531. Tivoli’s Pizzeria – October 26, 2021 – Utica, MI

Tivoli’s Pizzeria makes one EXCEPTIONAL pizza pie! I found that out on a Tuesday night in late October, when I met a friend at the Utica-based pizzeria.

Tivoli’s is bringing the ambiance, too. I’d admittedly expected a no-frills interior from this restaurant that’s been around since the mid-’70s. Instead, I walked into a cozy brick-walled dining area decorated with vintage movie posters, black-and-white photos, and glitzy chandeliers. Our table was near the wood-fired pizza oven, a driving force behind Tivoli’s delicious pies.

Pizza is of course the focus of Tivoli’s menu, but it showcases much more than that. There are appetizers such as Bruschetta Caprese and focaccia bread stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and oregano. There are salads, including the classic Antipasto, and sandwiches such as the Meatball Parmigiano and Super Club. Dessert means cannolis and the glorious-sounding Nutella Pizza topped with chocolate-hazelnut spread, powdered sugar, and strawberries or bananas. Beer, wine, Italian sodas, and espresso drinks are also available.

From the non-pizza section of that menu, I chose the House Salad (sans mushrooms). It was loaded with fresh and flavorful ingredients: mixed greens tossed with tomato, red onion, roasted red pepper, green olives, and a house-made Italian vinaigrette.

Pondering the pizza offerings was a more laborious task. Tivoli’s offers many enticing options, from the iconic Margherita to the Pig & Pineapple (featuring both bacon and ham for the pig component) to the Sfiziosa topped with arugula, ham, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pizzas are available as wood-fired rounds (12-inch size only); Chicago-style; squares; and as what Tivoli’s characterizes as the New York Round.

Ultimately, it was the Lorenzo Special wood-fired pie that won out for my friend and me. Slathered with pesto, topped with grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, it was an absolute DREAM! Irresistibly rich and brimming with flavor, it was the kind of pizza pie I could sit and eat slice after slice of – until the entire thing was gone.

I reined myself in that night at Tivoli’s, though. There were leftover slices of that Lorenzo Special, which my friend graciously offered to me. Lucky me: I was able to enjoy Tivoli’s for another day!

45257 Van Dyke Ave.

Utica, MI 48317

www.tivolispizzeria.com

523. PizzaPlex – September 19, 2021 – Detroit, MI

Is there anything better than a summer’s day in Detroit? I think not – especially when it’s spent on PizzaPlex’s patio, enjoying one of its INCREDIBLE pies!

The pizzeria is located in Southwest Detroit, in delightful proximity to Clark Park, El Club, and Mexicantown Bakery. Besides that of being located in one of my favorite Detroit neighborhoods, it holds an honorable distinction: it’s a certified maker of authentic Neapolitan pizza. This accreditation is awarded by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, an organization dedicated to preserving the method of pizza-making that originated in Naples, Italy.

It’s a big deal to be certified by the AVPN, which has specific rules around what constitutes a true Neapolitan pie; see its regulations around everything from cooking temperature to dough thickness to how peeled tomatoes are crushed (by hand). There are fewer than 900 AVPN-certified pizzerias in the world, according to Pizza Plex’s most recent newsletter – and only two in Michigan.

Such a certification means nothing if the taste isn’t there. But I’m here to tell you that the taste is wholly present at PizzaPlex!

I was in the mood for an outdoor lunch on the day of my visit. So I sat at a table in PizzaPlex’s backyard seating area: a delightful little hideaway. There I listened to the breeze rustle branches while admiring a mural featuring monarch butterflies and vibrant swirls of color.

I decided to forego a drink but admired PizzaPlex’s collection of beers, craft cocktails, digestifs, and Italian wines. I started instead with its side salad, a super-fresh mix of greens and cherry tomatoes drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and deliciously pungent Parmigiano.

Then came my pie: a Margherita. PizzaPlex’s rendition of the classic pie was phenomenal. Its fresh basil leaves, tomato sauce, drizzles of olive oil, and ample chunks of mozzarella had the pizza bursting with flavor. But the real showstopper was the crust.

I’m not typically a pizza-crust person. I eat it, but it’s not why I’m there. When it comes to PizzaPlex’s pie, though, I’m most decidedly a crust person! It has to be the best I’ve ever eaten.

