Reviews
By Emma Fingleton at Fordham University
Any self-respecting New Yorker has strong opinions on pizza. Pizza should be sold by slice with a crust that's thin and pliable enough to fold in half while eating. A regular slice is always crust, sauce, cheese, in that order. These were things I always thought were true when it came to pizza, only making exceptions for squishy-crusted square Sicilian slices.
Then I fell in love with the Instagram-iconic Spicy Spring slice from Soho pizzeria Prince Street Pizza. The crispy, golden crust, the fluffy interior beneath a layer of melted mozzarella, the spicy fra diavolo sauce, and of course, THOSE CUPS. I normally never eat pepperoni, but the perfectly curled up, perfectly crispy, sometimes even triple-layered pockets of pepperoni at Prince St Pizza make me forget anything I ever said about the redundancy of pizza toppings.
Lions and Tigers and Squares, Oh My
ANYWAY. Sometimes--ok, always--I am craving a square of greasy perfection and don't feel like going to Soho. Luckily, one of the pizza experts at Artichoke Basille's (whose also-iconic artichoke pizza slice I have only had once!!! It was excellent but just not my pizza preference.) have opened a brand-new Detroit-style pizzeria in Chelsea. Lions and Tigers and Squares, so named for two Detroit sports teams, just opened and is still in its soft opening stage, so make sure to check their Instagram for listed hours if you're reading this in May. Also you can see yours truly's Instagram was reposted by them (flips hair modestly).
All About The Pizza
Okay: the pizza. PHENOMENAL. Baked in personal rectangular pans the size of three conjoined Sicilian slices, the pizza dough is waiting to be be baked behind the glass counter.The basic pizza costs $5, which is an absolute STEAL for three slices of fresh pizza in NYC. Like the pizza at L&B Spumoni Gardens and Prince Street, the pizza sauce at Lions and Tigers and Squares is layered over the cheese to maximize the airiness and crispiness of the crust.Detroit-style pizza is known for its thick, crispy crust that has an almost fried taste and texture due to the oiled pans it's baked in. It's square shaped and tends to have more open-minded toppings than the standard pepperoni and buffalo chicken of New York-style pizza.
Once you order, they'll sprinkle on whatever topping you want, each a couple of dollars extra. I went with pepperoni, of course. The man next to me ordered vodka sauce, which looked amazing and which he raved about to the owner as he left. Other toppings include peppers, black olives, and sausage, and I read on Eater NY that they'll be offering more inventive pies, such as hamburger.
Detroit-Style Pizza in a NYC Pizzeria Set U
The pizzeria itself is your average slice joint: glass counters display the choices, huge ovens line the back wall, and a fridge of drink options sits in the corner. A few chairless high top tables and a counter provide a place for you to scoff down your burning-hot pizza and take a smug Instagram story before you get grease all over your fingers. Motown music played in the background, which I later realized was a tribute to Detroit and provided a fun, laidback atmosphere.
The pizza is available both to stay and to go, and will also be open 24/7 once it's fully open, providing a spot for a late night pick me up or a midafternoon snack. I could eat pizza pretty much any time of the day, so I appreciate this detail.
Go Go Go!
It's convenient to a ton of subway stops, but I would gladly walk out of my way to visit Lions and Tigers and Squares again. I have their vodka pizza on my list and want to see if I can convince them to make my next pizza half-vodka, half-pepperoni. Detroit-style pizza has slowly been grabbing a foothold in the city, with the success of the constantly expanding Emily and Emmy Squared empire (with a new location coming to the East Village soon!). Lions and Tigers and Squares provides a casual entry into the Detroit-pizza style, and at the end of the day, it's really good pizza even a New Yorker can rave about.
FAQs
Detroit-Style Pizza is recognizable by its iconic square shape and crunchy, cheesy corner slices. Influenced by square Sicilian-style pizza, Detroit-Style Pizza consistently impresses pizza lovers due to its unique layering structure and stunning presentation.
Who invented Detroit-style pizza? ›
Detroit-style pizza was invented in 1946 by an Italian immigrant named Gus Guerra, although the exact details are controversial. What can be agreed upon is that Guerra invented the style while trying to add new menu items at his neighborhood bar, Buddy's Rendezvous.
