Pizza Place Over-Population? Newcomer Prepares to Elbow into the Detroit Crowd

Martone Design Studio of Northville did this rendering of the restaurant preparing to open on Library Street downtown.

Detroit doesn't have enough pizza choices -- true or false?

True, say a pair of investors sinking a reported $2 million into a downtown newcomer called Mootz Pizzeria and Bar. They plan a January debut at 1230 Library St. near Gratiot Avenue, Kurt Nagl writes at Crain's Detroit Business:

A soft opening [is] likely in the beginning of the month, said Tony Sacco, longtime local restaurateur who owns the new eatery with Dean Walters.

New York-based pizza chef Bruno DiFabio is leading the kitchen, with plans to serve up big, floppy pizzas from a recipe he claims will be completely different than other pizza shops in the market.

"It's not New York-style pizza — it's authentic New York pizza," he said.

The "authentic New York pizza." (Restaurant photo)

In paragraph five, Nagl says what you're probbably thinking: This city isn't exactly pizza-poor.

Buddy's Pizza serves up a popular square, while Supino Pizzeria in Eastern Market dishes up a well-liked New York-style round, to name a couple of prominent examples. Southeast Michigan is also home to two national pizza chains: Ann Arbor-based Domino's Pizza and Detroit-based Little Caesars.

Metro Times food editor Tom Perkins also seems to drop a "really, why here?" subtext between the lines of a three-paragraph October item that notes: "Mootz will join a crowded pizza market in and around downtown." In addition to Supino and Buddy's, he mentions Brass Rail Pizza Bar, PizzaPlex, El Club Pizza, Eat-N-Out, Giordano's, Jolly Pumpkin, Niki's, La Lanterna, PizzaPapalis, Mike's Pizza Bar and Bellacino.

But hey, fire up the new ovens and let the competition bake out in our dining marketplace.

In the meantime, if you're a food service professional, Mootz is looking for an executive chef, kitchen co-manager, pizza makers, prep cooks, line cooks, servers, hosts, bartenders and more. "Want a slice of the action? Apply online at Mootzpizza.com," it posts on Facebook.

-- Alan Stamm