Dom DeMarco’s Brings Brooklyn-Style Pizza to Summerlin

Last weekend, we wanted to watch one of the World Cup games, but we were not looking for the noise, crowds, and packed seating that usually come with a traditional sports bar. While considering some quieter options around our side of town, I remembered a familiar restaurant that I had not visited in years: Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar.

For many Las Vegas locals, Dom DeMarco’s feels like it has always been part of the neighborhood. The restaurant opened in 2011, and its large building and noticeable sign make it difficult to miss while driving along West Charleston Boulevard. From the outside, the restaurant looks massive and perhaps even a little intimidating, almost like you are about to walk into a large chain restaurant. Once you step through the doors, however, the atmosphere becomes much warmer, more personal, and unmistakably Italian American.

A Familiar Las Vegas Restaurant with Brooklyn Roots

Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar was created through a partnership between Las Vegas restaurateur and pizza enthusiast Albert Scalleat and Brooklyn’s famous Di Fara Pizza. The restaurant carries the name and influence of Domenico DeMarco, the longtime pizzaiolo behind the legendary Brooklyn pizzeria.

The Las Vegas restaurant has built its own identity over the years, but the connection to traditional East Coast pizza remains an important part of the experience. Its menu includes Neapolitan and New York-style pizzas, Sicilian square pizza, pasta, Italian entrées, salads, appetizers, beer, cocktails, and a substantial wine selection.

Dom DeMarco’s has also welcomed some notable customers. During a 2012 visit to Las Vegas, Barack Obama reportedly requested Brooklyn-style pizza, leading the restaurant to prepare and deliver several round pizzas, square pizzas, and cannoli for the presidential visit.

That history adds an interesting layer to the restaurant, but Dom DeMarco’s does not feel like a place surviving only on an old name or a famous story. It continues to operate as a neighborhood restaurant where locals can stop for lunch, meet friends for drinks, watch a game, or sit down for a relaxed Italian dinner.

Choosing a Seat and Settling In

The restaurant offers three main seating experiences. Guests can choose a traditional dining table, sit at one of the high-top tables near the bar, or head outside to the large patio. The patio looked like a great place to catch up with friends over pizza and wine, but with the temperature reaching approximately 110 degrees, sitting outside was not part of our plan that afternoon.

We chose a high-top table in the bar section instead. This gave us a comfortable view of the game without placing us in the middle of a loud sports-bar environment. There are televisions positioned throughout the restaurant, so guests can generally keep an eye on a game from different parts of the dining room.

We quickly started talking with our waiter about the restaurant, the food, and some of the ways Dom DeMarco’s prepares its dishes. That easy conversation immediately made the visit feel familiar, even though it had been nearly a decade since our last meal here.

The service helped set the tone for the afternoon: relaxed, friendly, knowledgeable, and never rushed.

Starting with a Couple of Draft Beers

Before ordering food, we started with two draft beers. Esther chose an 805, while I ordered a Sierra Nevada Pilsner. The bar offers a broad selection of drinks, making the restaurant a useful option for more than just a pizza dinner.

Guests can order draft and bottled beer, wine, cocktails, and other familiar bar selections. The combination of a full-service bar, multiple televisions, high-top seating, and a large food menu gives Dom DeMarco’s some of the advantages of a sports bar without losing its identity as an Italian restaurant.

It worked especially well for what we wanted that day. We could enjoy the match, have a drink, talk comfortably, and order a complete meal without competing with an overly crowded or excessively loud room.

Appetizers Before the Pizza

We decided to begin with two starters: the Caesar salad and the Eggplant Pizzettes. The two dishes were very different from one another, but they worked well together as an introduction to the meal.

Caesar Salad

The Caesar salad was made with romaine lettuce, croutons, Grana Padano, and Caesar dressing. It was a familiar version of the classic salad, prepared without trying to overcomplicate it.

The lettuce was crisp, the dressing coated it evenly, and the Grana Padano added a salty finish. The croutons gave the salad the crunch it needed, making it a refreshing contrast to the richer appetizer and pizza that followed.

It was simple, fresh, and exactly what a Caesar salad should be before a heavier Italian meal.

