Quick answer
Detroit isn't just a pizza city — it's THE pizza city that invented its own style. From the original 1946 Buddy's to Bangladeshi-fusion ghost pepper pies, this guide covers 10 of the best pizza spots in the Detroit metro, with prices ranging from $8 to $28 per pizza.
- Best overall
- Loui's Pizza — #1 in Midwest per Yelp, #1 per Metro Times
- Price range
- $8 – $28 per pizza
- Top pick
- Loui's Pizza — $$ — 4.6★ (4,426 reviews)
- Must-try
- Classic Detroit-style deep dish with caramelized cheese edges
Top verdicts
- Buddy's Pizza: The birthplace of Detroit-style pizza since 1946.
- Loui's Pizza: #1 Detroit-style pizza per Metro Times and Yelp Midwest rankings.
- Michigan & Trumbull: The modern face of Detroit-style with the highest Google rating.
Detroit isn't just a pizza city — it's THE pizza city that invented its own style. The city's signature square deep-dish pizza, baked in blue steel auto-industry pans with Wisconsin brick cheese that caramelizes into crispy, lacy edges, has become one of America's most celebrated regional food traditions.
Born in 1946 at Buddy's Rendezvous Pizzeria, Detroit-style pizza uses a thick, airy focaccia-like crust pressed into rectangular pans, loaded with cheese spread edge-to-edge (creating those famous crispy cheese crowns), and finished with racing stripes of tangy tomato sauce on top. It's the inverse of most pizzas — and it works brilliantly.
But Detroit's pizza scene goes far beyond its signature style. You'll find Neapolitan pies with VPN certification, coal-fired New Haven-style apizza, Bangladeshi-fusion ghost pepper pies, and creative modern takes on the classic square. From the original 1946 Buddy's to 2020s newcomers like Michigan & Trumbull, this guide covers the full spectrum.
We analyzed hundreds of Reddit posts across r/Detroit, r/pizza, r/fooddetroit, and local food forums, cross-referencing with critic rankings from Metro Times, Detroit News, Eater Detroit, and Tasting Table to build this guide.
Pizza Map
How we built this list
We analyzed 150+ Reddit posts and 1,500+ comments across r/Detroit, r/pizza, r/fooddetroit, and r/Michigan, cross-referencing with rankings from Metro Times, Tasting Table, Visit Detroit, Eater, and GQ. Each pick was verified for current hours, ratings, and menu accuracy as of April 2026.
All 10 Spots at a Glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Rating | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Buddy's Pizza | Detroit-Style | $$ | 4.6★ | East Side Detroit |
| #2 | Loui's Pizza | Detroit-Style | $$ | 4.6★ | Hazel Park |
| #3 | Michigan & Trumbull | Detroit-Style | $$ | 4.8★ | New Center |
| #4 | Supino Pizzeria | Neapolitan | $$ | 4.6★ | Eastern Market |
| #5 | Grandma Bob's | Detroit-Style | $$ | 4.6★ | Corktown |
| #6 | Cloverleaf Pizza | Detroit-Style | $ | 4.2★ | Eastpointe |
| #7 | Amar Pizza | Fusion | $ | 4.4★ | Hamtramck |
| #8 | Tomatoes Apizza | New Haven-Style | $$ | 4.5★ | Farmington Hills |
| #9 | Shield's Pizza | Detroit-Style | $$ | 4.3★ | Midtown |
| #10 | PizzaPlex | Neapolitan | $$ | 4.5★ | Southwest Detroit |
Quick Picks by Style
1Buddy's Pizza
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- The original Detroit-style experience at the place that invented it in 1946
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 4,200+ Google reviews · Detroit-Style · East Side Detroit
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.6★
- What to order
- The Detroiter — a square deep-dish with pepperoni, Wisconsin brick cheese that caramelizes along the edges, and tangy tomato sauce ladled on top
- Insider tip
- Go to the original Conant St location, not the downtown tourist one. The original has the most authentic pans from 1946.
🕐 Hours
2Loui's Pizza
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- The consensus #1 Detroit-style pizza — worth the drive to Hazel Park
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 4,426 Google reviews · #1 Midwest per Yelp · #1 per Metro Times
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.6★
- What to order
- Classic pepperoni deep dish — the pepperoni curls into crispy cups under a blanket of gooey cheese with perfectly caramelized edges
- Insider tip
- Cash only, no reservations. The wait can be 45+ minutes on weekends, but locals say it's worth every minute.
