by Brianna A. Smith-Herman —
Popular North Nashville pizzeria Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria has anchored at 634 Union Ave. in the Edge District and is scheduled to open Dec. 16.
Slim & Husky’s is a fast casual and gourmet pizza spot, serving up artisan pizzas, salads and unique flavored cinnamon rolls.
The hip-hop-inspired pizzeria is owned by childhood friends and Tennessee State University alumni Clinton “Clint” Gray III, Derrick “Mo” Moore and Emmanuel “EJ” Reed.
“Memphis was the most obvious city for expansion,” said Gray.
“We had so many friends from the Memphis area and we annually played in the Southern Heritage Classic,” he said. “We truly feel like the people of Memphis will receive Slim & Husky’s in a positive way.”
The trio aims to contribute to the revival of less-developed areas of the community through employment opportunities and accessible dining experiences, including locally brewed craft beer and innovative pizza and cinnamon roll creations.
I recently visited one of Slim & Husky’s Nashville locations and thought, “What an innovative and creative way to bring pizza, Black art and music together.”
It was stimulating to know that we would soon have a Slim & Husky’s in Memphis because food and music is one of the things Memphis does best.
The atmosphere was fun and chill. As a Black millennial, I felt the place was created with my likes in mind.
“Growing up in Nashville, we were heavily influenced by artists from the Memphis area, from Three 6 Mafia to Yo Gotti,” Gray said. “We love music and we embody and bring those vibes to our restaurant. …When you come to Slim + Husky’s you can be sure you will hear hip hop and R&B music.”
The pizza, as well as the hot cinnamon rolls, were delicious. My favorite offerings were the array of house-made “drizzles.”
Trust me, this ain’t just ranch dressing. I was hooked on the tangy sweet balsamic molasses and cannot wait to try it again.
As for pizza, Slim & Husky’s offers two options: select one of their signature pizzas or build your own.
Pizzas come in two sizes, slim (10”) and husky (16”). All pizza dough and sauces are made daily from scratch in the restaurant.
Their pizzas are oblong-shaped flatbreads and they offer a variety of toppings. As part of the Slim & Husky’s experience, your pizza is built right in front of you. After selecting all of your toppings, your pizza is placed in the oven to be baked to perfection.
Signature pizzas are named after some of the founders’ favorite artists and songs. You’ll find the Cee No Green, Got 5 On It, The Smokin’ Herb and the Red Light Special on the menu. And look out for their Signature Vegan Pizza, Nothin But A “V” Thing!
The restaurant will highlight work from Tennessee artists, such as Toonky Berry, Payne, Alexis Miche’ and Jamond Bullock. Plans reportedly are underway to open the restaurant’s upper level as an art gallery and event space in 2021.
Slim and Husky’s has restaurants located in Nashville, Atlanta and Sacramento. In Memphis, the hours of operation will be noon to 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
Safety protocols, including wearing masks, will be standard for staff and customers.
All in all, the pizza+art+music restaurant concept is one I believe Memphis will relate too.
