We discovered Detroit Style pizza a couple of years back and have been excited watching places like Melt Pizza, hit the scene with this delicious deep-dish style pizzas! When asked, Melt Pizza shares this definition of Detroit Style pizza:

“Detroit Style Pizza is a style unlike most and often mistaken for Deep Dish. Unlike a Chicago Deep Dish, our crust is incredibly light and airy with a significant crunchy bottom thanks to our multi-day dough fermentation process. Wisconsin Cheese is piled high to the edges and caramelized when baked in their signature pans creating a crunchy, chewy “wall” for a crust. It is often compared to a focaccia-like consistency, meant to hold up to the bold toppings. Our pizzas range from classic combinations to experimental and fusion, showcasing anything and everything in between.”

They started out as a “ghost kitchen” doing pop-ups around the Twin Cities before landing their spot in downtown Stillwater late last year. (You might recognize this space to be the old Lolito, but don’t worry, they just moved a little farther south on Main Street.)

I am sure I have mentioned before how I like to start my experiences off with a cocktail and this Jive Turkey did not disappoint. As you can see, they have a few creative options that all would have made nice compliments to any of their pizzas. They have a full bar (which is gorgeous and you can sit at if you like that view!) and a bunch of great local beer options, including Oliphant which we hardly ever see on beer menus.

We chose this spot for a couple of reasons, our love of this type of Pizza, but more importantly, to celebrate our youngest turning 20! Oof. I am no longer the mother of teenagers 🥲 He ordered himself a fancy mocktail to celebrate with us 🥳

Our first Pizza choice was their special, Flyboy and it was delicious! Yes, that is fried chicken and that spicy ranch gave it a nice kick!

They have a pretty big menu, we wanted to try the Lumpias (filipino egg rolls) but they were out of those that night, so we got an extra pizza instead. (If you know my kid, he can easily eat one of these on his own and is always thinking about leftovers!)

The next two pizzas we got were the Dream Team (Red sauce, Pepperoni, Ricotta, Basil, Hot Honey) and the Funkytown (Garlic Confit Cream, Sausage, Spinach, Onion, Mushroom, Pecorino) and both were perfect! My favorite was the Dream Team, as I love Ricotta and that Hot Honey was a nice sweet & spicy surprise.

They really had this style of pizza down, that crust was a perfect combo of cheesy crunch and plenty of toppings did not damper that. We’ve been making our own at home for a bit and my crust does not turn out this good. More practice!

The picture above is of their banquet space on the upper level. Would be a great place to host an event! And in case you are wondering, yes, they still have the Photo Booth and they moved it to the first floor, just before the staircase that leads to the restrooms and upper level space. Learn more HERE!

Another local favorite, serving up square pies around the Twin Cities is Wrecktangle Pizza. Highly recommend checking them out as well! EDIT: There is another new Detroit Style pizza place in town that is also a brewpub! It’s called Bricksworth Beer Co. and you can check them out here!

Not as pretty or delicious as Melt Pizza, but the pictures above are some I took of our Detroit Style pizzas at home. We haven’t ventured away from the traditional all Pepperoni yet, but after visiting Melt, we are now inspired to mix it up a bit!

This is the video I came across one day that inspired us to try making this style of pizza at home. And here is a link to the pan we ordered that is perfect for making Detroit Style pizzas! We also got ourselves a special Chicago Style Pizza pan and enjoy making those as well, inspired by this video by Chef John!

Hope you get a chance to visit Melt Pizza and if so, let me know how you liked it!

Until next time, May bucket list stop is still being decided…

~Shawn

*Please note that I am not a professional restaurant reviewer. While I am knowledgeable about food and dining, my opinions are based on personal experiences and preferences, and may not reflect the opinions of others or professional food critics. My reviews are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice or judgment. I encourage you to conduct your own research and make your own informed decisions before choosing a restaurant or dining experience. Thank you for following along!