There’s a whole cottage industry of people claiming to know what makes a “real” New York slice, and they’ll happily argue about it until the last crust goes stale. Justin Balzer is not from New York, which, in certain circles, might disqualify him from the debate before he even preheats the oven. His wife, Christine Costa Balzer, has the credentials—Sicilian grandparents, born in New York, raised in Jersey—and the confidence that comes from a lifetime of folding paper-thin slices down the middle. Together, they opened a place that makes a good case that they know exactly what’s needed to make the perfect slice.
Birdie’s Pizza landed on Biltmore Avenue in July in the former Manicomio spot. The compact shop hums from lunch to late-night. You can square slices that are mountains of pillowy dough or slices from 20-inch pies with thin crusts, foldable and finished with toppings that lean traditional without being boring. The couple built their dough from an eight-year-old sourdough starter, a foundation that gives every slice a tang and chew missing from most imitators.
The menu sticks to eight core options, dressed with things like caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, spicy sausage, or sandwiches with crispy chicken cutlets that could anchor an entire meal. The mozzarella is stretched by hand, the tomatoes are organic, and the whole enterprise is less about reinventing the slice than proving it still works when treated with respect.
While you wait, you’ll want something fried: garlic knots, arancini, meatballs, or a pile of cacio e pepe fries. They’ll disappear faster than you think. Birdie’s doesn’t need to win the New York pizza fight—it’s already earned its place in Asheville.