Prince Street Pizza is Toronto's spot for a New York-style slice.

A slice shop in the tradition of New York's finest, Prince Street Pizza offers its legions of devoted fans an array of pies at its newly-opened location on King West.

Clean and bright, Prince Street Pizza is a counter-service spot that, according to the motto emblazoned across the company's boxes, aims to deliver happiness, one slice at a time.

Meant to shuttle people through, it's designed with efficiency in mind. It also, says owner and CEO Lawrence Longo, is a place with nods to the chain's original location in Manhattan's SoHo neighbourhood.

"We tried to match it the best we can, the New York city look," says Longo of Canada's first location. "This should feel like the original."

It's not a carbon copy, but the tiles, russet-coloured bricks, and celebrity photos hanging on the walls will feel familiar to anyone who's ever made the pilgrimage to Prince Street Pizza in NYC.

The blue and white Prince Street jersey, meanwhile, is an unquestionably local touch.

"I'm a Toronto boy," laughs Longo. "I was born and raised here. I went to St. Mike's. I played hockey for the Buzzers." After opening Prince Street Pizza locations across L.A., the dream, he says, was to bring the famous pies home.

Besides the personal connection, Longo says Toronto also appealed as a site for the first Prince Street Pizza due to its size and vigorous food scene, with The Well offering the walkability a slice shop craves.

Inside, customers are met with the warmth of a gas deck oven firing at 500 degrees, the aroma of heaps of toasty pepperoni, and the option to sample a slice (or three) of one of the menu's 16 types of pizza.

"We have two different styles," explains Longo. "The New York and the Sicilian. The New York is light and crispy on the bottom with a really nice sauce."

The Sicilian, he explains, "[is] an airy dough with a really full-bodied, spicy fra diavolo sauce." Each and every one is made "with the freshest, best ingredients. It's all made daily, with a lot of love and passion," he adds.

The best way to start? The Spicy Spring, the chain's signature square slice, layered with fresh mozzarella, followed by spicy sauce, more pepperoni than seems prudent to pack together, and a (perhaps superfluous) smattering of Pecorino Romano cheese.

"It's simple but it's powerful, it has a lot of character," says Longo. "Our pepperoni is unmatched in terms of the thickness and the quantity," he enthuses, adding that this particular focaccia-style offering is his "ultimate favourite pizza."

Another of Longo's preferred pies, and a standout on the list, is The Naughty Pie.

Here, fra diavolo is subbed for piquant vodka sauce, and mozzarella and pepperoni are joined by ricotta and a generous drizzle of Zab's Hot Honey. A pizza that delivers a slow smoulder, rather than knockout heat, this one is as nice as it is appealingly risqué.

Spice-averse diners can still feast here, thanks to options made with the chain's sweet marinara or original pizza sauce. The Sunset Square, named for West Hollywood's Sunset Strip, is a milder choice, with marinara, fresh and shredded mozz, Pecorino Romano, and garlic.

The Vegan, meanwhile, with vegan cheese, marinara, basil and olive oil, ensures that plant-based eaters are equally well taken care of.

Thinner than their Sicilian cousins, New York-style slices at Prince Street Pizza are simultaneously crisp and tender, and fold perfectly in the middle to facilitate holding them with one hand.

Simple and stellar, the Original Prince is topped with nothing more than house-made Prince St. Pizza Sauce and shredded mozzarella, resulting in a quintessential New York slice.

Feeling bougie? Order The Fancy Prince and have the upgraded version, with fresh mozzarella, strips of fresh basil, Pecorino, and EVOO. Whatever you do, just don't ask for a dipping sauce (unless it's one of the team's originals).

"We offer cups of our own sauce, the vodka, marinara and fra diavolo," says Longo. "We just think our pizza shouldn't go with ranch or blue cheese or ketchup or mayo."

Though pizza pies will always be the main event, the menu at Prince Street Pizza will eventually expand to offer salads, risotto balls, and simple sweets.

Longo hints that there's also a Toronto-specific pie in the works. He's tight-lipped about details but, with a notable partnership and proceeds benefitting a local charity, it's safe to say it'll be another hit.

Hoping to eventually bring Prince Street Pizza's particular brand of happiness to customers across the country, Longo is first keeping his focus on the Toronto shop.

"We want to make sure the pizza is perfect before branching out," he says.

Prince Street Pizza is at 472 Front Street West.