Detroit’s Doin’ It

Detroit style pizza has been popping up everywhere the last few years, and it's making it seem like this 72 year old pizza style is still just a toddler. There are Detroit style pizzerias in most major cities, lots of home pizza chefs messing with it, and a constant Detroit style stream on social media and here on Forza Pizza. The one above, for example, was recently added to Forza Pizza at Home by Serhan and actually has a Korean accent with grilled bulgogi, bok choy, red onion, and a Sriracha drizzle. Nice huh?

Largely believed to have been created in 1946 at Buddy's Pizzeria, Detroit style pizza is a thicker, pan style pizza similar to Sicilian but softer at the top and middle with a very distinct burnt cheese edge all the way around. The backstory gets even more charming though. In true Motor City fashion, the signature shape and depth of the pizza comes from it being baked in a re-purposed auto parts pan! It was a style of cuisine they used to call factory-to-table... ha, just kidding... they probably just had a lot of these pans laying around and, just like I do with everything, thought "how can I use this for pizza?" And then boom.

Except for some proud Detroiters who feel like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, I don't think anyone is complaining about the proliferation of a "new" pizza style. And while it feels like it's everywhere, the number of pizzerias slinging Motor City squares is still catching up to all the buzz. Those already doing it likely began the process many months ago as it takes time to learn a style, develop a recipe, find a location, and begin educating consumers on something they may not have seen before. And they jumped in early.

That's exciting news for Detroit pizza makers and eaters, as hopefully it is not long until those burnt cheese edges make their way into smaller cities and burbs, delivery services, slice joints, malls, airports, and everywhere we want it! Just give those ambitious pizzeria owners and home pizza chefs a minute to get organized, or beg them to hurry up, and you'll be ordering it in no time.

Then again, you could always just take a trip to Detroit. I hear it's lovely this time of year...