Las Vegas Weekly

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Craftsteak executive chef Robert Kirchhoff is a proud family man, which means he eats a lot of pizza with his wife and children. Interestingly enough, the Valley’s recent pizza renaissance has led Kirchhoff to search for pies beyond his own. “Before these three, I used to cook all my pizzas at home.” He doesn’t have to anymore—and neither do you.

Dom Demarco’s Pizzeria & Bar (9785 W. Charleston Blvd., 570-7000) The native Long Islander is a self-proclaimed New York-style pizza guy, but he has high praise for another type at the Vegas outpost of this Brooklyn institution. “I like the fact that they have a Sicilian-style pizza. It’s not Chicago-style—Chicago pizza doesn’t work for me since it’s upside down—but Sicilian does.”

Grimaldi’s (750 S. Rampart Blvd., 479-1351; 9595 S. Eastern Ave., 657-9400) The coal-fired pies from this popular Valley outpost are also on Kirchhoff’s list of Brooklyn-to-Vegas favorites. “The coal-fired oven creates a great crust. You can pick your choice of toppings. I like mine with meatball, mozzarella and fresh basil. My kids happen to really love the sweetness of the sauce. We’re all happy.”

Due Forni Pizza & Wine (3555 S. Town Center Dr., 522-1778) It’s not just New York pizzerias for Kirchhoff, who also enjoys more traditional Italian offerings. For those, he visits with former coworkers. “The former chef and GM from [MGM’s] Fiamma are at Due Forni. Of the two styles, I’m a Neapolitan fan—the Roman is just too cracker-like for my tastes. Besides pizza, the black truffle gnocchi is ridiculous.”