Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we have an 8% Co-op Wellness Surcharge? Why not just a menu increase? What about tips?

We have updated our Wellness Surcharge to go to the co-op and crew. The team met in Dec 2022 and unanimously decided to share the income of the wellness charge. We decided on this approach to make sure the business is stable and able to take care of the team, our primary mission. To accomplish this, the business needs enough cash flow to make sure all increased costs are covered. We don't know if this is enough to stabilize our business, we will be monitoring it closely and communicating this with our team. If we simply built this surcharge into the menu price, we would not be able to easily track it and adjust accordingly. We hope you will support us and the team.

Tipping is pretty confusing these days. If you can afford to tip the crew, please do. The changes we are making will maintain current salaries, but we don't have the ability to pay our team more. Your generous tips allow the team to get the needed supplement to live here and serve you.

Even prior to our transition to a worker cooperative in 2017, we have always tried to be as transparent as possible with our customers. Some would say we’re being too transparent, but that’s how we operate.

Friday and Saturday night long wait times/hold times

We know this is a challenge and wait times can get up to 1.5+ hours, so please plan accordingly. You can call early (like 3pm) and place your order for a specificed time of your choosing. We will organize our workflow to accommodate your request. Also, if we put you on hold, it is because we are either helping a customer or answering other calls. Please do not HANG UP and call back. You will simply be put in queue and placed at the back of the line, as we answer calls in order. Please don't call at 5pm on a Friday night and expect to have your order ready in 15 min. Sometimes we can squeeze orders in, but don't count on it. Thanks for your understanding.

What kind of pizzas do you offer?

We offer two types of pizza: Neapolitan (thin and round) and Sicilian (thick and square).

What is the ASONY Margarita pizza?

This is not a typical Italian Margherita pizza. It is not a sauce, cheese, and basil pizza like traditional Margherita pizzas are. If that is what you would like, simply order a plain with basil.

Our ASONY Margarita is a Neapolitan (thin crust) with our ASONY garlic oil base, Italian peeled plum tomato (pureed), fresh basil, fresh chopped garlic, fresh parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).

Pies? You sell pies?

Sort of. We sell pizzas. In NY, pizzas are referred to as “pies,” as in a pizza pie. So, please don’t get excited and ask us if we sell apple or pumpkin.

What is Sicilian pizza?

It is not Chicago deep dish. The Sicilian pie is cooked in a 17"x17" pan. It is a double-bake process, where we let it rise, cook it, let it cool, and then make it to order. It ends up being about 1 1/2" thick, with extra sauce and extra cheese. It is not filled with anything. You can also order a Sicilian with any toppings you like, including any specialty pie.

What’s on a Meatlover Sicilian?

A Sicilian pie base with the following meats added:
–Pepperoni (on bottom layer)
–Salami (diced)
–Smoked ham (diced)
–Meatball (sliced)
–Spicy Italian sausage (shredded)
Stands over 2" when done.

Why doesn't everyone wear gloves all the time? Isn’t it more sanitary to wear gloves?

Making pizza is a very physical process and requires a personal touch. As long as a person making, preparing, or handling food has washed their hands properly, all is well. Some people choose to waer gloves all the time, and that is fine too. Besides, once people start wearing gloves, they forget to change them after they are dirty (e.g., from ringing someone up at the register). We always wash our hands after handling money--it just has to be done. If it’s not done, let us know on the spot!

What’s this I hear about a guarantee?

We guarantee our products. Period. We would like all our customers to leave our place happy. If you are not satisfied with something you were charged for, let us know why it did not meet your expectations, any suggestions to improve our offerings, and what you feel is a reasonable solution to the problem at hand. We will try to make it right so you are happy. If it seems reasonable, you’ll get it. If not, we will offer what we feel is a reasonable compromise.

How many slices in a small vs. a large? How many people do they serve?

We cut both into eight slices. Don’t think about how many slices there are, think about the size of the pie. A small is 14”, as big as most local place’s large. Our large is 18” and bigger than most others even offer.