Eggplant Pizzettes

The Eggplant Pizzettes were made with fried golden eggplant, herb ricotta, Grana Padano, and marinara. This appetizer had a little more personality and turned out to be one of the most enjoyable surprises of our visit.

The fried eggplant provided a warm and crisp foundation, while the herb ricotta added a creamy texture. Marinara brought acidity and familiar Italian flavor, and the Grana Padano completed each bite with a sharper, savory finish.

These were not miniature pizzas in the traditional sense. Instead, the eggplant served as the base for the cheese and sauce, creating a satisfying appetizer that was rich without feeling excessively heavy.

The Eggplant Pizzettes are a strong choice for sharing, especially for guests who want something beyond the standard fried appetizer.

The Main Event at Dom DeMarco’s

Of course, we did not return to Dom DeMarco’s without ordering pizza. While the restaurant’s menu extends well beyond pizza, this is still the dish most closely connected to its history and identity.

The menu offers traditional combinations and more creative specialty pizzas. After looking through the options, we chose the Mushroom White Truffle pizza.

Mushroom White Truffle Pizza

The Mushroom White Truffle pizza is topped with mushrooms, fontina, garlic, white truffle oil, and arugula. Unlike a traditional red-sauce pizza, this combination focuses on earthy, creamy, and aromatic flavors.

The mushrooms and truffle oil naturally lead the experience, but the garlic keeps the flavor from becoming too delicate. Fontina adds a smooth, melted richness, while the arugula brings a fresh, slightly peppery contrast after the pizza comes out of the oven.

White truffle oil can easily overwhelm a dish when too much is used. Here, it complemented the mushrooms without completely covering the other ingredients. The result was flavorful and noticeably different from an ordinary cheese or pepperoni pizza.

Each component had a purpose, and the arugula was especially important in balancing the richness of the fontina and truffle oil.

The pizza also felt appropriate for the setting. It was elevated enough to pair with a glass of wine, but it remained casual and approachable enough to enjoy with a cold draft beer while watching a game.

More Than a Neighborhood Pizzeria

Although pizza is the main attraction, Dom DeMarco’s menu includes several Italian American dishes that could easily support an entire visit without ordering a pie. The restaurant highlights pasta selections such as rigatoni vodka and lasagna, along with meatballs, chicken parmigiana, wings, salads, and other familiar dishes.

That variety makes it easier to visit with a group. One person can order pizza, another can choose pasta, and someone else can sit at the bar with appetizers and a drink. Families, couples, and groups of friends can all create a different type of meal from the same menu.

The restaurant finds a comfortable middle ground in its atmosphere. It is not overly formal, but it does not feel like a basic counter-service pizza shop. It is polished without becoming stiff and casual without feeling ordinary.

Dom DeMarco’s feels just as appropriate for an easy lunch as it does for an Italian dinner, a casual date, or an afternoon spent watching a game.

A Patio Worth Remembering When the Weather Cools Down

We could not take advantage of the patio during this visit because of the summer heat, but it remains one of the restaurant’s strongest features. During the cooler months, the large outdoor area can be a comfortable place to share pizza, order drinks, and spend time with friends.

Las Vegas does not always provide a long patio season, but when the weather cooperates, outdoor dining can completely change the feeling of a restaurant. Dom DeMarco’s patio provides another reason to return during fall or spring.

A Local Restaurant That Has Aged Well

Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar has become a recognizable part of the West Charleston area. It has its own base of local customers, many of whom know exactly what they want before they walk through the door.

After being away for so long, it was good to see that time has treated the restaurant well. The space remains welcoming, the menu offers plenty of variety, and the staff made our return feel like a visit to an old neighborhood favorite rather than a completely new discovery.

The restaurant has enough televisions for guests who want to watch a game, but it never felt like the food was secondary to the screens. The bar is well stocked, the dining room offers several seating choices, and the patio gives customers another option when Las Vegas temperatures become more forgiving.

Dom DeMarco’s is a reliable local destination for Brooklyn-inspired pizza, Italian comfort food, drinks, and an atmosphere that works for almost any casual occasion.

We enjoyed it nearly 10 years ago, and our return reminded us why it has remained part of the Las Vegas dining community for so long. Great people, satisfying food, cold drinks, and a comfortable atmosphere—what else can you ask for?

Until next time, be good to each other, shop local, and support our community.