The barbecue barons behind Burn City Smokers make a bangin’ brisket.

They’ve festival-hopped their southern style barbecue truck across the country since 2013; now they’re taking their comfort food westside to Footscray. But it’s a different kind of Americana. Their bricks and mortar Slice ShopPizza in Footscray slings New York-style grab-and-go pizzas till late most days of the week. One fat slice is $5 a pop and 18-inch pies are $30. That’s it. No crust filled specials or super-combo deals.

Owners Steve Kimonides and Raphael Guthrie know gimmicks won’t sell pizzas – but honest cooking  with local produce lures hungry mouths. A big night at Mr West Bar and nothing much to eat nearby saw the pair lease the corner shop opposite.

Outside, the on-theme colour scheme of red, white and blue including blazing neon might be more Western Bulldogs than ’Murica. Inside, meanwhile, it’s all about the pizza. A Moretti Forni, the Rolls-Royce of pizza ovens, commands the tiny, white-walled butcher shopstyle space from behind the counter.

Like the oven, the tinned tomatoes and pizza chefs pumping out dough in the corner are Italian imports. Footscray Market is on produce, Kimonides and Guthrie on meat, even making the pepperoni for the capricciosa. The mushroom number is the upper crust. Fold over a fat, flavour-packed slice and dig in before the cheesy, truffley juices ooze down your arm. The thin-base margherita, meanwhile, nails the ratio of sweet tomato sauce, molten mozzarella and herbaceousbasil. Vegan and gluten-free options made on request.

Sadly, seating is limited to four stools at a counter in the window and there was no drinks fridge when we last visited. So while Slice is more takeaway than dine-in affair, you can order in at Mr West over the way.

What you see is what you get at Slice – a decent feed on the cheap.