A slice of New York has arrived in Columbia — Manhattan Pie, a new restaurant specializing in authentic New York-style pizza, has opened its doors in the Vista.

The restaurant, which opened in late October, promises “Real NY pizza,” defined by a large, hand-tossed crust that is thin and foldable in the center with a thick, crispy edge. 

Customers can order by the slice or grab a whole pie, and choose from a variety of soups, salads, pastas and subs.

Owners Madhu Reddy and Mallikarjun Mallipedhi said they wanted to bring big slices and low prices to the Columbia pizza scene, with slices ranging from $3 to $4.

“Our thing is New York style slices,” Reddy said. “Customers can come in and grab a slice. People here in downtown are coming from the office, they are coming from college, and they don’t always want to buy a whole pie, you know?”

The owners are Columbia locals. Manhattan Pie’s New York authenticity comes from its chef, Alexander Monfil, who worked in the culinary world in New York for 35 years.

The recipe is a secret. But Monfil said what makes their New York slice great is a combination of fresh ingredients, hand tossed dough and the direct contact of the pie with the pizza stone in the oven.

“How I make it? That’s a secret, I can’t tell you that,” Monfil said. “But, you know, it’s our ingredients, and also the way I toss it by hand. Some places use a dough press, but we don’t do that here. Also, most people use screens (pans) to put the pizza on in the oven, but here we put it right on the stone.”

Early visitors already have taken to social media to praise the restaurant’s thin crust and simple ingredients. Darrin Charles, a former Staten Island resident, raved about his experience.

“Moved here a year ago from Staten Island NY and it’s the closest I’ve had to a NY slice,” Charles wrote in a Google review. “I ordered a large pie well done and as soon as I folded the slice I knew it was gonna be good. Pizza was thin, cheese wasn’t cheap and the sauce was very good. A lot of pizza down here says NY and it’s far from it. This place in my opinion is the closest you’re gonna get.”

Manhattan Pie is located on Gervais Street, one block west of Assembly Street, in Columbia’s Vista.