabs" to go and got home and we were totally shocked! It was HUGE!! And so fluffy! It was like eating an entire loaf of fluffy white bread...but in a good way. Not a lot of toppings or anything but definitely tasty and filling. It was extra delicious to dip the ends in some olive oil at home!
(4)Amy P.
We were looking for a place to grab a quick bite outside. We were the only ones out there. Our waitress brought over waters and we ordered the house cider. It was absolutely amazing! It was more like a wine, really dry but I loved it. Not as sweet as angry orchard or downeast. We ordered a nzalata d'aranci to start. It was absolutely horrible. It had way too much dressing on it and was just overall unpleasant. We ordered a spicy meat and hand slab to share. Both were fabulous! The dough is so good! Very soft and fluffy. There wasn't a ton of cheese on it either which I appreciated. My only critique would be to have a little bit more sauce on the pizza but even then, I didn't bother to ask for any because it was so good. I would definitely come back!
(4)John H.
I'm kind of torn about Slab. There are things I really like and some other things that I'm not such a big fan of. One thing I love is the original hand slab. It's great at Micuci's and it's great here. The spicy meat wedge is also pretty good. But after that the food goes kind of down hill. Sfinciuni is ridiculous to say, and bread crumbs are about a good a pizza topping as they sound. The spicy bean wedge I had had no beans at all, only a couple pieces of giardiniera. The caponata was just kind blah. Another great thing is the beer menu. They always have a nice selection of beers, usually including some limited edition stuff, or things brewed specifically for Slab. But this ends up leading to another thing that annoys me. Because so many of their beers are limited release, the kegs kick pretty quickly and are replaced by something else. This wouldn't be a big deal if there were any way for people out on the patio (obviously the place to sit if the weather allows) to find out. On a number of occasions I've tried to order multiple beers only to be told that they were kicked. When I asked what had replaced them I got a kind of non-committal/non-answer. The implication seemed to be that nothing had come on as replacement, for a half a dozen taps on a Saturday night. It seems more likely to me that they just didn't know, and didn't care to take the time to find out. So generally the service is iffy and the menu uneven, but the pizza slabs and beer are great, and it's an awesome venue for live music. Its not my favorite place in town, but it's certainly a place I go back to and enjoy.
(3)Chris H.
This was great. It passes this Sicilian's "Sicilian Test". However, could get a little more extensive with some more basic Sicilian fare . Love the location good to see the old public market active again. Really nice spot with outside seating. Staff was friendly. Nice take on a caponata!
(4)Eliza M.
SIX bucks for a hand slab. Kid friendly. Great beer selection. Outdoor seating in the summer. We've really enjoyed going to Slab quite a bit this year, due to its reasonable prices, DELICIOUS Sicilian slabs, and (let's face it) ability to accommodate a babe who likes to shriek sometimes. I'm happy to see they've been successful, especially after the great Miccuci's fall out. Edited to say - if you're looking for traditional NY style pizza, Slab is not your place. The Sicilian style is a specific one, so don't expect a floppy triangle of cheese and sauce.
(4)Matt B.
As many know this place is the creation of some sort of intellectual property dispute with Micucci's. Well their loss is everyone's gain. The pizza itself was really interesting... light dough, large Sicilian slices. Not overly cheesey or saucy. Some may call that dry, I call it a nice balance. It's a canvas that is ready for your application of spices at the table. The apps were good, shoes and gravy as well as a pickled cauliflower with pepperoncini skewers. The table loved them and it was a great start. The drinks went down easy. It's a super awesome new space, we sat outside and enjoyed a perfect Portland evening. All it all it was excellent. Great job, Slab. This is a tough call, right on the borderline between four and five stars. I'm giving it the extra star because of the historical rareness of finding great slices in this area of the world and high functioning service.
(5)J P.
Had lunch there and went into it with a mindset of "new Portland restaurant". That was wrong. It's a beer bar with a bunch of ways to serve slabs of bread. The clue is the owner's other restaurant "Nosh". This is not dinner. The food is tasty while hot but is not food you'd take home. Don't mistake this for a pizza place. I find there are some establishments who emphasize food and some design. The 5 partners of this one spent a ton on design. I'm not sure who picked out the chairs but unless you're a size 6 or a guy with a 32" waist, the high school art class furniture will be very uncomfortable. Portland has too many choices for food for me to go back. These guys worked too hard to be cutesy.
(2)Jessica H.
How can you go wrong! Reasonable prices, great tasting food, great beer options. Only thing I could suggest is more gf options. My husband has ciliac and can't go here with me to enjoy.
(5)Jim B.
There's a history behind Stephen Lanzalotta's migration from India Street (and Sophia's, prior), where he was selling a famous style of pizza out of the back of a well-known Italian bakery, to Portland's Public Market, on the corner of Cumberland and Preble. If you don't know about it, then either you don't follow Portland's food scene closely, or more likely, couldn't care less about history of any kind. Actually, there's a great two-part interview with Lanzalotta at Eater Maine that you should check out from December, 2013, if you'd like more on this. Pizza is a food that's ubiquitous and can be found in all manner of styles and varieties in Maine and elsewhere, most not terribly cutting-edge or awe-inspiring. It's also one of those foods that when I read people raving about others making it, I'm generally nonplussed (kind of like I am with barbecue). I find that with both of these foods, people like what they like, and often, their affections don't mirror mine. So when I kept hearing rumblings about Slab and Lanzalotta's "perfect pillows of dough," I was resistant--at first. I mean, what could he be doing with dough, tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever else you top a pizza with that hadn't been done already in Portland? Plenty, actually--or perhaps, it's not that he's doing anything that's necessarily new, but honing a style of pizza that Portland is lacking in--mainly, the Sicilian slice. Sicilian-style pizza has its own deep and rich history--you can look it up. All you need to know in relation to Slab and for the purposes of this review is this--think thick, doughy goodness, topped with a flavorful, tomato-based sauce, mozzarella cheese, offered via abundant slabs of intense, oozing fusions of flavor. That's Slab in one sentence and all the rest is superfluous (maybe?). The Public Market, and the area just one block south of Congress Street is definitely in need of some love and something more than most of what's going on there right now. Slab is a tasteful infusion of spark, plunking you down in an area that's not quite as hipster as a few others in town, which is just fine by me. My wife and I decided to sit ourselves down out in the picnic area/beer garden and as an added bonus, the amazingly-talented Eric Bettencourt was there serenading the small, mid-afternoon crowd of Slab-goers. This area is spacious, and filled with orange picnic tables, with birch trees surrounding the fenced in area. In my opinion, it offered the perfect spot for eating pizza and drinking beer, which is what we did. There is also a smaller, but homey indoor seating area, along with a small bar. We both ordered the hand slab, which is a pound of pillowy dough, topped with Lanzalotta's homemade sauce, and mozzarella cheese. It's all you really need with a pint of beer, in my opinion. And when you have local beers like Bunker Brewing's Salad Daze on tap, then you've really got something going on. Simplicity, leading to a profound experience of eating. There are other things on the menu, variations of the hand slab, like the spicy meat wedge, for you carnivores. This one is less fluffy, dough-wise, topped with thinly-sliced pepperoni that bakes to a crispness similar to perfectly-cooked bacon--it crumbles, which I really liked. Oh, and the wedge was topped with a pepperoncini, which is always a plus in my book of foods and flavors, and comes with creamy blue cheese for dipping, which was also nice. Slab offers an extensive specials board, too. We picked the Sea Slaw off this list of offerings, and it was the perfect accompaniment to slabs of Sicilian-style pizza. Purple cabbage dressed perfectly, and seasoned just the way cabbage should be, with fresh basil mixed in. Slab is a partnership between Lanzalotta and Jason Loring, of Nosh, he of the bacon-dusted fries and pork-based exquisiteness, up on Congress. Get you down to Slab for some Sicilian street food, soon!
(5)Whit D.