Don’t let the number of slices concern you. We could cut our pies into 30 slices, but that number is relatively meaningless. Our house pies (the pizzas we have on display for slices) are cut from a 20-21” pizza and also cut into eight slices. Think of it like this -- an 18” pie is 65% larger than a 14” pie; and the 20” house pie is 23% larger than an 18” pie. It’s the whole circle area and πr² thing.

Why don’t you have a medium pizza?

Well, our small is like a medium. Heck, if you look at a Round Table® large, it is the same size as our small (14"). So, don’t let a name fool you. A name is just a name. Our small is pretty big. If we called our small a medium and we only had medium and large, it would sound silly. We have a small size and a large size. We are not trying to convince you how big it should be based on a made up name like a coffee shop.

How many people does a small pie feed? How about a large?

Well, that depends on how hungry you are, how much you can eat, and if you are eating anything else.

Typically, a small will serve 2‐3 people and a large will serve 3‐5...maybe. Me personally, I can put down a house pie by myself (23% bigger than a large), so it is very difficult to determine the right amount. I always tend to order extra when I go anywhere because I like leftovers, but that’s just me.

My pizza today is different than yesterday. How come?

Yes, your pie will be different every time you come to our shop. We will always do our best to make sure you receive a good product, but it will never be exactly the same as it was last time. Why? Because we make everything by hand and from scratch. Nothing we serve (other than drinks and desserts) is made outside of our shop. We put care into all of our products so you leave with something we are proud of and something you will enjoy. We use brick ovens and wooden peels to make the pies, not screens and conveyer ovens. Our pizza makers are craftsmen/women who take pride in what they serve you. If you are not happy with something, please let someone know so we can resolve the issue.

You have Drakes?

Yes, we stock Drakes products. We try to always have Devil Dogs, Ring Dings, Yodels, Coffee Cakes, and Funny Bones. The list of what is in stock is on our wall. We get them shipped in from NYC, so please be patient if we run out.

How do I warm up my pie or slices (after I just picked up my pie or slices)?

1. Preheat the oven to 400° with a pizza stone inside (bottom shelf). If you don't have one, a cookie sheet will do nicely. A toaster oven also works great as does a hot pan or skillet (no oil).
2. Once the oven is nice and hot, put a slice or two on the stone or cookie sheet for a minute or two. Any moisture that has built up on the crust will evaporate and the slice will get nice and crispy. This is very important for veggie pizzas or combo pizzas like the "Times Square" or "The City."
3. DO NOT MICROWAVE...you will zap the life right out of the pizza, making it soggy, then hard.

How do I warm up my slices from the freezer?

1. Yes, our pizza freezes very well, just use a ziploc bag and get the air out.
2. Using a toaster oven is great. You can also preheat the oven to 375° with a pizza stone inside (bottom shelf). If you don't have one, a cookie sheet will do nicely. DO NOT MICROWAVE...you will zap the life right out of the pizza, making it soggy, then hard.
3. Put the frozen slice in the oven for 4-5 minutes (depends on what kind of slice it is)
4. You should be good to go. The slices heat up really well.
5. If you are reheating a Sicilian slice (a thick one), you will probably need to leave it in a bit longer.
6. Keep in mind that some slices will heat up very quickly (e.g., ASONY Margarita or the Buffalo Chicken) because they do not have sauce, only our oil. Slices with more stuff and sauce will take longer. They will all taste great!

Do your prices include tax?

No. We have always tried to keep change and numbers round. The pandemic has pretty much shown us most transactions are made via some form of electronic payment. So, the need to have "round" numbers is not really relevant right now. Effective Dec 1, 2020, we have made our menu "plus tax." All our items are now tax not included. Temporary surcharges will be applied from time to time based on market conditions (e.g., flour instabilities, temporary sales tax increases, cheese spikes, etc.). Since a surcharge is temporary, we do not modify the menu to reflect this change. We will post information so our customers understand the cause of the surcharge. We started an 8% surcharge on all orders during the pandemic to help cover lost tip wages. We have since made this a relatively permanent Co-op Wellness fee that is shared with our co-op and the crew. The tip option is available. We hope you will tip what you can as our menu pricing still does not cover the wages needed to properly support our team.