This Margherita’s dough was fire-kissed on the outside, yet so sumptuously doughy and chewy. It’s hard to put into words how something so seemingly simple could taste so wonderful; it begs to be experienced. The Neapolitan spirit was in full force in this pizza dough!

Another element of PizzaPlex where that Neapolitan spirit is fully alive is in its pay-it-forward program – sospeso, as it’s called in Naples. It allows patrons to pre-purchase meals for future guests. What a win-win it is to visit PizzaPlex when you can allow both yourself and a fellow human to enjoy its delicious pies!

4458 W. Vernor Hwy.

Detroit, MI 48209

www.pizzaplex.com

505. 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro – March 30, 2021 – Shelby Township, MI

March 30, 2021 was momentous for me. Not only was it the day I visited Yell Sweets bakery, it was also the day I visited 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro . . . AND dined inside a restaurant for the FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR!!!

For someone who adores restaurants – especially locally-owned ones (hence, this blog), this milestone in the topsy-turvy pandemic voyage was a BIG deal. Being fully vaccinated gave me the confidence to eat inside restaurants again, and I was READY.

Driving to the restaurant on that fateful day, my stomach was aflutter with nerves as if I were going on a first date! And in a way, I was: it was my first date back with the indoor-dining experience.

Sitting down at a table inside 900 Degrees and taking off my mask was the oddest sensation. It all felt so wrong: to be sitting there with the air kissing my face, conversing with the masked server while I was sans face covering. I’ll never forget that initial mix of disconcertment and excitement.

It felt very full-circle to have my first meal back be with the same person I’d last dined indoors with: my friend Jessica (our visit to Guiseppe’s in Chesterfield was two days after the first recorded COVID-19 case in Michigan and four days before my personal lockdown began).

Once Jessica arrived at 900 Degrees and I started sipping my drink, I relaxed into the experience. By the end of our dinner, it felt totally normal to be doing this once-normal thing that had been made foreign by very unnormal circumstances.

This meal at 900 Degrees was everything I’d hoped it would be! It started off with a shared Caprese, which was excellent with its fresh mozzarella and flavorful tomatoes and basil. Then I had the very fresh, very tasty house salad. My entree was the Pappardelle al Ragù di Agnello, a delicious melding of thick egg noodles and tomato sauce rich with ground lamb and flavor. My meal finished with a delectably creamy tiramisu.

Seeing lamb ragu on 900 Degrees’ menu made my entree choice an easy one – it’s one of my go-to dishes. But as I review the menu, I’m reminded of how many enticing choices the Italian bistro has. Its specialty is pizzas cooked in its wood-fired oven, and the menu reflects that: there are 20 different types of pizza on the current menu. Choices range from Pesto to Calzone to Fig & Pig (a tantalizing mix of mozzarella, burrata, prosciutto, fig jam, and crushed walnuts). The menu also boasts hefty pasta and meat-centric sections, featuring dishes such as Lasagna al Forno, Lobster Ravioli, Branzino alla Griglia (grilled sea bass), and Vitello Saltimbocca (veal layered with prosciutto, sage, and white wine sauce).

As I drove home from dinner that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about how special that meal at 900 Degrees Pizzeria Bistro felt. I told myself, “I never want to forget this feeling!” And I haven’t. That first night back inside restaurants reminded me that having the ability to dine out is truly a privilege. I don’t want to take that privilege – or the fact that I’m still here – for granted.

50925 Hayes Rd.

Shelby Twp., MI 48315

www.900pizzeria.com

473. King’s Pizza – May 8, 2020 – Clinton Township, MI

My visit to King’s Pizza was 25 years in the making.

I’d wanted to try the pizza from this Clinton Township-based carryout joint since I was a kid and we started receiving flyers in the mail for it. The pies in the pictures on the flyers always looked so delectably cheesy. My mother, despite my appeals, was not interested in giving King’s Pizza a whirl. My childhood dream was deferred.

In recent years, the dream was revived. Passing its storefront periodically on 15 Mile Road, I mused that King’s Pizza would be a perfect candidate for a 100 Places in the D visit, since it’s locally owned.

With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the restaurant business and the world in general, I hadn’t tried any new-to-me places since my March 12 visit to Guiseppe’s Restaurant in Chesterfield. I did some pretty hardcore sheltering-in-place at the start of the stay-at-home mandate period, not driving anywhere for four weeks straight. Then when I did go out, it was to grocery stores, where I stocked up on wayyyy too much food. I wanted to support local restaurants that were open for carryout and delivery – but first, I had to eat up all my groceries!