Everyone who gets out in Portland already knows that Steve's slabs are delicious. At Slab they are a little less saucy than I remember from his slabs at Micuccis, but no big deal, you can just ask for extra sauce for a bit extra (I like getting the spicy sauce on the side). The slaw salad is simple and delicious. I haven't tried much on the menu because its so hard to stray from the standard slab, but everything I have tried has been very good. The outdoor seating is nice in the summer and the bar is great in the winter. Slab is the perfect spot to grab a casual, inexpensive lunch or dinner and leave with leftovers. 5 stars for food. The problem I have with Slab is the service. I have eaten at slab 15-20 times since they opened and have never had good service. A few servers have been average, the rest have been below average to downright rude. I worked as a server for 15 years. I'm very understanding when it comes to being busy, understaffed, or things just not going smoothly, but there's no excuse for blatantly not caring about your customers and their experience. I'll keep going back for the food, but this could be a 5 star place if the service improved.
(3)Liliana C.
The pizza here was yummy but outstandingly heavy. No need to order more than one slice per person--even if you're hungry. Other than that, I would expect anyone would enjoy!
(4)Karen R.
I am a fan of the slab pizza. I have had this many times at Micucci's and have a previous review raving about it. I was very excited to see this new restaurant in an up and coming area that deserves great restaurants and shops since the demise of the Public Market. We went here for a slab and a beer. The ambiance is very cool and they have a very large selection of craft beers on tap. Many I am unfamiliar with, but some really cool choices that I hear change daily. We ordered a slab and it was good, do not get me wrong, same amazing crust and sauce, but mine was lacking cheese. There was really barely any there. As a cheese lover, it is a must have, and my previous slabs did not disappoint. Looking at others slabs around me, it appeared that theirs too were short on cheese. I am going to give this place another try...will ask for extra cheese and hope for the best. I want to give this place 5 stars, but my first visit was not quite there.
(3)Deborah J.
Have to say that I was disappointed. My slab was a corner with really dense crust, not really hot and scrumptious like the ones at Micuccis, and served in a basket, not a plate. The cannoli was an overkill with waffle cones delivered from VA and too dense filling. Not as good as the delicate ones at Otto pizza. Probably will not return....$33 for 2 slabs, 2 pepsi colas, and 2 cannolis. Too much for average food.
(3)Joe J.
Slab is fantastic. I wouldn't go as far to say it's the best pizza I've ever tasted but it is sure as hell damn good. They did a great job with this place and incorporating it into the old Public Market. The outdoor seating is unique with their long communal picnic tables. Oh, and one last thing, their beer selection is on POINT. Would recommend to everyone and anyone looking for a generously priced slab of pie.
(4)Dani F.
I've been to Slab for lunch twice in 2 weeks--that's a sure sign that I'll probably be back twice more within the next two weeks. This place is a gem. Glad to see a thriving food joint in the former Public Market Building (brings back fond memories of getting off campus lunch here in high school in late 90s/early 00s). Came first with a friend and sat outside--shared a handslab and a chocolate-bourbon cannoli in a cone. Delish! Steve really knows how to make a sauce sweet without being unbalanced, and the deserts are perfection (only bummer was using the eco-friendly spork to eat the cannoli, kept feeling like I might get a bamboo splinter--maybe there's another eco-friendly utensil alternative?) Had lunch solo on my second visit, and sat at the bar. The interior of this place is much larger than I first noticed--lots of room to bring a party of friends here. Had another handslab (looking forward to trying other menu options, but I was craving that sicilian slab on perfectly pillowy luna crust). Hung out with bartender Ryan for about 45 minutes, before heading back to work. Great getaway from my office for lunch and felt totally welcome eating solo at the bar. Coming back with my unfortunate-dairy-allergy afflicted wife to try out some of the vegan options and the new chicken dish! (and more desserts for me!)
(4)Christa H.
It's super trendy looking inside if you're into that. It is nice to see businesses coming back to this area of town. The food is relatively inexpensive. The hand slab was huge and I thought well worth the $6 price. It was like eating a fluffy pillow slathered in tomato sauce. The beer menu had some interesting options and the prices looked on par with other restaurants in town. Avoid the salumi appetizer and save your pennies. For what you get, it isn't worth the amount they charge. We only got three pieces of salami to share. We ended up with a ton of pieces of bread and a whole mess of the relish. If you aren't a fan of green olives, you'll hate the relish. I really want to go back and try other slabs plus a different appetizer.
(4)Ashley T.
This place is one of my favorite places to go to eat now. The vibe of the place is super laid-back and I love the rotating beer list. The beer garden feel has been perfected! The music they play is on point. My only complaint is the warmth of the pizza. One time I went there with my family who was visiting from NYC and we ordered a half order and it was lukewarm. We were so hungry we didn't complain but I would have because why pay all that money for lukewarm food! Being from NYC and enjoying L&B regularly I must say this comes close to a perfect sicilian slice. WAYYYYYY BETTER THAN THE GROCERY ONE! He probably tweeked the recipe and is better for it! KUDOS!
(4)Kerey S.
The pizza was alright, the service was terrible. We had a rude remark regarding a recent tragedy. Things were fine until we didn't see our server again. One of our party had to go up to the bar to get a drink. We felt rushed the entire time even though your online menu says you're open until 1 am. As industry workers ourselves, we understand the frustrations, but the attitude of our waitress was rude and unnecessary. We will be back again because the pizza was good, but hope the service will be more suitable.
(2)Brett F.
It's tough to review a restaurant during opening week, but I think Slab did a great job and will help transform Preble Street. With the soup kitchen in the middle and some seedier neighborhoods adjacent, Preble Street has always been one of those "Don't walk alone" type of deals. This is changing. A block up from the soup kitchen and a block from Congress sits Slab, at the end of the old Public Market building. Inside is a surprisingly large dining room with dark wood tones and sleek furniture. It would be a chill restaurant even in the winter. But summer is where Slab will shine. Outside are rows of orange picnic tables that seat over 100. You literally could come with 20 friends and all sit together (we did). Outdoor speakers play an eclectic mix and the location provides fun people watching. Paper menus on the table have food on one side and drinks on the other. If you're not in the mood for a pizza-ish item, I may pass on Slab. You can get a salad (it didn't look so great), but nearly everything else consists of dough, sauce and cheese in some combination. In the world of $15 small plates that wouldn't feed a child (I'm looking at you Central Provisions), Slab is a revelation. The 1 pound Slab is 2" thick with delicious sweet sauce and slathered in cheese. If you're hungry, this will fill you. Or it could be shared. It's $6. The meat lover's pizza (I forget its actual name) is basically a slice of pepperoni pizza with a peperoncini on top. A little disappointing given the description, but it was tasty and the bleu cheese dipping sauce is a nice touch. Most of the other food items, including small sandwiches and other pizzas are $4. Everything was good, but not great. For just pizza, I'd take the thinner crust Otto over Slab, but the Slab experience is miles better. I was a little disappointed in the beer menu. With probably 15+ local beers on tap it should be perfect. But at least 10 were 8 or 12 ounce beers at 16 ounce prices ($6+). When my tiny beer is more expensive than my giant food, I take issue. Too many low alcohol beers as well, though some people may like that. The $3 pint of Narragansett is a steal. The small wine and cocktail list is fine but average. Service was great while our party was smaller and confused as more people came. It was technically opening day and we had a party of 20, so I think she did a solid job, considering. A major issue was napkins. I support saving the environment, but I do not support grease all over my clothes. When the entire outdoors is asking for napkins every 5 minutes, maybe you should provide dispensers. Overall Slab is a terrific addition to downtown Portland. Inexpensive and appealing Sicilian food with craft beer and some of the most abundant outdoor seating in the city. It's worth a trip.
(4)Johnny S.
Excellent local pizza. We ate here the night before the Shipyard Half Marathon and had an excellent time. We each ordered one Slab-- which is plenty ( don't order more than one each). The crust was uniquely flavored, fulfilling to the last bite. I only wished that I lived in Portland so I could come back here again and again-- it might even be a reason to move from Boston.
(4)Bill M.
