Slice of Home

How One Family Brought a Bay Area Classic to Franklin

On any given afternoon in downtown Franklin, just steps from the Harpeth River, the doors of Slice House open to a steady rhythm—families stopping in after school, friends lingering over lunch and children choosing their slice from behind the glass. It feels like it has always belonged. But for the Ichien family, Slice House represents something far more personal: a vision shaped by family, experience and the place they now call home.

For Mallory and Tyler Ichien, the story begins in San Francisco’s North Beach, where visits to Tony’s Pizza Napoletana left a lasting impression. With Mallory’s brother once living on the same street, it became a familiar part of their Bay Area backdrop and instilled an appreciation for pizza rooted in tradition and craft.

Years later, Mallory and Tyler chose Franklin, Tennessee, to raise their three children—Kyla, Kenley, and Lawson—drawn by its character and strong sense of community. Not long after, Mallory’s parents followed.

It was her father, Del, who first saw the opportunity. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a longtime interest in the pizzeria business, he shared a simple idea: Franklin needed a slice house. With Del helping shape the business vision, that idea steadily became reality.

A pivotal moment came when Mallory’s cousin, Justin Barozza, an accomplished California chef, relocated to Franklin with his wife, Tracy, and their two daughters to join the venture and help bring the restaurant to life. He played an integral role in opening Slice House Franklin and now serves as Head Chef and General Manager, continuing to guide both its daily operations and future growth.

After years of planning, Slice House Franklin opened in April 2025 along the river in the heart of downtown.

Slice House remains, at its core, a family endeavor. Their oldest daughter, Kyla, works at the restaurant, gaining firsthand experience. Even the menu reflects their story: the LawDog, a specialty pizza created exclusively for Franklin, is named after their son, Lawson.

What began as “Papa” Del’s vision has grown into a multi-generational effort rooted in shared purpose.

For the Ichien family, Slice House represents more than a restaurant—it represents building something lasting in the community where their children are growing up.

With plans to expand to additional locations in the coming years, Franklin will always remain the heart of where it began—on the banks of the Harpeth, where family and tradition came together, one slice at a time.

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98 E. Main Street, Franklin

615.721.7422

@slicehousetn