Pizza 51

22-year neighborhood pizzeria at 51st and Oak in a converted gas station; opened 2004 by a family-tier operator; expanded to Olathe 2025.

Description

Pizza 51 opened on September 15, 2004 at the corner of 51st and Oak in Kansas City, Missouri — in a converted old gas station that became the operation’s signature address. Family-tier owner-operated; 22 years of continuous operation; recently expanded to a second location in Olathe, Kansas in June 2025.¹²

The defining characteristic: neighborhood pizzeria. Not a chef-driven concept (Il Lazzarone), not a multi-decade institution (Leo’s), not a multi-location chain (Minsky’s). Pizza 51 occupies the “corner shop where a converted gas station became a neighborhood operation that lasted long enough to open a second location only after two decades” position.

The Highway Special (everything-on-it KC tradition) is the test pie. The Olathe expansion in 2025 is the result of staying + earning the customer base, not the result of strategy. Pizza 51 is the place that pizzerias hope to become.

Tier classification

Tier 1 — Family-tier KC-operator neighborhood pizzeria.

Criterion match: independent (not chain; not corporate); family-tier owner-operated; 22-year continuous operation; neighborhood-anchored (51st & Oak); recent expansion under same ownership.

Menu

Last verified: 2026-06-16 · Source: official site (Midtown KC PDF menu, 5060 Oak St location) · URL: https://www.pizza51.com/ · Confidence: High³

House style: hand-tossed, build-your-own pizza in four sizes — slice, 14” (serves 2–3), 18” (serves 3–5), 26” (serves 6–8) — plus a 7” gluten-free personal pie. Cheese pizza runs $5.51 (slice) to $36.99 (26”); additional toppings $0.95–$5.51 by size.

Specialty Pizzas

• Highway Special — pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, black olives (the house signature / everything-on-it pie)
• Cowtown Lovers — pepperoni, sausage, beef, Canadian bacon, romano cheese
• Veggie Delight — black olives, mushrooms, broccoli, green peppers, spinach
• Specialty sizes: slice $8.51 / 14” $25.51 / 18” $31.99 / 26” $55.51

Toppings

Meats: bacon, beef, Canadian bacon, chicken, Italian sausage, pepperoni. Cheeses: cream cheese, feta, ricotta, romano. Veggies: artichoke hearts, broccoli, black olives, roasted garlic, green olives, green peppers, jalapeños, mushrooms, onions, pepperoncini, pineapple, roma tomatoes, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes. Custom Slice — any five toppings $8.51.

Calzones

• Mozzarella and ricotta calzone — $10.99 (hand-tossed; additional toppings $0.95)

Sandwiches or Wraps

Lettuce, onion, tomato, choice of Swiss/American/provolone; served with chips and a pickle spear, warm or cold.

• Ham — $8.51 · Turkey — $9.51 · Roast Beef — $9.51 · G3 (ham, turkey, roast beef) — $9.99 · Meatball — $7.99 · Italian Sub — $9.51 · Chicken Sub — $7.51

Salads

• Garden Salad — $5.99 — lettuce, onions, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, tomatoes, mozzarella, croutons
• Side Salad — $3.99 — same toppings, smaller
• Caesar Salad — $5.99 — romaine, parmesan, croutons
• Spring Salad — $5.99 — mixed greens, feta, roma tomatoes, mushrooms, croutons
• Add chicken to any salad — $1.51

Appetizers

• Breadsticks — $3.75 (add garlic or mozzarella $1.51 each; both $2.51)
• Toasted ravioli — $5.25
• Wings — 6 / $9 · 12 / $18 · 24 / $35

Soup of the Day

• Bowl — $4.25 (with a side of plain breadsticks $5.75)

Greek touches: feta appears on the Spring Salad and as a topping option; no dedicated Greek/gyro menu section. Menu reflects the Midtown KC (5060 Oak St) location; the Olathe location publishes a separate menu.

Sources

• Status verified active 2026-06-23 via Yelp — Pizza 51 (updated April 2026) and official site (accessed 2026-06-23).

Footnotes

1. Pizza 51 official site. https://www.pizza51.com/. Source for September 15, 2004 founding; corner of 51st and Oak; converted gas station origin. ↩

2. Johnson County Post — “Kansas City-based Pizza 51 opens this week in Olathe.” Published 2025-06-24. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2025/06/24/pizza-51-olathe-open-262503/. Source for June 2025 Olathe expansion. ↩

3. Pizza 51 official site — Midtown KC menu (5060 Oak St). https://www.pizza51.com/ (links to “Midtown KC Pizza 51 Menu” PDF). Accessed 2026-06-16. Source for all menu items, sizes, and prices: hand-tossed crust + 7” gluten-free; specialty pizzas (Highway Special, Cowtown Lovers, Veggie Delight); calzones; sandwiches/wraps; salads; appetizers/wings; soup of the day. ↩