Holy Carb Madness! As others before me have said the immensity of the $6 dollar slab of pizza must be seen,hefted, and eaten to be fully appreciated. It's a feat of physics that these larger than life slabs of pizza are dense enough to weigh in over a pound, yet when bitten in to are pillowy and so yummy tender. Of course we had leftovers, no suprise. What was suprising was how good the pizza still was the next morning straight out if the fridge. Truly Amazing! So darn good and the best food value in Maine (possibly the country). Bonus round, you can order a slab for takeout. Beyond the food this place is beautiful, huge, and comfortable. The outside seating area seems to hold about 100 and is bound to become Portland's top spots to eat and watch the word go by. Slab also has a large selection of local brews and a small selection of creative cocktails. It has been pointed out that the beer selection is weighted with higher priced selections. GET OVER IT! Small craft products tend to cost more than mass produced ones. The trade-offf for costs is that these beers tend to be fantastic. Dont like the cost, stick to PBRs successor Naragahnset, and enjoy your insanely inexpensive food. ;) My only criticism is the silverware. With the goal of reducing the impact on the environment the food is served on biodegradable recycled sheets of paper (similar to Salvage). This is great way to reduce water use and keep costs down. However, the recycled paper utensils just don't hold up to the magnitude of the food. My fork broke after my second bite. No real worries, this is all essentially finger food anyway. My broken utensil barely slowed me down. I just dug right in with my hands. Post meal I could have used a wet wipe or more napkins, but that is a small quibble.
(4)Sarah H.
This was our first visit and we were very impressed with the location and the food. The salumi starter was tasty - the crispy bread, cheese spread and pepperoni were great, but I didn't love the pickled veggies. The hand slab is one pound of pillowy, pizza goodness. For $6, it is the best bargain around! I'll definitely be coming here again!
(5)Tarra H.
A great spot for an affordable, delicious slice. The 'slab' is bready with a lightly sweet red sauce and just the right amount of cheese. The atmosphere is stark but the food is worth a stop.
(4)Dawn T.
If the Industry Soft Opening was any indicator of how this team will handle being slammed - Bravo, well done, reasonably timed everything. Even with ample staff on hand, everyone was moving at top speed with happy faces and operating in concert. These types of evenings are to give the staff a chance to work out kinks before opening to the public at large, it appears they've got it down pat. Additionally, THEIR public may just be the chefs, servers, restauranteurs, brewers, and bartenders that had such a great time they'll want to be here much much more. The many Slabs served must have been very good since every crumb was consumed. Lyle Divinsky and Co. accompanied a relaxed and happy vibe with wonderful music that made me want to move. I hope he's back again and again making magic on the well placed outdoor stage. The only thing Slab could do to improve my experience is offer a Gluten Free Slab, which is a tall order. Success to you all, congratulations, you're off to a wonderful start. Seeing you soon and often.....
(4)Stephen R.
Very casual but not to be missed local pizza dive. Great space (former public market bldg) and looks like they have a great outdoor patio for warmer times. The menu requires a little patience in navigating and figuring out, but stick with it - you'll be treated to amazing food and surprisingly inexpensive to boot! The dough used in many items, including the hummus and the slabs (their term for pizza 'slices') is unbelievable. Also had the veggie centric slab (done on a bed of long flat slices of carrot) - ingenious and delicious. They have a great selection of local brews on tap and a few fun specialty cocktails as well. They call it all Italian street food - I call it a treat not to be missed.
(5)Fella ..
DRIEST PIZZA IN PORTLAND! And if you ask for a side of sauce, because the pizza has none, they charge you!
(1)Amy D.
There are many things I love about Slab. I love the big outdoor seating area. I love that they have a venue for outdoor live music. I love the great beer selection and the fact that it is one of the few places in town where I can get a casual/inexpensive meal that is still really tasty. And not unexpectedly, the pizza is great as it was (and still is) at Micucchis. There are a few things about Slab that are a little weird. There is luna bread (the special recipe used in the pizza crust) in everything. There is so much luna bread that you feel like it might have its own food group. Don't get me wrong, I too think the luna bread is delicious. It's like angel pillows kissing your taste buds. But the menu makes me feel like luna bread is attacking your face. I agree with different reviewers feelings on the beers constantly changing, to the point that you might order a few things on the menu and be told they are missing. And the service that is sometimes a little spotty. Slab is a great addition to the neighborhood and has revamped a lovely space in Portland that needed some fresh air. It's a great place to grab a bite with friends or a quick drink. It's definitely a nice place to hang out outside for a beer and a slice.
(3)Alex L.
I'm blown away by the pizza, photos truly don't do it justice. Until you try it, you can't believe the texture and flavor. Everything is warm and gooey and very flavorful as everything blends together. The crust is simultaneously soft but crispy in spots. The cheese and sauce somehow mix in just the right proportions. The beer list is phenomenal and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Can't wait for the patio to open for music once the weather warms. Definitely a go-to when in Portland!
(5)Ships A.
Fantastic food fantastic drinks wonderful location ambience great servers friendly people BMX kids doing tricks in the background and amazing sea slaw pizza was great awesome awesome!
(5)Adam B.
easily the best sicilian style pizza i have had in the states..... spicy meat wedge (hold the banana pepper and blue cheese though) and the mushroom wedge (with onions and caper, oh my!), woohoo!
(5)Chrissy H.
I'm not going to try and sugar coat it, because I think Slab can handle it .This is not my favorite place to eat. Its not horrible, but all in all I have not been impressed with the food. I stand by my original opinion- the Spicy Meat Wedge is where its at. At $4 for a very generous slab, you just can't beat it. One time, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tried the spicy bean wedge. There were no beans! It was like I was eating a piece of bread with a few spices sprinkled on top. It took us a while to realize that there are also other little plates offered, which are curiously hidden snuggly amongst the beer, wine and cocktail list. I tried the Street Chicken. The spice on the skin was pretty tasty but the meat itself was a little dry. And their menu lists a myriad of great beers. The problem is- every time I order one, they're out. Always have a back up or two in your head, because chances are, the one you want won't be available. I've learned this the hard way. Also, the service is a little hit or miss. All of our servers have, for the most part, been very friendly. But there always seems to be an air of chaos. At times it feels a little disorganized and confused. Perhaps this is due to the seat yourself community tables on the patio. I am happy they got little caddies for their napkins and adorable wooden sporks and knives though. I would say food gets 3 stars. That being said- I love the outdoor seating arrangement! The long orange communal picnic tables create an intimate, easy-to-mingle atmosphere. And this a fantastic place to catch some great local musical artists. Slab is an unpretentious place to relax, enjoy a beer, meet new people and possibly discover your new favorite band. 5 stars for the atmosphere.
(4)Jeff P.
Simple. Quite simply delicious. Focaccia bread + marinara + cheese = happiness. Great beer and outdoor seating means I will definitely be back on a sunny day.
(4)Seth F.
Just go there...get the pizza and enjoy the really great tap beers.
(5)Lizzie M.
All four of us got sick from one end or the other from eating at slab. Not our cup of tea overly doughy bread not enough cheese and no veggies. Crossed this of our list, you should too. One of us did get a nickname I'm not saying who but someone's nickname is now meat wedge.
(1)Anne A.
Was dissapointed as the slabs ordered were not at all as good as the old Miccucci ones. Not enough sauce and cheese for all that bread and the dough was like biscuit, not a yeast rising dough and they seemed like they had been sitting out awhile. When I asked for extra sauce to dip the dry pizza in, we were charged for the sauce! The salad/slaw was excellent and a good value/ amount for the price. The beers were delicious, but too expensive 7 & $8 for a 12 oz pour. WE thought our overall bill was too high for what we got.
(2)Susan L.
fantastic, the atmosphere, the servers, the look, the booths, the live music, everything. I even enjoyed the wood knives that worked very well. The pizza is delicious and we are so glad to see it back. However, I would say this is what I see as the difference in getting it here now as opposed to the past.: it was NOT hot, which it needs to be, there was much less cheese and even less sauce.I would like to see that change. It was delicious but this is a needed improvement. I have had it a million times. This is what we felt the two times back, since it was more then once I figure it must be the way they decided to do it. I will be back.........probably a lot.
(4)Craig W.
