Photos Courtesy of Slim’s Pizzeria
What do you get when you combine the forces of former Bottega Chef de Cuisine John Rolen and photographer Miller Mobley? Slim’s Pizzeria. The new restaurant at 65 Church Street in Crestline Village is now serving up New York style pizzas plus local beers, a wine list curated by Golden Age and a classic cocktail selection (think Palomas, Martinis, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds). Pull up the menu and you’ll quickly be craving Italian ice cream flavors like Stracciatella (sweet cream and dark chocolate), Sweet Basil and Spumoni (cherry ice cream, pistachio ice cream, dark chocolate ice cream, salted pistachios and cherries) served in partnership with Big Spoon Creamery. You can find Slim’s full menu and order online at slimspizzeria.com, and here we chatted with Miller about the story behind the pizzeria.
Where did the idea for Slim’s Pizzeria come from, and what was your vision for it?
Slim’s was born out of the simple idea that we wanted to build a neighborhood pizzeria that the community would be proud to support.
What should we know about your food?
I think we have one of the most talented kitchens in Birmingham. Led by our chef/partner, John Rolen, our team worked for months before we opened to test, tweak and refine everything that we offer.
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What are some of your personal favorite items on the menu?
If I had to select just a few, it would be our Hot Honey, Sausage & Fennel and Pepperoni pizzas. It’s hard to go wrong with our chopped Italian and Caesar salads though I also can’t forget to mention that our Garlic Knots are pretty spectacular.
Can you tell us more about how you partnered with Big Spoon for the ice creams and Golden Age on the wine list?
We believe in supporting local businesses that are doing and making great things in Birmingham. We felt that Golden Age and Big Spoon would make great partnerships and it was an opportunity to support our local economy.
Can you talk some about how the interior of the restaurant space on Church Street was designed and the ideas behind it?
The interior design was and still is an evolving process. We are always tweaking and changing small things. At the end of the day, we just wanted a warm and comfortable cafe with a bit of nostalgia. Everything for our restaurant was either hand-picked from antique shops spanning the country or was custom made by local artisans.