My current goal is to try a new-to-me restaurant once a week on average. I want to support locally-owned restaurants and do my part to help keep them open. While one person getting carryout once a week from local chains is a tiny action in itself, hopefully if those of us who are able to do so chip in in this manner, we can make a difference in helping keep beloved restaurants open.

King’s Pizza made it easy for me to do my part. It offers delivery, but I wanted to (safely) pick up the pizza in person so it would count as a “visit” for the blog. So I opted for carryout and picked up my pizzas via a drive-through window that’s been set up for carryout orders. It was really easy and made contact minimal.

King’s offers both build-your-own and signature pizza options, plus a food menu filled with all other manner of goodies: chicken, ribs, fish and chips, cheesy breadsticks, pasta, salads, subs, and more. Who needs extra-large grocery orders when you have access to such a bountiful menu?

Pondering my order from King’s, that round cheese pizza featured so enticingly in many an advertising flyer was a no-brainer. I ordered a large one, plus a small round of one of its specialty pizzas that captured my attention, the Chicken Mediterranean.

When I arrived home with my two pizzas after driving through a freakish snow flurry (because snow-in-May is the kind of world we are living in right now???), I was soooo excited to try them. It was the MOMENT OF TRUTH!

I grabbed a slice of the cheese pizza, took a bite, and . . . it tasted like cheese pizza. LOL. I don’t know what I was expecting, but after 25 years of fantasizing about what a pizza tastes like, you’ve built up a lot of hype. It was good cheese pizza, though!

The Chicken Mediterranean was fantastic. It was bringing the flavor with its cheesy mozzarella, savory chicken, salty feta, zesty red onion and banana peppers, dash of oregano, and drizzle of olive oil.

After gorging on multiple pieces of both pies, I still had plenty of leftovers. And here’s the interesting thing I learned about that King’s cheese pizza: it was excellent reheated. Maybe it wasn’t warm enough when I had it on my first go-around (it did have to travel and endure me taking multiple photos of it before eating it), but having it piping-hot out of the oven with its gooey cheese and its excellent crust, all well-done on the outside yet delectably doughy on the inside . . . well, that satisfied my 1990s-era dream of an epic Italian pie just fine.

20571 15 Mile Rd.

Clinton Twp., MI 48035

(with an additional location in Roseville)

www.kingspizza.com

453. 313 Pizza Bar – December 28, 2019 – Lake Orion, MI

Detroit-style pizza = my heart. I love that doughy, crispy, greasy, cheesy, saucy stuff! So of course I had to visit the recently opened 313 Pizza Bar in downtown Lake Orion.

Full disclosure: I’m related to one of the owners of this place. But familial bias aside, my conclusion after my visit is that 313 Pizza Bar is proffering up some very tasty pizza!

The restaurant is in downtown Lake Orion, on the site of the former Lockhart’s BBQ. The building is bringing the industrial vibes, all brick walls and bare-bulb lighting and exposed ductwork. There’s a cozy bar area on the first floor, with strands of twinkle lights strung above it. During my visit, I sat in the second-floor dining area, which has its own bar area and a wall of windows offering views of the cityscape outside.

Besides offering signature and build-your-own pizza options, 313 Pizza Bar serves appetizers such as bruschetta, cheese bread, and meatballs, plus hearty sandwiches (here’s looking at you, Muffuletta and Philly Cheesesteak!) and salads (so you can counterbalance the doughy, crispy, greasy, cheesy, saucy aspect of the meal with some greens).

While the appetizers and sandwiches sounded appealing, I was at 313 Pizza Bar for its namesake dish, so I zeroed in on that Signature Pizzas section. Many intriguing choices were showcased there: see the Spicy Sausage and Peppers with its mix of hot Italian sausage, banana peppers, green peppers, and red onion and the Tangy BBQ Chicken with its Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce – both prime options for revisit meals for me. But it was the Chicken Pesto pizza that captured our collective attention during this meal, along with individually-sized salads (the Green Garden for me, the Antipasto for my fellow diners).

Our salads came out quickly, beds of greens loaded up with ingredients. The Antipasto salad was especially stacked with goodies: salami and ham and cheese and chickpeas, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes and cucumber and black olives and banana peppers. I enjoyed my Green Garden salad with its crispy croutons and spicy banana peppers.