🕐 Hours
3Michigan & Trumbull
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Creative, modern Detroit-style pizza with the highest Google rating in metro Detroit
- Strengths
- 4.8★ from 321 Google reviews · Nationally recognized · Creative toppings on classic base
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.8★
- What to order
- The Cowabunga Supreme or the Fresno Chile Poppers — both showcase creative toppings on a perfectly executed Detroit-style crust
- Insider tip
- Named after the intersection where Tiger Stadium stood. The restaurant moved to the Dreamtroit development — call ahead as hours can vary.
🕐 Hours
4Supino Pizzeria
NeapolitanQuick comparison
- Best for
- The best thin-crust, Neapolitan-inspired pizza in Detroit
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 2,998 Google reviews · Neapolitan · Eastern Market location
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.6★
- What to order
- The Bismarck — red sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and an egg cracked right in the middle. Also try the classic Margherita.
- Insider tip
- Visit on a Saturday when Eastern Market farmers market is in full swing. Grab ingredients at the market, then reward yourself with a Supino pie.
🕐 Hours
5Grandma Bob's
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Creative Detroit-style pizza with unexpected global toppings in Corktown
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 679 Google reviews · Creative toppings · Great Corktown location
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.6★
- What to order
- Try the gyro pizza or the feta dressing topped pie — Grandma Bob's blends Detroit-style with global flavors, including pistachio and gyro meat toppings
- Insider tip
- Located in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood. Great for a post-game meal if you're catching a Tigers game nearby.
🕐 Hours
6Cloverleaf Pizza
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Tasting the evolution of the original Detroit-style recipe at budget prices
- Strengths
- 4.2★ from 800+ Google reviews · Founded by Buddy's co-creator · Budget-friendly
- Price / value
- $ · 4.2★
- What to order
- The classic cheese or pepperoni square — simple, old-school, and exactly what Detroit-style was meant to be
- Insider tip
- Founded by Gus Guerra — the same man who started Buddy's. When he sold Buddy's in the 1950s, he opened Cloverleaf. Some locals actually prefer it to Buddy's.
🕐 Hours
7Amar Pizza
FusionQuick comparison
- Best for
- The most unique pizza experience in Detroit — Bangladeshi-fusion with halal options
- Strengths
- 4.4★ from 151 Google reviews · NYT-recognized · 100% Halal · Featured on Bizarre Foods
- Price / value
- $ · 4.4★
- What to order
- The Ghost Pepper Pizza — chicken, red onions, cilantro with ghost sauce. Voted "Hottest Pizza in Town." For the less brave, try the dry fish pizza featured on Bizarre Foods.
- Insider tip
- 100% Halal menu. Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods visited and loved the dry fish pizza. This is where Bangladeshi flavors meet Detroit pizza.
🕐 Hours
8Tomatoes Apizza
New Haven-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Coal-fired New Haven-style apizza — a complete change of pace from Detroit deep dish
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 514 Google reviews · Food Network & GQ recognized · First coal-fired oven in Michigan
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.5★
- What to order
- The classic New Haven-style white clam pie or any of their coal-fired specialties. The charred, blistered crust from the coal oven is the star.
- Insider tip
- First coal-fired oven in Michigan. Owner Mike Weinstein is a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) grad who brought New Haven-style apizza to the Midwest.
🕐 Hours
9Shield's Pizza
Detroit-StyleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Detroit-style pizza with a full bar and restaurant experience in Midtown
- Strengths
- 4.3★ from 579 Google reviews · Full bar · Steps from DIA & main library
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.3★
- What to order
- The Shield's Special — their signature Detroit-style deep dish loaded with toppings. Great beer list to pair with your pizza.
- Insider tip
- Located in the McCabes' building right in Detroit's Cultural District, steps from the DIA and the main library. A solid pre- or post-museum stop.
🕐 Hours
10PizzaPlex
NeapolitanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Authentic VPN-certified Neapolitan pizza — the only one in Detroit
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 90 Google reviews · VPN-certified · Coffee shop + community space
- Price / value
- $$ · 4.5★
- What to order
- Any of the Neapolitan pies — PizzaPlex is the first and only VPN-certified (Verace Pizza Napoletana) pizzeria in the city of Detroit
- Insider tip
- Also a coffee shop and community event space in Southwest Detroit. The morning hours serve excellent coffee and pastries before pizza service starts.