Food: 4 out of 5 stars - Pizza delicious, starters not so much Service: 0 out of 5 stars - Easily the worst service I've ever experienced Overall: 2 out of 5 stars - I'll never eat here again and have recommended against it to friends. May consider take-out, but that's about it. 6:50 PM on a busy Friday: arrived at Slab with my girlfriend requesting a table for 2. Quoted a 45 minuted wait by the host. I told him sure and we'd wait downstairs at the bar so we can grab a drink. 7:50 PM finished 1 drink at the bar, still haven't been called for a table. Went upstairs to the host to check on the status. The host informed me that he called our names and we didn't answer and he see what he could do about getting a table. This being said, we were waiting at the bar as close to the host area as possible. I had a clear vantage point for when the host would walk downstairs to call names. He did NOT call my name, we have witnesses to attest to this. 8:00 PM finally seated, waitress arrives and takes our order. We order two starters: the Focaccia Pile and Salumi. We each order a Hand Slab. This is the last time we see our waitress until the food arrives. 8:35 PM Waitress quickly drops off all the food at the table and runs away before we can say anything. The salumi and main course arrive at the same time. The focaccia has not. 8:40 PM The focaccia arrives. Really? 40 minutes to slice a focaccia? The waitress again runs off. No napkins were provided, no forks, no knives, nothing. NOTHING. 8:50 PM We've only eaten the starters which were very underwhelming. We have been for far to long that we just want to get the slabs wrapped so we could get out of this awful place. I chug my beer and put the empty at the edge of the table... international sign for we need service. Waitress shows up, we request a box and our check. Waitress arrives with one tiny box that can only fit one slab and disappears again. 9:00 PM Finally the waitress returns to take our check. We have to request a second box for the other uneaten slab. 9:30 PM Arrive home, reheat slabs and eat. Pizza is delicious. On a side note: the table of 3 next to us also ordered food and drinks. It took so long for the food that they just paid only for the drinks and walked out.
(2)Gabrielle B.
For a 1 pound slab of pizza, I would expect to feel more satiated. It was okay, but lacked flavor. I think basil, oregano, garlic or anything would make this pizza more interesting. I visited on a busy Friday night near the end of summer with my boyfriend. We were seated at the worst table in the house, the one on the corner where the servers frequently walk by on their way to another table, but fail to see you waiting. After waiting for 5 or so minutes without being acknowledged, my boyfriend said "if she doesn't come over in 2 more minutes we're leaving". The waitress came over very quickly after him saying that, so we decided to give it a chance. We waited longer than I would expect for already cooked pizza, and ate it quickly. Keep in mind, this is easy to eat, doughy, airy pizza. It is on the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from Flatbread, another Portland pizza joint. I prefer thinner, crisper crust, so I would eat Flatbread or Pizza Joint over Slab any day.
(3)Soliz P.
I came here with some friends for a study break one night and must say I will be back. The ambiance was really nice for me with the lower level lighting and the faux balcony window that reminded me of romeo and juliet. Being the middle of winter and having suffered through a few snow storms I can't comment on the outdoor seating but I'm looking forward to eating my pizza outside when it warms up a bit. As far as the pizza itself goes this may be the first time I've been full on a single wedge of pizza. I got the spicy meat wedge which was overall good but flavor wise was a little underwhelming. The bleu cheese dip was lovely though and picked it up a notch. I think next time I'll definitely try the original slab and see how it compares.
(4)Allison C.
We came here for 3 things: local beer, lunch outside in a garden, and giant squares of sauce, cheese, and heavenly goodness. All of our needs were met. The beer garden is absolutely delightful--a shaded respite in the middle of the city. The beers are local and varied, definitely something for everyone. The pizza did not disappoint; and while we waited almost 2 hours for food (it had only been open a few days, after all) we knew what was coming at the other end of those 120+ minutes and we were rewarded. My brother decided to try the less-traditional shoes and gravy and was pretty much transported to another dimension of food nirvana. Also recommend the curried slaw, just beware the recycled paper/cardboard spork which isn't the most fun. ENJOY, Portland!!! :) **SIDENOTE: just found out from an insider that if you happen to be near there around 1 am on Friday or Saturday night, they will be selling all leftover slab for $1 each. Now if that's not a great deal when you're drunk and hungry I don't know what is!
(5)Chris G.
Man plans, god laughs. I had suuuuch high hopes... But not unrealistic ones! The patio rules on a summer day, a great place for a beer... ESPECIALLY if you're not with someone with a foreign drivers license.... My friend (a visa'd resident, in his 30s) was not served a beer even though his England driver's license had his DOB visible as well as a picture and a signature. WEAK. The pizza should rule, but... It's not as good as Micucci's. It's close, but no cigar. And $14 for the meatball thing? It's the best thing I've eaten at slab so far but $14?!? They recommended that 2 people split it, but we could have each ordered one... Though $7 was a much more palatable price. $14! The broccoli raab stuff is overpoweringly bitter given how much they lump on some of the offerings... 1/4 of the amount would give a much more sensible spike of bitterness as opposed to the wave of it you get currently. Also seems weird to not be open on Sundays, but without the weather to support the patio, I don't see myself being super sad about it either.
(3)N Y.
Slab is a cool and fun place to visit or just to stop by to take a slab (piece, half or whole) to go. The pizza is good overall, sauce is very tasty, cheese is a little light and the crust is very good (doughy and has nice flavor). The cooking style is traditional for Sicilian style pizza and done well. Beer on tap is very good quality and there are 15 - 20 taps. Reasons for low review are the cost of pizza is much to high for the product sold, the sauce is often not enough which results with dry pizza and the amount of cheese is very inconsistent. Almost feels like eating only dough at times. Hope Slab continues to improve as this a unique local spot with huge potential.
(3)Ashley L.
This place is right in the heart of downtown Portland, minutes from the Old Port in the old public market. It's a great location, with a large outdoor space with lots of seating, a spot for live music and a cool interior decor. While it wasn't the best pizza I've ever had, it was still really good!! I got the traditional hand slab for $6 - a good price considering the size of pizza you get. They have a HUGE assortment of beer, which apparently changes very often so there's a lot of variety. The menu is still in flux because of the soft-opening, but there are unique starters and pizzas including a hummus starter and a fried pizza. Totally worth the frustration of driving in downtown Portland around dinner time!! My boyfriend and I definitely want to come back here and enjoy some live music outside, under the twinkly lights in the trees with some delicious pizza.
(4)Alice C.
I absolutely adore pizza. I am on a lifelong mission to find the best I can, I love it that much. I was really excited to try Slab hoping to avoid the madness that sometimes can surround trying to get a slice at Micuccis. So the idea of being able to be seated, order a good beer, be served pizza sans chaos seemed like a win- win to me. Finally, I made it to Slab! But...I was fully expecting the slabs I have previously gotten at Micuccis; a pillowy luscious crust generously sauced with sweet tomatoey freshness, gorgeous gooey cheese and hopefully the choice of pepperoni or olives. Nope. Slab pizza, although good, simply does not have near enough sauce or cheese to satisfy my American taste buds. Hey, it is what it is, and I am what I am. I love saucy, cheesy pizza, preferably with pepperoni, please! $6 is a good deal, but I would happily pay $8-9 (maybe even $10) for a soupy, sloppy pepperoni slab of Slab because the venue is really cool, the beer is awesome, the waitstaff was decent and I would love to love Slab! But I just liked. I'll give it another shot though, maybe try something else. But I will certainly continue to go through whatever ordeal I may have to to get Micuccis slab style pizza because the taste buds want what the taste buds want! Simple as that.
(3)Brittany D.
personally I think this place is overrated. the past three times I've eaten here the food is not hot and the pizza is raw undercooked dough. not that great.. beer selection is though
(2)carol a.
I've been a longtime devotee of the chef when he was at micucci so I've been dying to try slab. I'm happy to say that the pizza is just as good as it was (!!!!) when he was there. We drove an hour for it and would easily drive several hours. I'm looking forward to trying other menu items the next time we return.
(5)Jim S.
Had a nice meal at Slab. Pizza was good and enjoyed the atmosphere. Menu is confusing and they could have done a better job explaining the concept. Overall a nice experience.
(4)Anna M.
AMAZING got a half-slab with my boyfriend and it was enough to have leftovers for two days. Huge amount of food.. Probably like 2 regular large pizzas and for only $25! The service was friendly and we got our food in a very reasonable amount of time Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Ver C.