Then it was on to the main course! The Chicken Pesto pizza arrived in all of its cheesy, crispy-crusted glory. The large-sized pizza contained eight pieces and was essentially two, four-slice pizzas, meaning that every piece was one of the much-beloved corner pieces (WOO-HOO!).

With its crust that was both doughy and crispy (YEAH, Detroit-style pizza!), its flavorful pesto sauce and thick layer of mozzarella cheese studded with chunks of chicken breast and fresh garlic dusted in Parmesan and pecorino romano, this Chicken Pesto pizza was delicious! I savored several pieces of it, gorging on its rich, carb-and-dairy-laden goodness.

Oh, Detroit-style pizza, how you sustain me during these stark winter days! Thank you, 313 Pizza Bar, for being a purveyor of this much-beloved local delicacy!

37 E. Flint St.

Lake Orion, MI 48362

www.313pizza-bar.com

 

402. Grandma Bob’s – March 28, 2019 – Detroit, MI

Grandma Bob’s is serving up some delicious pizza in the D!

This I discovered on a Thursday night in late March, after happy-hour drinks with a friend at beloved 100 Places in the D alumni member Two James Spirits. Starving after our adult-beverage imbibing, we continued the revelry at the then newly-opened Corktown-based pizzeria.

Is there any food that tastes better after you’ve had a few drinks than pizza? Of course, pizza tastes just as amazing stone-cold-sober as it does when you’re tipsy, but you know what I mean. We had worked up an appetite and were excited to taste-test Grandma Bob’s wares.

Walking into Grandma Bob’s, I admired its fun, funky vibe. Bare lightbulbs hung amidst a tangle of cording from the ceiling. The walls were dark, and the prominent artwork they showcased was a striking ceramic-tile mural of a piece of pizza. A bar along one wall provided seat options, as did long communal tables.

At the time of our visit, the pizzeria had some intriguing choices on its menu, including a Coney pizza loaded with all of the fixings of the iconic hot dog (the chili, the mustard, the onions, the hot dog itself – you name it!) and the Pear + Fig pie with its slices of pear, dried figs, honey, walnuts, blue cheese, and basil.

Usually I love to try a pizza loaded with intriguing topping options. Why wasn’t I going for Grandma Bob’s Taco pie with its roasted corn, jalapeños, onion, chorizo, radish, crushed corn chips, cilantro, and lime? For whatever reason, I was in a no-frills mood, and the classic Cheese pizza with its mozzarella, red sauce, and shredded basil was calling my name, so I heeded the call.

My friend went simple, too, opting for the Pepperoni pizza. We ordered at the counter at the front of Grandma Bob’s, procuring a round of drinks, as well; I enjoyed one of the bar’s tasty craft cocktails – though 4.5 months later, I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called or what it contained (here’s to taking real notes going forward instead of mental notes – and to catching up on the blog so I’m posting in real time!).

Our food came out promptly, and THESE PIZZAS, you guys. They were paragons of fresh, cheesy goodness!

Grandma Bob’s cheese pizza was a reminder of what cheese pizza should taste like: so richly flavorful, making my taste buds go “WOW!!!” Who needs all of the extra toppings when you’ve got cheese pizza like that to eat? It was seriously phenomenal.

My friend felt the same way about the pizza she ordered, that it was more flavorfully nuanced than your typical pepperoni pie. It had honey drizzled over it, giving it a subtle sweetness that she enjoyed.

I ate every slice of the twelve-inch round I ordered but one, opting to take it home so I could savor it later. I left Grandma Bob’s feeling full and satisfied, excited to have discovered yet another awesome locally-owned establishment in Detroit (the city is positively brimming with ’em!).

2135 Michigan Ave.

Detroit, MI 48216

www.grandmabobs.com

370. Crispelli’s – October 10, 2018 – Berkley, MI

The pizza drew me to Crispelli’s of Berkley, but what captured my heart was its salad.

The heart-capturing was specifically carried out by Crispelli’s Mediterranean salad, with its wonderfully zesty lemon-oregano dressing and super-fresh-tasting ingredients: crisp mixed greens and cucumber; marinated red onion; vibrant beets; briny Kalamata olives; creamy chunks of feta; and crunchy toasted breadstick.

