House of Fire Pizza opens first Mat-Su location

Pizza is the ultimate comfort food, and really, who can resist the combination of crust, sauce, and cheese, along with countless topping options? It makes pizza a universally appealing food.

And there is not one way to enjoy it-New York-style, with the thin, foldable crust, and typically features a simple sauce, a generous layer of low-moisture mozzarella cheese, and is often topped with oregano, parmesan, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder; Chicago-style, also known as deep-dish pizza, with a thick, buttery, and crispy crust that is baked in a pan, often resembling a pie or cake pan and a deep layer of cheese, a chunky tomato sauce, and a generous amount of toppings; and don’t forget Detroit-style, which defies pizza rules with a rectangular, deep-dish pizza characterized by its crispy, cheesy, and buttery crust, often achieved with Wisconsin brick cheese and a "two-striped" tomato sauce application. Fun fact: the pizza is traditionally baked in a square pan, originally repurposed from automotive parts trays, which contributes to the signature crispy, caramelized cheese edges.

Enter Wasilla’s newest option for pizza lovers-House of Fire Pizza, a passion project born out of a love for East Coast style pizza.

The newest dining option is located in the Shoppes at Sun Mountain and is located behind Nuvision Credit Union, House of Fire Pizza brings authentic hand-crafted East Coast style of pizza to Wasilla.

“Everything here is homemade,” says owner Milan Bajmoczi.

Originally from the former Czechoslovakia, Milan and his family first called Minnesota home before making the move to Alaska in 2014. He opened his first House of Fire Pizza in Fairbanks in 2019, followed by a second in 2021, and a third also in Fairbanks in 2022.

Now he is bringing his handmade pizza to the Mat-Su, celebrating with an official ribbon-cutting on June 20, with Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford on hand to do the honors.

When asked why pizza, Milan says “I like food. I like cooking. I enjoy it.” But more than that, it’s all about the dough. “Working with the dough is awesome. Working with pizza is relaxing.”

Even though he has added more restaurants, Milan says it is vital to keep making each pizza by hand, using home-style and hand-stretched techniques. “Our dough blends New York and European styles, made from scratch. We have bread flour and we just get going with that, and we do a cold fermentation over three or four days before we even serve it. It gives the dough the best flavor and texture.”

Milan says beyond the dough, his pizzas are all about the ingredients. “We use only the best ingredients.” Those ingredients include San Marzano tomatoes for their sauce and whole milk, low-moisture mozzarella. Each pizza is cooked at high temperatures in ovens imported from Napoli, Italy, ensuring the perfect crust and flavor.

The menu offers a variety of pizzas, from Old World Style to BBQ Chicken. They also offer Sicilian Pizzas, with a thick Crust: and hearty sauce on top of the cheese layer, and simple toppings, letting the quality of the ingredients and the crust shine.

They also offer 8-point Stromboli, which Mayor Ledford proclaimed was the best Stromboli she’d ever had, as well as salads, garlic knots, and what Italian meal would be complete without a cannoli or tiramisu?

For now, pizza-goers can dine in or get a pizza to go, with limited delivery service coming soon. Find House of Fire Pizza at 2030 East Tysons Trail. The hours are 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.

“Our motto has always been ‘keep it simple.’ And that’s what I hope comes through. It’s our hope everyone will love the food as much as we love making it.”

To learn more about House of Fire Pizza, and order online, please visit www.houseoffirepizza.com