🕐 Hours
Planning Your Detroit Pizza Crawl
Reservations
Most Detroit pizza spots are walk-in only — no reservations needed or accepted. Michigan & Trumbull can have limited hours so call ahead. Loui's is always walk-in with no phone orders. For most spots on this list, just show up.
Payment & Cash-Only Spots
Loui's Pizza is cash only — bring bills. Most other spots accept cards. Bring $30-40 in cash just in case, especially for the classic old-school spots like Cloverleaf.
Best Times to Avoid Lines
Loui's on weekends can have 45+ minute waits — go on a Wednesday or Thursday for shorter lines. Buddy's Conant St location is busiest during dinner; lunch is usually more relaxed. Michigan & Trumbull has limited hours (Wed-Sun) so plan accordingly.
Recommended Pizza Crawl Route
The Detroit Classic Route (half day): Start at Buddy's on Conant St for the origin story, then drive to Supino in Eastern Market for thin crust, walk through the market, continue to Grandma Bob's in Corktown for creative takes, and finish at Shield's in Midtown with a beer. Four distinct styles, one great day.
Getting Around
Detroit is a driving city — you'll need a car to hit most of these spots. The downtown/Midtown area (Supino, Grandma Bob's, Shield's) is walkable with the QLine streetcar. Hazel Park (Loui's) and Eastpointe (Cloverleaf) are 15-20 minute drives from downtown. Farmington Hills (Tomatoes Apizza) is about 30 minutes northwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Detroit-style pizza?
Detroit-style pizza is a thick, rectangular deep-dish pizza baked in blue steel pans originally used in Detroit's auto factories. It features a thick, airy, focaccia-like crust with Wisconsin brick cheese spread edge-to-edge that caramelizes into crispy, lacy edges. The sauce is typically applied on top in "racing stripes" rather than under the cheese.
What's the best Detroit-style pizza in Detroit?
Based on Reddit consensus and local rankings, Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park is considered the best overall, with Buddy's (the inventor of the style) and Michigan & Trumbull (the modern innovator) as close seconds. Cloverleaf, founded by Buddy's original creator, is the dark horse favorite among locals.
Is Buddy's Pizza the original Detroit-style pizza?
Yes. Buddy's Rendezvous Pizzeria on Conant Street invented Detroit-style pizza in 1946 when founder Gus Guerra adapted Sicilian-style pizza using blue steel auto parts pans. Gus later sold Buddy's and opened Cloverleaf, which many consider the evolution of his original recipe.
Where should I go for non-Detroit-style pizza in Detroit?
Supino Pizzeria in Eastern Market serves the best thin-crust Neapolitan-inspired pizza. PizzaPlex in Southwest Detroit is the city's only VPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria. Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills serves excellent coal-fired New Haven-style pies.
Is it worth driving to Hazel Park for Loui's Pizza?
Absolutely. Loui's is a 15-minute drive from downtown Detroit and is consistently rated #1 in the metro area. Just be prepared — it's cash only, there's no website for ordering, and weekend waits can exceed 45 minutes.
What's the most unique pizza experience in Detroit?
Amar Pizza in Hamtramck, which fuses Bangladeshi flavors with Detroit pizza tradition. Their ghost pepper pizza and dry fish pizza (featured on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern) are unlike anything you'll find elsewhere in the US. Named one of the best pizzerias in America by The New York Times.
How much does pizza cost in Detroit?
Detroit pizza is excellent value. A classic Detroit-style deep dish runs $14-22 for a large pie. Individual slices at casual spots cost $3-5. Higher-end Neapolitan pies at places like Supino or PizzaPlex run $16-24. Most restaurants in this guide are firmly in the $$ range.
Can I visit multiple pizza spots in one day?
Yes — Detroit's pizza spots are spread across the metro but most are within a 20-30 minute drive. A great pizza crawl: start at Buddy's (the origin), then Supino in Eastern Market for thin crust, Grandma Bob's in Corktown for creative takes, and finish at Shield's in Midtown with a beer. That covers 4 distinct styles in one day.
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