Slab has great pizza and there's no doubt about it that everyone can agree with that statement. What this fine establishment really needs to work on though is their concept of "take-out". Why offer it if you have no idea how it even works? My fiance and I just ordered two slabs here yesterday (09/30/14) and had a terrible experience. We thought calling ahead of time would work in our favor but instead it really back fired on us. Once my fiance arrived to Slab, he was told that their "credit card processing machine was down". They told him to wait while they figured out what was wrong with it and so he did. As time started ticking by, I called my fiance as I was in the car waiting for it seemed like forever. I was really starting to wonder what was taking so long, I mean, we're only picking up two pieces of pizza! He told me that their machine was down and they told him to wait while they straightened it out. Well, almost 30 minutes went by and finally a manager said he would need to take money out of an ATM. So what did he do? He walked over to the ATM across the street and found out it was out of order. So again, he walked back to Slab and told them the ATM was down and he needed to get going. They said they would take down his information and charge his card once the machine was running again. He asked them, "Can't you just give me the pizzas?" and they said no. Are you kidding me? You can't give us two free slabs after waiting 30 minutes?! Oh, but you have no problem with giving us new slabs which aren't cold. Which, by the way, we'll still get charged for regardless. Really Slab? It's a shame too because my fiance and I have been eating pizza from you since your days at Micucci's. Guess we know how you like to treat your customers.
(3)Nancy S.
First visit, heard the hype, ready to be amazed. Started with Slaw Salad: AMAZING, all fresh with curry dressing with a touch of heat - $6 bucks so worth it. Partner had Hand Slab, interesting rendition, Luna dough as light as a feather, mighty tasty. I had the Monster Meatball, large but hardly a monster. Tasty meatballs, but 2 sandwich halves and only 3 meatballs? Geez did they think I would not notice? One half of the sandwich had 2 meatballs, the other half 1 meatball. Makes no sense for $14. Yummy sandwich, shared with partner who was still mighty hungry after his slab. Server brought me another meatball when I mentioned it - nice touch. But come on. the sandwich needs 4 meatballs. Monday night service was attentive and downright friendly. Would stay clear on a a weekend. Will be back!
(4)Jeffrey I.
So I had the worst experience at Slab. I went there before the opening night of the Portland Pirates and needless to say the place sucks. after nearly a half hour of waiting (the place was full but it's not a big returant to warrant that long of a wait. It's pizza....) they came out and told us it would be another 15-20 minutes which came and went. Even after trying to get an ETA on our food, said waitress came back saying "the kitchen isn't communicating well with us so we don't know when your food will be out". At that point we decided we didn't want the food since we were running so late to the game. Im sorry but nearly an hour for pizza is bit much...also the pizza was sub par it looked like it was warmed up in a microwave. I can gladly say I will NEVER eat at that shit hole again. If your looking for good pizza, don't go to Slab. Go to Otto's!
(1)lindsey k.
I checked out Slab last night for the first time. I absolutely loved the decor and especially loved their outside seating! The beer selection was great. My only suggestions to Slab would be to add felt to the bottom of the barstools. They were very loud whenever somebody would pull out or push in their chair. Also, I was told by the bartender that their current menu is only a small portion of what they are working on. They apparently are going to expand the menu to four or five times the options. As somebody who is lactose intolerant, I would absolutely LOVE to see some more dairy-free options. Pizza is one of my favorite foods, but I couldn't enjoy what my boyfriend was having. However, I understand that most people are not lactose intolerant, so their menu works for the majority. The bartender also mentioned that a cashew-cheese pizza might be making it onto the updated full menu in the future. I look forward to it!
(4)Renee B.
Good lord the pizza dough is amazing and I like thin crust. Everything was so delicious I almost died from overrating. It was even good days later heated up.
(5)David G.
The location is good and the interior is very cool. Large windows and clean, modern design create a nice atmosphere. The pizza is not my idea of a great slice. Thick, fluffy, and lacking in sauce and cheese it is distinctly different than a traditional pizza. However, the crust, sauce, and cheese are all delicious as individual parts. We had prompt, albeit disinterested service, and I would certainly return to try a different pie.
(3)Jennifer B.
Best pizza I've ever had - light fluffy dough - tomato sauce was clean and fresh - just fabulous:) The focaccia was delish - YUMMY! Staff was excellent - this being my first visit - they were very helpful! Can't wait to return - I'm ordering dessert next time!
(5)Erin H.
Amazing food, well, I'm assuming the rest is great where I can't help but get the hand slab every time. This is at least my third time being here. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. $6 is worth it for the hand slab, it's a whole lotta pizza! Light airy, crispy crust, flavorful sauce, topped with yummy cheese. The best!
(5)Joe R.
I dream of Slab. Ok, so I really dream of wedge. Why a wedge over a slab you say? Because you get dipping sauce included. Any other pizza joint question a ranch/blue cheese order. But at Slab they encourage it. I feel instantly at home. I also like that you can order just one serving if you want. When I leave Slab I say to myself -- I can't wait til next time.
(4)M G.
Great meatball sub! Big enough for two! We also shared a slaw salad with lime dressing. Cool, eclectic beer selections, our server said they will change all the time. The beer garden-style eating area is surprisingly comfortable. Wooden forks, knives and paper plates make this an Eco friendly place that recycles everything! Kudos! Will visit again;-)
(5)Matthew L.
(I signed up for Yelp just to write this review!) I'm not going to comment on many of the things that could attract someone to a restaurant: decor, atmosphere, service, etc. because at the end of the day, the food is what matter. I've eaten a lot of pizza in my life, and slab is HANDS DOWN the best pizza I have ever eaten in my entire life. I recently went to DC and asked a friend to bring me to the best pizza DC had to offer; nothing. Recently was in Boston at a place Rachel Ray (if that really means anything) considers the best place for pizza there; pale in comparison. The apps are great as well, but if you want amazing pizza; fluffy, a nice sweetness to the sauce, filling, with the right spices: SLAB. The first time I went, I went to work the next day and told my colleagues to cancel their dinner plans to go, and just at an organization-wide meeting told everyone about it (we're going there for a staff lunch now!). Anyways, I will stop rambling, but, go to Slab, tonight.
(5)Whitfield P.
I lived in Sicily for a few years and I never encountered one thing on the menu other than the pizza. Sicilians, I hate to break it to the world, eat round pizza. Square pizza is Neapolitan.
(3)Nathan T.
If you like the pizza at Micucci's, you'll like the slab pizza here. But do NOT waste your time or calories on the girelles (puff pastry dessert) as they are kind of hard and rather bland. And who eats a girelle after eating what practically amounts to a loaf of bread with cheese, sauce and meat on it anyway? This place is great if you want a beer and a snack, but I wouldn't make plans to do dinner here, there's just not that much going on in terms of variety.
(3)George M.
The only thing I think that has changed in his pie is that the slabs are larger! What a very fine place to show off the best Sicilian style tomatoes pie in New England. I grew up in south philly pie and this is even better. The limited choice is just fine with me since each one is perfected. Light on toppings us authentic and just enough. Huge outdoor picnic table area is a bonus. Service was friendly and beer selection fantastic. And prices are remarkably low. Can't say more really.
(5)Melissa N.
Great open space but we were at a small 2-top and the space felt tight. Had the shoes and gravy (sauce) for an app. Great sauce, and the bread was fresh and good flavor. Ordered a half slab which took up the whole table. Compared to Micucci's, felt the pizza was way too dry (was cooked and reheated maybe?) and had to order sauce to dip in (which we were charged for). Also was weirded out by no plates, but some type of butcher paper to eat on. Overall good pizza but order extra sauce.
(3)Christina H.
There were a lot of terrible reviews, but I decided to try this place anyway. It was really busy, but I was told that I could sit outside. I was alone, and I've gotten used to have kinda crap service when I'm alone, plus I had a book with me. Eventually, a young waitress came over, and after that everything was really quick. I had a root beer (hooray for local fair trade delicious Maine root beer) and a hand slab. The pizza was mostly bread, but a really fantastic bread. The sauce is sweet and delicious, and there is just a thin layer of cheese on top. I probably won't go back much because it's not my favorite style of pizza. However, these guys deserve high marks: for the kind of pizza that they are making, they're doing a hell of a job.
