VERY IMPORTANT PIZZA
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑
District: Downtown Omaha
New York-style pizza
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Lunch; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Pepperoni; Luigi; Homer
It could—and probably should—be argued that all pizza is very important. Pizza is a beloved food item, and even a slice from Casey’s or Little Caesar’s can bring great joy.
But when you have a slice of great pizza, you understand that there are levels to pizza greatness. And Omaha has a lot of restaurants to experience pizza glory, including one that had the audacity to spell it all out right in its name: Very Important Pizza.
Opening in early 2026 in downtown Omaha, Very Important Pizza aims to bring the slice shop concept that’s so prevalent in New York City to Omaha. The casual restaurant has a number of signature pies, but also offers cheese, pepperoni, and a specialty pizza as daily slices that can be grabbed on the go or enjoyed in the quirky shop.
From the moment you step inside you know you’re in for an interesting experience. The walls are plastered with various vintage sports and music magazine covers. A giant fish tank welcomes you to the shop, and retro pinball machines and a claw machine game beckon you to part with a few quarters.
But the most visually arresting aspect is the open kitchen, which allows you to see the giant deck oven as owners Dylan Espinoza and Pete Hutchins create pizza masterpieces. The dough is created in house, stretched by hand, loaded with sauce and toppings, and landed into the giant ovens via pizza paddles, and the show is nearly as much fun as eating the pizza itself.
What emerges from that oven is quintessential New York style pizza, and it all starts with the dough. VIP’s product is among the crispiest you’ll find in Omaha; fold it like a true New Yorker and you’ll hear the *crack* of the crust abiding from across the room. The texture is brilliant.
And yet, the dough maintains a light, chewy consistency as well. The combination of the sturdy, browned edges with the airy insides is slightly mind-bending. It’s also worth noting these slices have minimal grease; you won’t feel heavy or weighed down after housing a couple of them.
That dough is 1/3 of what makes the Cheese Pizza—the standard by which a pizza shop should be judged—at VIP a standout even sans toppings. The sauce is tangy and a bit on the sweeter side, though not in a distracting way. And the cheese is of high quality, lending a rich, milky quality while keeping the grease at a minimum.
Because those three elements are so strong, the simple pizzas shine the most at VIP. The humble Pepperoni, with giant discs of fatty, salty pork, is fantastic (add some basil for a nice fresh component). And the Mushroom & Olive dots every bite with earthy, salty pops.
The specialty slices are still very good, but the more flavors you stack on top of the crust, the less it stands out. The Luigi, with tender, savory hunks of meatballs, cherry peppers, and green peppers, is very balanced. And the BUDD is wildly creative, as VIP grinds all its meats into one crumbled offering, creating a slightly spicy, salty product it distributes all over the pie. These are still very good slices of pizza, but as I eat them, I find myself wishing they had 1-2 ingredients instead.
If white pies are your style, the Homer will suit you just fine. The base is a creamy garlic sauce, topped with fresh tomatoes, feta, onion, and black olives. Those components, along with cubes of salty feta, give off serious Mediterranean vibes.
One minor complaint: the distribution of toppings can be rather haphazard at VIP. One slice might be loaded with ingredients; another may have 3-4 naked bites with nothing on them. A more even distribution would create, in my opinion, a better eating experience.
But that’s a minor gripe, something I have none of when it comes to the Caesar Salad. The greens are crisp and have a good crunchy bites to them, and the croutons are properly crusty with a nice garlic flair.
But the dressing, a thick, creamy concoction with a powerful tangy flavor and a hint of pepper, steals the show. I can’t claim to be a Caesar salad aficionado, but this is among the best I’ve had in Omaha.
Despite the name, there’s more than pizza on the menu at VIP. The Caesar is joined by a couple other salads in addition to meatballs, garlic knots, and calzones, not to mention the self-proclaimed “Best Ranch in the Midwest.” It’s a lofty claim to make, but there are few things not to like about this milky, dill-forward condiment.
The pizzas, which can be ordered in 14″ or 18″ pies, are highly customizable, as you can build your own or add onto VIP’s signature pies with as many of their 29 toppings as you like, from as basic as pepperoni and ground beef to unique offerings like artichokes, potatoes, and fried eggs.
Though all the offerings are tempting, I advise you to stick to just a couple when visiting Very Important Pizza. This is a special crust/cheese/sauce combination, and it’s best to enjoy a pizza that best accentuates the combo.
In this writer’s estimation, almost every pizza is very important (Cicis Pizza not included). But some pizza stands out more than others, and Very Important Pizza stands out as being an offering that is, indeed, very imporant.