What is Detroit-style pizza trivia? ›
Detroit-style pizza was originally baked in rectangular steel trays designed for use as automotive drip pans or to hold small industrial parts in factories. It was developed during the mid-20th century in Detroit, Michigan, before spreading to other parts of the United States in the 2010s.
What is Detroit-style pizza at Little Caesars? ›
The large, 8-piece Detroit-Style Deep Dish pizza has a crispy-on-the-bottom, soft-and-chewy-on-the-inside crust with crunchy corners and caramelized cheese edges.
Why is artichoke pizza so good? ›
Artichoke Basille's pizza isn't like the pizza from most other pizzerias; it's thicker, flakier, and heavier. Artichoke's slices are more like a meal than most of the traditional variety, but its most memorable difference is texture. Every time you bite into a slice of Artichoke's pizza you hear and feel the crunch.
What is artichoke pizza called? ›
Pizza capricciosa (Italian: [ˈpittsa kapritˈtʃoːza]) is a style of pizza in Italian cuisine prepared with mozzarella cheese, Italian baked ham, mushroom, artichoke and tomato. Types of edible mushrooms used may include cremini (white mushrooms) and others.
What is artichoke pizza? ›
Artichoke pizza is a sheet pan pizza that's topped with sliced mozzarella, dollops of ricotta, garlic oil, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, Pecorino Romano, and just a touch of fresh lemon zest. This recipe provides step-by-step instructions to make your own dough, but you can easily use storebought dough if preferred.
Why pizza is called pizza? ›
Why is it called Pizza? It's widely speculated that pizza came from the Greek word “pitta,” which means “pie” ; however some historians believe that pizza came from the Langobardic word “bizzo,” which means “bite.”
What is Detroit known for? ›
Long known as the automobile capital of the world, Detroit is also famous for its distinctive Motown music sound from the 1960s. Detroit is home to a rich mix of people from various ethnic backgrounds, including citizens of Italian, English, German, Polish, Irish, Mexican, Middle Eastern, African, and Greek descent.
When was pizza invented? ›
Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, between the 16th and mid-18th century. The word pizza was first documented in AD 997 in Gaeta and successively in different parts of Central and Southern Italy. Pizza was mainly eaten in Italy and by emigrants from there.
“Detroit-style pizza was created in 1946 at Buddy's, a neighborhood tavern at the corner of Conant and Six Mile Roads in Detroit. The then owner Gus Guerra, working with his wife Anna, whose mother was Sicilian, brought visionary thinking to his search for a high-sided pizza pan.
What style of pizza is Detroit style? ›
What Are the Defining Characteristics of Detroit-Style Pizza? Detroit-style pizza is a thick, square-cut pizza with a crunchy, fried bottom layer of crust overflowing with delicious melted cheese. Like most rectangular pan pizzas served in America, Detroit-style pizza is a variation of the Sicilian pizza.
What is the meaning of Detroit pizza? ›
Detroit-style Pizza uses Wisconsin brick cheese instead of the traditional mozzarella. The semi-soft cheese is piled all the way to the edges of the pan, where it melts and caramelizes over the edges creating a golden cheesy crust and a gooey melted middle.
What distinguishes Detroit-style pizza? ›
Detroit pizza has a rectangular shape because its cooked in a steel or aluminum pan and has a thick crust that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The toppings are layered in reverse order, with cheese on the bottom and sauce on top.
What is the difference between Detroit-style pizza and regular pizza? ›
A Chicago-style slice is built upon a flaky, thin, deep crust similar to a traditional pie. On the other hand, Detroit-style pizza relies on a thick and fluffy crust reminiscent of focaccia. A Detroit-style crust stands out among other crusts thanks to its airier texture and cheesy, crispy underside.
Is Detroit-style pizza dough different from regular pizza dough? ›
The Crust: Detroit pizzas have a deep crust and the cheese is spread to the very edges of the pan, so the crust gets crispy all around. The dough for Detroit pizza is much wetter than regular pizza dough (think focaccia), and when given appropriate time to rise, the result is a chewy, airy, bubbly crust.
How is Detroit-style pizza different from Chicago-style? ›
Detroit-style and Chicago-style pizza bases are thicker than thin-crust pizza bases, but their crusts are different. The flaky, thin, deep crust of a conventional pie forms the foundation of a Chicago-style slice. On the other hand, Detroit-style pizza features a base with a thick, airy crust akin to focaccia.