(4)Brittany E.
Just tried Slab for the first time last night after hearing rave reviews from several friends over the past few weeks and I can definitely say that they were not exaggerating! Their "Hand Slab" which the waitress told us was their most popular item was delicious! If you are a person who eats the pizza for the crust this is the pizza for you, it was so thick and doughy and oh so good. P.S. rumor has it they sell $2 late night slabs for those long old port evenings!
(4)Andrew D.
So good! Great atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly service. The prices are fantastic. A very welcome addition to the city.
(4)Christine C.
I came for the slab and was not disappointed! It was every bit as good as at Micucci's, and remains, hands down, my favorite pizza in the world. The menu was not extensive, but I'm sure that most people will be drawn by the slab. We also tried the fried pizza, which was greasy, cheesy goodness, but rather difficult to eat, especially because plates were not provided (only a paper placemat to be used as a plate).
(4)J M.
Hummus was so flavorful and dipping bread was delicious. Got a half sheet of cheese pizza. By far the BEST pizza in Maine. Sweet tomato sauce, on top of a delightful pillow of heavenly dough, perfectly cooked to a nice crispy, yet tender bite. Lots of beer on tap. Very Nice and helpful staff. In spite of it's location, building is nice there is a nice outdoor seating location.
(5)JM G.
Do this!! Food is great, staff is great, young and energetic, excellent social values .
(5)Matt C.
I have to laugh at looking at some of the reviews here from 9 days ago and complaining. 9 days ago is basically opening day, clearly there will be growing pains. I was in for lunch toast and the panzanella salad was amazing!! Followed by the meat wedge and then split a cannoli for dessert. Each course was better than the last and the bartender was great walking us through the extensive beer list. This was my 2nd visit and even though the first visit was great this one was even better. Before you run and "yelp" about any restaurant give them a chance to get going, chances are on day 1 or 2 isn't going to always be the standard that will be the norm.
(5)Rachael M.
Deliciously Pleased. What to say? I loved the secret slab before and I love it more now that it's a mixed/Nosh production. Blends all the beauty of our community, consciousness of food, environment with a postmodern flair. Love the décor, love the fact that building is finally being brilliantly used, love the paper dishes/wood utensils. As our first visit to the space, we had to stick with a couple of dreamy hand slabs (short on sauce, I could've used a bit more, but who could argue with that bread; I'm going to dream about it tonite). Added a salumi appetizer which was pretty good for the price ($7. for 3 slices of salami, a full cup of pickled veggies - muffuletta relish, a lil' dish of creamy cheese and 5 or 6 crispy bread slices). Some great drinks - my guest had the Monchshof Schwarzbier (just put on today) which he said was great and I had the best cider I've ever had: the House Cidah from the Urban Farm Fermentory. All in all, what I like best is that the food is both unassuming and yet completely sexy. The atmosphere is cool and hip yet not pretentious (a hard line in this town). We'll be regulars, I can tell.
(4)Jimmy P.
Disappointing. (Especially since many here know what Stephen Lanzalotta can do). From an economic stand-point, it would appear that Mr. Lanzalotta could benefit nicely from the place but from a culinary stand-point it was a huge disappointment with the greatest being this is obviously a "Nosh" crowd and is certainly not what I would expect, or hope for, for or from Mr. Lanzalotta. Definitely not my kind of place. Nevertheless, we wish Mr. Lanzalotta well.
(2)Elizabeth L.
My stars aligned last night and I was able to visit Slab... It was really great. The bar was crowded with enthusiastic soccer fans watching the World Cup (a chorus of their groans and cheers kept us aware of how Argentina was fairing). We sat on the patio: where there is room for an army. Slab has a great beer selection on tap, so I enjoyed a delicious saison from Rising Tide. I had a slaw with curry dressing (which was really tasty) and the blissful "Shoes of the day".... Sweet sausage with spicy broccoli rabe and cheese. What are "Shoes"? They are Steve's signature Luna bread served as a hot open faced sandwich. The juices from the sausage and the broccoli absorbed into the soft center of the Luna, then it's topped with cheese and cooked until slightly caramelized. It was served with a side of his sweet tomato sauce. My taste buds spun around in happiness. My Son and my husband had "Sfinciuni" a slightly spicy slab pizza (which they really enjoyed) and my son's vegetarian girlfriend had a lovely carrot dish topped with vegan almond cheese. We were too full for dessert, but Slab had an Ice Cream Cone Cannoli that sounds deliciously dangerous. Well, we'll need to try again....
(5)Harper J.
I mean, the hand slab is 1lb and $6. The drinks are a little on the pricy side, but the huge slice of pizza makes up for it.
(5)Pat H.
The space is very cool, the outside dining area (huge and also very rare for Portland) and the pizza is absolutely delicious -- even though it does take a while longer than most pizza to come. Maybe the only negative/recommendation would be to offer a "deal" by getting the 4 lb slab. The 4 lb slab (4 individual slab pieces) costs the same as buying 4 individual slabs. So there's literally no incentive to get the 4 lb. Just my two cents.
(4)Jocelyn A.
Let's just get this out of the way first, Lanzalotta's Sicilian slabs make all other slabs look like chewed up horse meat. This guy is the absolute king. If you think you've had this type of pizza before, you haven't. You haven't REALLY tried a slab until you've had Lanzalotta's. When I heard he was opening up his own restaurant I nearly fell out of my chair - too bad I had to wait an entire year until I made it up to Maine to try it. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait! The restaurant is full service, but it is very casual. There is a nice outdoor patio, as well as a roomy interior. I prefer eating indoors because the patio has community picnic tables, which is a trend I hope dies as quickly as it came. The inside is a mix of booths, tables and bar stools. The only problem with the menu here is that everything looks too good. Luckily, things are affordable, so you can order several different dishes. We decided to split the 'nzalata d'aranci (arugula, red onion, orange wheels, pickled fennel, moroccan olives, ricotta salata, limoncello vinaigrette), the meatball sandwich on luna bread, and the original hand slab. This was way more than enough for two hungry people. The meatball sandwich alone could feed two. Each one of these dishes was perfection. The salad was a nice refreshing complement to the incredible richness of the meatball sandwich. I'm not sure how he makes that luna bread so magical, but I think it has something to do with a few gallons of olive oil. The beer menu here is excellent (as are the prices). The list highlights beers from Maine (as it should), but also includes favorites from around the globe. The emphasis is on beer, but they serve cocktails and wine as well. I could not have been happier with my experience at Slab and can't wait to go back...maybe tomorrow ;-).
(5)Erica S.
Oh man, this place is flippin' so good. No longer living in Maine, Slab was on my "I need to make it there list" for my short 4 day journey back home. So glad I made it back there. First off, the restaurant layout itself is cool, there are some tables inside and a large bar as well, but the patio, the PATIO!!! I think this might be one of my favorite patios in town. They have plenty of long picnic tables for communal dining, which is something I really dig. And they have a stage. For music. Live MUSIC. Food and music are basically the only two things I live for. And Grateful Dead cover bands? On the stage? With PIZZA? Okay, I'm sold. From what I gather, they have live music here often in the summer and into fall, and on Thursdays is Grateful Dead time. SO glad one of my 4 days home fell on a Thursday. Anyways, super cool patio, and music. Oh and they have mighty fine food... So, like any other normal person, pizza is in my top favorite things of all time. But this pizza is in my top favorite pizzas I've EVER had ever. I am crying now in Florida as I write this because I can not have it. This pizza is IT. The dough is really phenomenal. Thick and super doughy and I mean I could just kiss the dough forever. It has scrumptious light tomato sauce with some more scrumptious mozzarella and provolone. Oh, I am talking about the "hand slab". It is their signature piece and it is HUGE. Could I eat 2? Yeah. Could I eat 3? Maybe, I'd try. Is it still huge? Yeah. It is 1 pound and goes for $6. They also serve it as a half slab and full slab. Maybe next time I'll order a half for myself and see what damage I can do. Should I book my flight now? The slab was all I got this time around and that's all I needed. In the past I have gotten their vegetarian slice, which I remember enjoying but not nearly as much as the hand slab. They also used to have this slaw salad type appetizer which I remember being OBSESSED with. I was actually dreaming about it until I arrived a few weeks ago, and did not find it on the menu. I was sad to say the least but then cheered up with music and pizza.... and a spicy margarita!!! I almost forgot to mention the drinks. They have a great drink list and lots of good beers. I went with the spicy margarita and I have to say it was SPICY and one of the best drinks I had in Portland while being home. Way to go Slab, you made me quite happy once again. Did I mention Slab and Nosh are siblings? Maybe that's why I'm so in love.
