Pizza Back To The ’80s: A Retro Experience at Snowmobile Pizza

The ’80s are back, dude—and they’ve been back for what feels like an eternity. As a middle-of-the-road millennial, my 1980s experience is almost entirely crafted from TV shows, movies and fashion that patchwork the top hits of the decade together. Snowmobile Pizza is the culinary equivalent of Stranger Things, mashing bits and pieces of half-remembered cultural touchstones together to create a fresh experience that is palatable for all—but, you know, with pizza.

Walking into Snowmobile is like stumbling into a DeLorean that transports you back to the ’80s. The Nickelodeon slime–green walls and Barney-purple accents delightfully assault the senses with a nostalgic and gratingly ironic style. You and your homies can find retro Easter eggs in each nook and cranny. My sister and I had our phones ready to snap some great shots of laser-eyed kittens on the ceiling and on the Insta-worthy snowmobiles. Projections of music videos add to the experience, featuring ’80s hits from artists such as Cindy Lauper, Metallica and Van Halen. Since we came early in the evening, we had our pick of the place and took seats on the custom ski lift seating  after ordering at the counter

The Nickelodeon slime–green walls and Barney-purple accents delightfully assault the senses with a nostalgic and gratingly ironic style.

Snowmobile is not a bar (it even has the ubiquitous paper sign on the door to prove it), but it makes some pretty sweet cocktails. I had The Grimace ($7), and it’s straight-up rad, man! A callback to the heyday of the Mcdonald’s characters, this li’l purple brew is a wicked mix of vodka, lime juice, grenadine, blue Powerade and Sprite.

For an appetizer, I tried the Arancini balls ($11). The two golf ball–sized Italian rice balls are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. The peas add a nice sweetness to the dish, while the cherry pepper comes around the back with a subtle kick of heat. The Parmigiano risotto is the undisputed star of the plate, adding a rich and savory flavor.

The Six Wings ($9) we ordered were delightfully crispy and generously coated with either Buffalo, Caesar, Honey BBQ or Calabrian hot sauce. I stuck with the classic Buffalo and loved how tender and juicy they were. The tangy, mild heat serves as a nice contrast to the cooling ranch.

Snowmobile takes it slow with a 72 hour–fermented dough, making for a crispy, New York–style thin crust perfect for folding and munching.

Snowmobile takes it slow with a 72 hour–fermented dough, making for a crispy, New York–style thin crust perfect for folding and munching. I savored The Supreme ($29), featuring a combination of toppings that meld together in perfect harmony of flavors and textures. The pepperoni gives the dish a spicy kick, and the Calabrian sausage and wild mushrooms provide a hearty meatiness. 

My vegan sister was thrilled that Snowmobile is groovin’ toward a plant-forward future by having her New York pie ($21) substituted with a vegan cheese option for an additional charge of one dollar. She quickly proclaimed that Snowmobile produces the best vegan pie she’s had in Utah yet. Their fermented crust stands up to the flames providing a crunchy and chewy base for a generous portion of vegan cheese and herbaceous sauce. Fortunately for her, she had plenty of leftovers from her 18” pie, as the pizzaiolos are unable to provide specialty slices. If you’re not a leftover person, bring your own group of out-of-town visitors to share in the treasure trove of tasty flavor combinations after burning calories on the slopes.

Snowmobile Pizza is located in the up-and-coming Granary district steps away from the 900 S. Trax station. Check out Snowmobile Pizza’s menu at snowmobilepizza.com and on Instagram @snowmobilepizza for nostalgic vibes with a New York flavor.

Read more reviews of local pizza restaurants:
Brick’s Corner: Utah’s Taste of Detroit Style Pizza
Pizza Nono