By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Slice Pizza is well known for its exciting and eccentric flavor combinations, but on Tuesday, Sept. 5 Slice will be celebrating International Cheese Pizza Day.

“A cheese pizza, a plain cheese pizza, has been like a go-to for kids and for some adults too,” Slice Co-Owner Chris Bajalieh said.

Bajalieh and his brother opened the original Slice Pizza and Brewhouse in Birmingham’s Lakeview district almost two decades ago. Ever since the restaurant’s doors first opened, the Bajalieh brothers have lived by a commitment to quality pizza made from local ingredients.

“We were in the pizza business before and worked for a couple of Domino’s Pizza franchises,” Bajalieh said.  “And at some point figured, ‘There’s got to be a better way to make pizza than this.’ Source things locally from farmers and try to buy the best ingredients to use like Molinari pepperoni. Just using quality ingredients to make a delicious pizza.”

Slice has successfully expanded its business to many locations around the greater Birmingham area, including one in Montevallo, which Bajalieh confesses is his favorite.

“The kitchens are set up real nicely for flow because of the size, it was an old Sonic, and we took the cage up front and made a little outdoor dining area,” Bajalieh said. “It was a pretty big deal for Montevallo to get us, and they’re very supportive. They love us. We hire university students and they’re always super intelligent and articulate.  That location, to me, is my favorite one.”

Montevallo’s Slice location will also be celebrating International Cheese Pizza Day with their signature “Super Cheese Pizza,” filled with fresh red sauce topped with a cheese blend of mozzarella, provolone, fontina, parmesan, feta, and asiago. The pizza will be available in both slices and full pies with both regular and gluten-free crusts. Cheese pizza slices and pies will be discounted by half-off. The event itself will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5, and promises to be fun for the whole family.