(5)Bonnie M.
I love pizza. I do not love undercooked, doughy pizza. Unfortunately that's what I got last night. We had take out from Slab and I was so excited to get it one last time before we move out of state. I loved the regular slab the first time I got it. It was light, airy and so tasty. This time it was heavy and undercooked. Still tasty sauce and cheese and the edges were well cooked but anything 2" or more off of the crust was mostly inedible. Definitely disappointed but maybe that's ok since we won't likely be back in Portland to try the pizza and I'd hate to dream about it all the way across the country. All in all, I'd get Slab again, I would just be careful to make sure it is fully cooked.
(3)Shelley H.
If Sicilian pizza is your thing, this is an excellent place to grab a slice. If its not, but you like decent food, try it anyway. Very artisinal and authentic menu. That said, it is what I call a heavy handed menu: it is very specific and sidesteps simple flexibility and variation which would sell mode food but perhaps compromise said authenticity. For example, if you want a slice you have plain, mushroom onion, spicy pepperoni, or some concoction with breadcrumbs. That's it. No toppings, no customizing. Want thin crust? Only if you're willing to buy 32" of cheese and oregano for $25, and not after 9pm. Now, all this said: the slice I had (spicy meat wedge pictured) had plenty of heat and was excellent. The dessert list, also impressive. Beer and wine selections are top notch. Beautiful place but I would echo the service comments from other reviews with a theory: the waitress, who repeatedly kept complaining about being there 'all the time' was barely civil to me. First ignoring me then pressing me out the door, but fawned over every guy that walked through the door. Women, cold, indifferent, annoyed, it wasn't just ms, feel free to draw your own conclusions on what that's about... But I wholeheartedly encourage you to go there, male or female, and give it a try. It's a uniquely peaceful area of downtown Portland, and there is amazing outdoor seating. I'm gonna try to escape once I shove the Ginger ale cannoli in my face. cannoli flavors, plural. Omg I will have to be rolled outa here! Ok, now that I'm ordering tons of stuff, NOW I get the nicey nice... Sigh. Kidz these daze...
(5)Cindi B.
The best pizza ever! The coolest patio in town! A live band, how lucky are we! My favorite nest in town!
(5)Sebastian R.
I ordered the slab thinking because it wasn't loaded with toppings I wouldn't like it, but was hungry and any had already commented as to its flavor. It's delicious! No toppings needed of the many places I ate in Portland, slab was the one place I kept thinking about. Nice place, live music, interesting cutlery but most important, fresh dough, delicious sauce and fantastic cheese. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Matthew B.
After several visits I'm finally ready to write a review. The last visit included Slab hosting an outdoor Grateful Dead cover band, which was kind of awesome. Most of my meals have been great. It's the opposite end of the pizza spectrum from my favorite spot in town (OTTO) but it's still delicious. Thick but not too heavy, if you're a sicilian lover you'll be in pizza heaven. Be careful when ordering. Small groups need not order an entire slab. My one bad experience involved a luke warm slice of pizza. To their credit whoever was working in the kitchen that evening was seemingly surly but the server didn't want to make things right. Really want to give Slab a 5 star rating but not today. Deliciousness for sure and I'm sure to go back. Eventually, I might bump it up to a 5.
(4)Stephen C.
Slab is great. Their pizza is thick and hearty, the sauce is tangy and sweet - worth the $6 per slice. I can't speak to anything else on the menu... Yet! It's an ideal place to meet up for large groups of people. The live music they have is unique and fuels the fun and social atmosphere of Slab. Wear your dancin' shoes! The beer garden area is large, well lit and a must go in the summer time. Staff is friendly and helpful from my experiences. The booze is a little pricey but lots of local brews and specialty drinks. Check it ouuuut!
(4)Charles W.
Slab has really done a great job of carving out a spot in the Portland pizza scene. I have been here multiple times and each time they do a great job of making good pizza and making sure to bring in great beers to complement said pizza. The slab (which people get confused with the shoes all of the time) is the standard item. 1 pound of airy bread, tomato sauce, cheese. This thing should satisfy most people's hunger. Around 6 dollars it is a steal in Portland to fill you up and not hurt the budget. The beer list is an ever rotating tap of great microbrews (and we are not talking Shipyard microbrews either) Foundation, Rising Tide, Oxbow, UFF for just some of the local beverages that make there way to the tap list. The inside is very large and they took a corner out of Power Pay on Preble St. The outside area is very cool and they have bands that play out there often. My old man in men is going to regret saying this (the bands they get out there are good but way too loud and late for a Wednesday night!) The only thing I am not a fan of is the salumi appetizer. It felt very underwhelming for 3 pieces of salumi.. Parking can also be tricky depending on when you go. Stick to what they do well here. Pizza and beer!
(4)Alise K.
Love it here. I've been twice in 3 days. Last Saturday at lunch we were seated in a large comfy booth by the bar. Very friendly waitress. 2 amarettos on the rocks, a couple of local beers, a slab of pizza and a camponetta ( I think I spelled that wrong) sandwich. The sandwich was a mixture of eggplant, olives, and other yummy vegetarian things, all chopped up on a huge luna bread. Delish! Tonight I had the brocoli rabe/sausage smothered with melted cheese on Luna. Comes with a cup of marinara sauce to dip. Soooo good. My kids had the meatball sandwich, huge and a big hit. I love the atmosphere and everyone is smiling!!
(5)Tim P.
The meatball sandwich was phenomenal. Mixed with a great local beer list, slab is what Portland is all about.
(5)Celeste M.
I had been meaning to stop in here for awhile as I've been told by many people this is one of the best pizza joints in Portland. I'm one of those crust extremists where I like my pizza to be either paper thin and crispy or super thick and fluffy. This place nails the latter! Enter the hand slab which boasts 1 full pound of pizza deliciousness. It has just the right amount of sauce where it stays directly on the pizza and helps to hold the gooey cheese in place. And the crust...oh the fluffy, soft, warm crust. Ultimate perfection. Oh and it's only $6. Can't beat it.
(5)Kat E.
If you like a lot of dough with barely any sauce or cheese, this is the place for you. Pretty sad.
(1)Ken P.
I really liked the pizza, it is different but still really good. The slab crust is thick but light the sauce is just right. The beer taps are well chosen, maybe too well I had a hard time choosing. Great addition to Portlands rich list of choices.
(5)Drew S.
Ok, this place was not what I expected. It was almost as if you took old school french bread pizza and made it absolutely amazing. I mean really, big thick dough'ey pieces of pizza goodness. My wife had the mushroom wedge, I had the meat wedge, and we attempted to split a standard slab (our eyes were too big for our stomachs). Combine this with really friendly service and a tasty selection of local and craft beer makes a happy Drew. There was plenty of out door seating, cool interior, and we even found street parking on the 4th of July. I highly recommend this place, and my wife asked if I was willing to drive the 12 hrs to get there tonight so she could have another piece. If I could only bend space and time, then I would.
(5)gail m.
Loved their meatballs. The sauce was great too. Giant portions and great selection of beer.
(5)Jessica G.
Pizza is good, however, I've been here on 3 separate occasions and each time received really bad customer service. Most recently I received no "thank you" or "have a nice day" of any kind and stood there while a waitress bad mouthed a family she just sat down to eat for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse to be so rude to your customers. One time and i would've considered it a fluke, all three times... they should be embarrassed.
(2)Maura Q.