This Mediterranean salad is LIIIFFEEE, my friends. I got the side-salad version of it, which was hearty for its size; entrée and family-sized versions are also available. In my humble opinion, it would 100 percent not be a mistake to come to this pizzeria and order that salad as your entrée. And that’s saying a lot, because I love me some pizza.

And Crispelli’s, the local pizza purveyor with additional locations in Troy and West Bloomfield (and a bakery, Bread by Crispelli’s, in Royal Oak), is known for its pizza. It’s kind of a big deal around these parts, so it’s crazy to me that it took me over 4.5 years of blogging at 100 Places in the D to finally sample its wares. The Red Pie pizza I  ordered, with its chunks of fresh mozzarella, sausage, caramelized onion, and Detroit-style deep-dish crust (patrons are given a choice between that and thin crust), was good. But I’m telling ya, that salad!

Aesthetics-wise, I enjoyed the mish-mash of ambiance at the Berkley location of Crispelli’s. The front part is casual: an order-at-the-counter dining hall-type set up. The back area is fancier, with a bar and servers to attend to guests, and there are patio areas where you can receive sit-down service, as well. I enjoyed sitting on the front patio in what was presumably my last outdoor dining experience of the year (R.I.P. ’til 2019, patio season!).

28939 Woodward Ave.

Berkley, MI 48072

www.crispellis.com

368. Loui’s Pizza – October 6, 2018 – Hazel Park, MI

Loui’s Pizza: I’m OBSESSED!!!!

The last-but-most-certainly-not-least of the five new places I visited on my 34th birthday, the Hazel Park-based pizzeria majorly exceeded my expectations, even dethroning Buddy’s Pizza as my favorite local pizza purveyor, which is a VERY BIG DEAL.

I actually feel sacrilegious saying I like Loui’s Pizza better than Buddy’s, because Buddy’s is a part of the family mythology on my mother’s side. My great-grandma made the sauce at the original, still-open location at Six Mile and Conant in Detroit. Buddy’s Pizza is sort of in our DNA – or at the very least, our go-to main course for family celebrations. But MAN, is Loui’s Pizza good!

The pizzeria was PACKED when my mom, stepdad, and I arrived around 7:30 on that rainy Saturday evening. Its cheery red interior felt homey and welcoming with its ceilings hung with twinkle lights and multitude of empty wine bottles signed by patrons; it vibrated with good energy. Loui’s cozy-retro confines felt like the warmth of a beloved grandparent’s hug: safe and secure and reassuring.

Our server was prompt and friendly. While we waited for our pizza, we shared an individual-sized antipasto salad. I’m generally not one for antipasto salads, but this one impressed me: it was fresh and flavorful, with chunks of ham in addition to the salami and a tasty dressing.

And then, it was the moment of truth: our pizza arrived. I bit into my first slice of sausage-and-onion-topped pie, and O.M.G.

Loui’s pizza may be the best pizza I have ever eaten; it’s certainly the best pizza I can recall eating. The cheese was rich, plentiful, and flavorful. The edges of the crust were crispy, greasy deliciousness. The bottom part of the crust was not super well-done, allowing us to taste its doughiness – which we enjoyed, because it was wonderful tasting. The sauce was not as plentiful as Buddy’s, and also not as strongly flavored, and we liked that.

We all agreed: this iteration of Detroit-style pizza was better than Buddy’s, however awkward that was to admit in the face of our family mythology (sorry, Buddy’s – we still love you!).

The gloriousness of Loui’s pizza continued for me with the two leftover slices I took home along with a portion of cheesy breadsticks my mom had ordered to-go because they’d taunted us from a nearby table. How good those were, too! They were loaded with that rich, flavorful cheese.

Two weeks later, I’m still dreaming of Loui’s and its epic pizza and breadsticks. I want to hole up within its cozy interior and get some of that cheesy, greasy, doughy perfection back into my belly!

Worth noting: Loui’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

23141 Dequindre Rd.

Hazel Park, MI 48030

90. MiChigo Pizza – December 19, 2014 – Ferndale, MI

Mmmmm…cheesy goodness…. The Mrs. Robinson’s Motown Classic personal deep-dish pizza.

I’ve been wanting to try this place for months now. MiChigo offers Chicago-style, specialty deep-dish pizzas. Check out the adorably tiny personal deep-dish pizza I got. I absolutely devoured it.

255. W. Nine Mile Rd.

Ferndale, MI 48220

www.michigopizza.com