Are any of you from NYC?

Yes, but that really doesn’t mean very much. If you want real NY pizza, just come in expecting it and see how we do. You be the judge.

How do I get a real pizza stone?

We were offering the ability to get a commercial pizza stone for your home. It is just under 16” in diameter and should be able to fit in all home ovens, even smaller ones. Gas or electric is irrelevant when using a stone cooking surface. The deal is you always leave the stone in your oven (except when you clean the oven). It will make your oven cook and work better, maintaining consistent temperatures, and actually improving energy efficiency.

We can also order custom size surfaces. If you are making a pizza chamber at home or want to experiment with brick oven cooking, we can help you create the ideal oven for you. Please contact us for additional information at ovens@aSliceOfNY.com.

How long does it take to make a pizza?

About ten minutes. If there are orders ahead of yours, we will tell you at the time of ordering so you can plan your arrival. Wait times on Friday and Saturday can reach 2 hours, so call in your order ahead of time. You can always call in at 2pm for a 6pm pick-up.

Do you have seating?

In San Jose, we have three outdoor tables that seat four each.
We are not offering any indoor seating in San Jose. Sunnyvale has substantial indoor seating and the subway is open again!

Do you deliver?

No. We continue to offer our internal catering service for large events or corporate orders. We have a 15% catering fee added on to the order to cover costs. Tipping for catering orders is suggested at 20%.

For repeat catering customers, the catering fee is reduced to 10%. We have a $40 minimum delivery charge so smaller orders can also be delivered, if needed. Please email us to inquire at catering@aSliceOfNY.com.

Is your cheese from California? What cheese do you use?

No, our cheese is not from California. We only use part‐skim premium mozzarella cheese from the Grande Cheese Company in Wisconsin. It is the best cheese money can buy and what most pizza shops in NY use. Why? Because it tastes the best and is the most consistent high quality cheese available. We order hundreds of pounds of cheese a week. They come in 54 pound cases, in eight 7-pound blocks, directly from the company and shred them at the shop daily so you get the freshest ingredients possible.

Does your cheese have rennet? Is your rennet animal based? What is rennet?

All our cheese comes from the Grande Cheese Company, including the provolone in our Chicken Parm Hero!

Rennet is an enzyme that is used to turn milk into cheese. The mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone cheese we use is from Grande Cheese Company and they use a plant based (not animal based) form of rennet. Here is a quote directly from William Harder, Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services “Grande Cheese Company uses a highly purified, natural milk clotting enzyme (rennet) for cheese manufacture. The enzyme is derived from a pure culture fermentation and is non GMO according to European standards. The enzyme is also Halal and OK Kosher approved and manufactured in the United States of America. Grande Cheese Company uses only microbial rennet in its Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese lines. No animal based rennets are used.”

How many locations do you have? Are you a franchise?

We are NOT a franchise. We are a family owned and operated business that started in 2006 at 3443 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, CA (we are a Santa Clara business with a San Jose address). We are right next to Stevens Creek Surplus. In 2011, we opened our second location in BevMo Plaza at 1253 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA, with expanded seating, parking, and beer. On July 1, 2017, A Slice of New York became the first reail worker cooperative in Silicon Valley (South Bay).

What is a Slice Card?

A Slice Card is a reusable/reloadable “debit type” card that can be used at either of our shops. You can put money on it (like a gift card) to use any time. It does not expire.

Do you offer frozen pizza?

I never thought I would say this, but yes, we are now starting to offer frozen personal pies. These are 10" personal pies that we cook to 85-90%, let cool, wrap, and then freeze. We wrap them in plastic film, date them, and label them. We are carrying them in Sunnyvale only (not SJ).

We try to have a variety of options including cheese, pepperoni, mushroom, ASONY Margarita, Buffalo chicken, and other specialty ones. We have a daily inventory of what we have on hand so you can call in and see what we have. Here is a link to our Frozen Pie cooking guidelines. Please let us know how they are as we want your feedback!