I checked out Slab for the first time one night after work and I was in pizza heaven! Literally, the Hand Slab is like a pillow of pizza dreams. If you like thin crust you probably won't enjoy it as much, but there's nothing like a nice thick, soft crust. The Hand Slab is a 1lb slab of cheese pizza for only $6. They have wedges of other flavors and I hear the spicy meat wedge is great ($4). My co-worker and I went at 11, which means they only serve pizza, but that's what we went for! I'll definitely go back to try more pizza and some of their other food options! I would have given this place five stars but the service was terrible. I work in the restaurant industry and know how good service is supposed to be. Our waitress was not very good at all. She wasn't very friendly (seemed uninterested) and not that you have to be over the top, but at least pretend you like your job. Another waitress delivered our food and not once did our actual waitress come check on us to see how we were liking our food! She didn't come back until we were basically done to deliver our checks. I understand that it was late, but still they're open until at least 1:00 AM... It's not like we went in at 12:45!
(4)Mike S.
Slabbbbbb of good stuff I'm gonna be honest, I am going to try to ignore the "fluff" on the menu because I came for the Sicilian... And the beer. I'll describe what I mean. The hand slab ("regular Sicilian") is fantastic. It's a pound of cheese, soft yet chewy dough, and fantastic sauce. Yup. It delivers all that I expected. It took a good twist with the spicy version as well! Damn good, and highly suggested! The opening day beer selection was masterful. It ranged all across the world including amazing beers from local such as a special Bissell Brothers ultra-session beer to Cantillion Gueze. I can only hope that these great beer selections, and the tasty collaborations, don't go away anytime soon. Here's where I need to put aside my bad thoughts. The rest of the menu was a bit lacking. The exception being the meatloaf meatball sandwich, which was pretty good. The caponata was a bit odd as was a couple other things that I can't remember the names of (see photos!). But let's be honest. I came for the main event and just hoped for some good extras. I did enjoy the outdoor space. What a great gathering space to have some pizza and beers with friends. The only complains is that the bugs liked the pizza, and us, also. All in all I really liked it and plan to go back, multiple times, and can't wait to see what other beers show up!
(4)Steff D.
Personally, I think Slab is doing what they set out and promised the community they'd do (which is: serving relatively cheap, big portioned food along with an impressive line-up of beers as they've revitalized a part of our town's history [the old market] in a section of the city that's desperate for a facelift with an awesome outdoor space and homey indoor area, too all the while maintaining an exceptional level of eco-consciousness). Do I think they're perfect? No. But I'm thrilled to begin calling this place home... What I've ordered thus far: -/+1. Ceci alla Sicilia (a vegan dish of orange fried sage chickepea hummus, parsley-red onion salad, and warm Luna bread wedges for $5): Definitely a hearty portion of hummus for a fiver! But he hummus to bread ratio seemed way off as we had so much hummus leftover we were eating it with a spoon. I thought it was flavorful (though I didn't pick up on any of the "orange fried sage" which is the sole reason why I ordered it in the first place), delightfully chunky, and an excellent starter. I could have done without the forest of cilantro stalks that came with it, though. +2. Slab (the original 1-lb Sicilian hand slab for $6): There are few things that delight me in this world as much as Lanzalotta's slabs do (it's the stuff of late night food fantasies, lemme tell you). The dough was thick and sweet, the sauce was just acidic enough, and the cheese was gooey, mild, and seasoned just right. Unlike some people, I don't care what the temperature of my slab is - hot, room temp, or straight-from-the-fridge - it's delicious and takes on different unique, yummy characteristics in all its states. -3. Spicy Bean Wedge (a hand slab with cannelini beans, giardiniera, cheese for $4): unfortunately, I would NEVER order this again; when I had it, it had very few beans, but an overabundance of thick, undercooked wedges of carrot on it. The whole thing seemed both bland and doughy. However, the bleu cheese dipping sauce that came with it (which had a citrusy finish to it) was divine (the chunkier the better, in my opinion, and they've nailed it here). Be warned: each side of the stuff you order is .50 cents. So if you planned to order a bathtub sized vat of the stuff to pour it over everything (including your body), you might be charged a small fortune. -/+4. Cocktails - My favorite is the Molinari Brothers (amaro montenegro, solerno, limoncello, lemon, lime, and soda water) for $8.5. There's not a single thing I didn't like about it - I liked the flavor profile (that it satiated my need for something sweet, tart, and refreshing), I liked the size, and I liked the price (when I can get a good cocktail in Portlandtown for under $10, I'm an instant fan of your establishment!). It was also the perfect accompaniment to my food. On the opposite hand, the "Sage Fizz" (sage, limoncello, cucumber, soda for $10) was difficult for me to drink as it tasted like herbed rubbing alcohol... egads. +5. Beer - The first time I came I had a sour ale for about $7 that I see is already no longer on the menu (I wonder if these quick turn arounds for their beer selections is going to be commonplace... could be a way to get people coming back, I suppose, to see what's new; could be a way to annoy people who find something they love only to have it denied to them later on). Since then, I've come and have been told that beers - despite being on the menu - have been "already 86'd that day" leaving me with options I didn't want. Talk about super frustrating. Anyway, the point of this EXTREMELY long review is: if you're a fan of pizza, of Sicilian food, of outdoor spaces, of Portland, of beer, of mostly good cocktails, of Lanzalotta, of the Lanzalotta-Micucci's drama, of eating with your hands... then you definitely need to come here!
(4)Monica L.
Upon walking in, the ambiance is amazing. Very cool space. However, the praise stops there. I got "the hand slab" which is their original tomato, mozzarella and provolone Sicilian pie. It was certainly everything you would think a slab of pizza would look like, but it was honestly tasteless. Not enough cheese or sauce, and the dough didn't make up for the lack of either competent. I think I would enjoy it if it were $2 and I was drunk, but it was $6 and I was having a weekday dinner. To top it off, our waitress didn't introduce herself and was really rude and unhelpful to my friend who is lactose intolerant. I'm really sorry to leave such a bad review but I will not be returning.
(2)Andrew T.
I'm half Sicilian and my mother makes better pizza. I said it. This review is based solely on the pizza. The other part of the menu looked amazingly delicious. I will re-rate when I enjoy some of the other fare the menu has to offer. Atmosphere: very cool Service: solid and bartender very knowledge. Great selection of local beers.
(3)Mark D.
I feel like I can write an honest review now that I've ordered here half a dozen times or so. If your a Portlander who ventures out of the house even occasionally then there's no doubt you've heard of micucci's grocery's famous Sicilian Slab. I used to go to that crammed little grocery store years ago and stand there like a sorry SOB with all the rest of the cattle staring at the little shelve where the pizza goes when it comes out of the oven and praying that there was still a super saucy cheesy middle piece by the time I got to the front. Well to make a long story short it wasn't long before slab opened that I had noticed that micucci's pizza was not tasting as good as I remember it. It was then I learned the news that Lanzolatta the brain child behind the slab had parted ways with micucci's taking his recipe with him. Of course this is all ancient history now and we all know that he now has his very own place on Preble St. So let's talk about The Slab because I really don't pay much attention to anything else. I'm here for the SLAB!! I'm tired of all these Vegans on Yelp whining about how restaurants could do a better job with their silly vegan dishes. I mean who goes to a pizza joint to eat vegan seriously???To be honest I'm tired of restaurants trying to accommodate these picky eaters because I feel like it distorts and over complicates the menu. Especially with a place like SLAB that should be striving for simplicity and authenticity. I mean the restaurant is named after what they serve. So now that I've got this rant out of the way I'm going to talk about slab. This is not pizza. It's a slab. Something entirely different to what most people call pizza. it is absolutely delicious. I have actually never eaten at slab. I always take it to go, but I never order ahead because I want to go down to the bar and lovingly gaze at their uber local and extensive craft beer selection. If your a total beer snob like me you will love this bar. I can usually polish off a couple glasses of Dank IPA from the likes of Bissel or Foundation before my half slab is ready to go. One thing I've learned is to always ask for a side of the red sauce because I have run into a dry piece here and there. Sometimes I wish you could have a little more say in how the slab is made because I would probably order it well done with extra sauce and cheese, but at the same time I can see why he doesn't do it because maybe too much of a good thing would just make it normal. When the cosmos align and you get that perfect bite of slab with just the right amount of everything it is absolutely amazing! Take my advice and try it out for yourself.
(4)