With its rectangular shape, caramelised cheese edges, and sauce-on-top identity, it’s a slice of industrial ingenuity turned culinary icon.
For pizza lovers who like their crusts crisp, their cheese abundant, and their sauce bold — Detroit pizza is an absolute must-try.
- Born in Detroit, Michigan (1946) at Buddy’s Rendezvous (later Buddy’s Pizza).
- Created when Sicilian immigrants adapted their family recipes using automotive parts trays (blue steel pans from Detroit factories) to bake the pizzas.
- That automotive heritage gave Detroit pizza its signature rectangular shape and caramelised crust.
🧾 Key Characteristics
How to spot a true Detroit pizza:
- Shape: Rectangular, not round. Baked in deep, blue steel pans.
- Crust: Thick, airy, and chewy inside; crispy and caramelised edges where the cheese hits the pan.
- Cheese: Traditionally Wisconsin brick cheese, spread right to the edges. Melts into the crust for that iconic “frico” (crispy cheese edge).
- Toppings: Often layered directly onto the dough under the cheese.
- Sauce: Applied last — dolloped or striped on top after baking (“red top” style).
- Height: More substantial than New York or Neapolitan, but lighter and airier than Chicago deep dish.
Sarah Stierch (CC BY 4.0)
🔑 What Makes It Different
- Versus New York: Detroit is thicker, cheesier, and rectangular — designed for sharing rather than folding.
- Versus Chicago Deep Dish: Both are hearty, but Detroit is lighter, less oily, and has that caramelised edge.
- Versus Sicilian: Detroit has roots in Sicilian pizza but takes it further with its signature pans, cheese-to-the-edge method, and sauce on top.
- Versus Neapolitan/New Haven: It’s not about char; it’s about crisp edges and cheesy crust.
👀 What to Look For
- Rectangular slices with crispy, cheesy borders.
- Sauce stripes across the top (sometimes two or three red racing stripes).
- A base that’s golden and fried from the pan oil.
- A light, pillowy interior that contrasts with the crunchy edges.
🌍 Where to Find It
- Detroit: Buddy’s Pizza (the original), Loui’s, Cloverleaf.
- Across the U.S.: Detroit style has exploded nationwide — Pizza Hut even launched its own version in 2021.
- In the UK:
- Four Corners (London) – Widely credited with bringing authentic Detroit pizza to the UK.
- Corner Slice (Coventry) – Artisan Detroit pies with creative toppings.
- Independent pop-ups – Growing trend in Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham.