This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

a family-owned, AVPN-certified authentic Neapolitan pizzeria in Kansas City’s River Market. Chef/owner Erik Borger (a New York City native) opened the first location in St. Joseph, MO in 2014 and the River Market location in March 2015, earning official Verace Pizza Napoletana certification for strict adherence to Neapolitan tradition. Tier 1 (independent, chef-owner-operated).

Description

Il Lazzarone is a family-owned, AVPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria in Kansas City’s historic River Market at 412 Delaware St, Ste A.12 It serves wood-fired pizzas made to strict Verace Pizza Napoletana standards — soft, chewy centers and leopard-spotted crusts from a blazing oven — alongside a full bar with craft beer and Italian wine.32

Founder and chef-owner Erik Borger, who grew up in New York City obsessed with pizza, fell for Neapolitan pies at Motorino in the East Village and took a 6,000-mile road trip to 23 Neapolitan pizzerias before opening his own.3 He opened the first Il Lazzarone in St. Joseph, MO in March 2014 (1628 Frederick Ave) and the River Market location on March 1, 2015.32 Both carry official AVPN certification, verifiable in the association’s member registry.41

Ownership and history

Ownership timeline

PeriodOwner / OperatorNotes
2014 → presentErik Borger (independent, family-owned)Founded St. Joseph 2014, River Market 2015; both AVPN-certified.23

AVPN certification

At opening, the St. Joseph location was reported as the only AVPN-certified pizzeria in Missouri and one of roughly 11 in the Midwest.3 The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana member registry lists both locations as Pizzeria Associata AVPN — St. Joseph (member since 2014) and River Market (member since 2016).41

Borger also founded Pizza Tascio, a New York-style concept that he brought to North Kansas City in January 2022; the concept later expanded under additional operators (Borger founded it but may no longer be its sole operator).5

Sources

Disputes

(None active.)

Footnotes

  1. AVPN member registry — Il Lazzarone (River Market), member #598. https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en/associati/548-il_lazzarone — asserts: AVPN-associated pizzeria; 412 Delaware St, Ste A, Kansas City, MO 64105; membership dated 2016. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Il Lazzarone — official site. https://illazzarone.org — asserts: family-owned Neapolitan pizzeria; St. Joseph opened March 2014 (Frederick Ave); River Market opened March 2015; “THE BAR” program. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  3. Feast Magazine — “Chef Erik Borger on How He Fell in Love with Neapolitan Pizza.” https://www.feastmagazine.com/travel/columbia/chef-erik-borger-on-how-he-fell-in-love-with-neapolitan-pizza/article_f8460434-bdf8-11e4-abc3-df6faa6ef172.html — asserts: Borger born/raised in NYC; River Market opened March 1, 2015; St. Joseph was Missouri’s only AVPN pizzeria / one of ~11 in the Midwest; menu of ~20 Italian wines + ~30 craft beers (2015 figures). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. AVPN member registry — Il Lazzarone (St. Joseph), member #506. https://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en/associati/456-il_lazzarone — asserts: AVPN-associated pizzeria; 1628 Frederick Ave, St. Joseph, MO 64501; membership dated 2014. ↩ ↩2

  5. Startland News — “Pizza Tascio.” https://startlandnews.com/2024/03/pizza-tascio/; Johnson County Post (2022) https://johnsoncountypost.com/2022/07/28/pizza-tascio-overland-park-150210/ — asserts: Borger founded Pizza Tascio (NY-style), brought it to North KC Jan 2022; concept later expanded under additional operators. ↩

See also

Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Pizza
  • River Market