By Steve Metsch
Norberto Cisneros Jr., smiled after tasting the pepperoni pizza at the new Slice Factory in Lyons.
“I like it,” he said. “It’s a big bang for your buck.”
Cisneros, an administrative aide in the Lyons Village Hall, wasn’t kidding.
“Each slice,” restaurant owner Domenico DiDiana said, “is about the length of a grown man’s forearm.”
Plenty of huge slices were enjoyed Saturday, May 13, after a ribbon – make that pizza dough – cutting ceremony at Lyons’ newest restaurant.
The first 100 customers that day each received a free slice of pizza. People were lined up waiting.
There are 10 varieties to choose from: Your standard cheese, sausage, pepperoni, along with BBQ chicken or cheesy beef, to name a few. Prices are $6.49 to $7.49 per slice.
Wings, doughnuts and gelato are also on the menu. A soft opening was held several weeks ago.
The slices are cut from 28-inch pies, the biggest in the business, DiDiana said.
Cisneros said that when he attempted to bring several pies to the village hall for an event, he had trouble fitting the pizza boxes into his car.
DiDiana, 36, of Downers Grove, said this is the 13th site for Slice Factory.
“Lucky 13,” Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty said.
The Lyons location, 8744 W. Ogden Ave., is in a remodeled bank building. DiDiana kept a skylight which helps create a bright, airy atmosphere.
“It’s great to bring a restaurant to the community. It’s great to fill a space that was one vacant, and have somebody invest in the community,” Getty said.
“It’s good for area businesses. We’re happy to welcome them and looking forward to them being here for a long time,” Getty added.
Slice Factor has 10 full- and part-time employees. It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. It will eventually have five or six gaming machines, DiDiana said. Delivery is available. He plans to eventually open by 7 a.m. daily for the coffee-and-doughnut crowd.
DiDiana’s parents opened the first Slice Factory 25 years ago in nearby Berwyn.
“I’m especially proud and honored to be able to serve the communities of Lyons and Brookfield,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do this a long time. We’ve been in Berwyn since 1998. We’re grateful to be here.”
The franchise has evolved over the years with tweaks to the menu.
“We specialize in pizza by the slice. Our newest concept is the Slice Thru, pizza by the slice at the drive-thru,” DiDiana said.
Renovating the former bank building proved to be a challenge.
“This was a square building. Most of our buildings are rectangles. So, it took a lot of time designing and figuring out how to incorporate the existing drive-thru,” he said.
What sets Slice Factory pizza apart?
“We’ve been evolving and keep getting better and better. No one does what we do, the amount of volume and the size,” DiDiana said.
“We’ve perfected that side of things. And, we bake a 28-inch pizza,” he added.
Pauline Vitello, 59, of Lyons was eager to try a brand new to town: “I can’t stand Domino’s. It’s kind of nasty. Like eating cardboard.”
Slice Factory has a loyal following.
Kevin Wik, “near retirement age,” lives near another Slice Factory in Bellwood. He was happy to drive to Lyons and visit the new site.
“I like the different variety flavors they have. My wife is a vegetarian. She gets the veggie (slice),” said Wik, who left with three slices.
