Let’s Talk about Pizza!

Justin Hayworth  

If you are like me – or most of civilized world – you enjoy eating a juicy slice of warm pizza. Sophomore year, I ate pizza everyday for almost eight straight months. I may not be an expert on how to cook pizza like a master chef, but I know a good pizza the instant it hits my taste buds.

Which brings me to pizza in Ann Arbor, the city I have called home for the last five years. To the newbie Ann Arborite, the pizza options may at first seem overwhelming. But fear not, I am here to give you a complete rundown of all the best options for every possible pizza scenario that your daily life may incur. Let’s start on South U.

Three primary options satisfy the inebriated student’s late night pizza needs. The first is Backroom, an extension of the Brown Jug that has always been a personal favorite of mine. The options are limited - cheese or pepperoni – but at $1 per slice and $6 for a pie, the prices are hard to beat. Next comes South U pizza, popular among many of my friends, but I find the pizza overly greasy, which makes it increasingly difficult to eat with each subsequent bite. In contrast, I will happily eat two, three, even four slices of backroom’s thin yumminess before reaching satiation.

Rounding out the trio is Pizza House, an Ann Arbor classic. Pizza House is certainly tasty, but also extremely overpriced. Their best option, a Chicago Stuffed Deep Dish, will set you back nearly $20 for pizza that is just barely above average. Pizza House does offer a wide assortment of good pies, but better options exist for the same price; and, without a by-the-slice option, satisfying any late night munchies at PH will quickly drain your pockets.

Moving west, we land in the other campus haven for pizza: State Street. Late night options include Cottage Inn, Bell’s Pizza, NYPD, and Toppers. Bell’s is working hard to redefine mediocrity and should be avoided, as better options always exist. I find Toppers to be extremely greasy, and a little tasty, but certainly crave-able after a night out. NYPD is a sad imitation of its namesake, the iconic New York slice. Sure, the crust is thin and the slices a traditional 18”, but the sauce is tasteless, the oil excessive, and the toppings scarce. Much like Pizza House, I recommend avoiding NYPD as better choices abound. Cottage Inn, found at State and Packard, is my favorite late night option on this side of campus: serving up every pizza you can dream of, excellent calzones, and affordable specials, Cottage Inn is a frequent post-game addition to my apartment’s celebrations.

My two favorites, however, are The Original Cottage Inn and NeoPapalis. NeoPapalis brings a whole different style to Ann Arbor. The self-dubbed “makers of pizza” serve up artisan 12” pizza with delicious toppings on a thin and toasty crust that will keep you coming back for more. My absolute favorite option on the block, however, sits right next door - the Original Cottage Inn. Not to be confused with the franchise Cottage Inn mentioned earlier, The Original Inn is a full scale Italian restaurant. Their round crust large pizzas will feed several hungry men, and deliver a rare and perfect balance between sauce, cheese, crust, and toppings. They even put the toppings under the cheese, which blends the flavor into one big smile on your face.

My favorite pizza in town is found at Mani Osteria on Liberty. Like NeoPapalis, Mani’s pizza is an artisan sliced made from high quality ingredients. Most of the artisan options run at $15+ for a 12” pie, so save Mani Osteria for a special occasion and prepare to be amazed.

Other local late night, fast food options include Domino’s, Little Caeser’s, and Jet’s. I recommend avoiding all three like the plague: any of the local spots explored in this column are far better options in terms of taste, price, and value.

Overall, pizza is a lot like sex: if it’s good, it’s great, and if it’s bad, it’s still a good time. You cannot go wrong eating pizza unless you buy frozen or get from 7-11, and your tastes may well disagree with my own. I invite you to eat around and find your own favorites, using my guide merely as a starting point into a greater world of pizza!