National Detroit-Style Pizza Day

The story

Detroit-style pizza is a deep, square-shaped masterpiece with a thick yet airy crust that boasts a crispy, caramelized edge. This signature texture comes from blue steel pans originally used in Detroit’s auto industry.

Unlike traditional pizzas, Detroit-style layers its toppings in reverse, gourmet pepperoni goes straight onto the dough, followed by a generous amount of Wisconsin Brick cheese that extends to the edges. The final touch? Racing stripes of rich tomato sauce.

Born in 1946 at Buddy’s Rendezvous—now Buddy’s Pizza—Detroit-style pizza was inspired by Sicilian-style pan pizza. The restaurant’s owner, Gus Guerra, and his wife, Anna, baked the first square pizza in a repurposed auto-industry pan, unknowingly creating a legend. While it remained a Detroit secret for decades, by the 2010s, it gained national recognition, with chains like Jet’s bringing it to a wider audience.

In 2011, Detroit’s mayor and city council declared June 23 “Buddy’s Pizza Day.” In 2021, the celebration expanded nationally as “National Detroit-Style Pizza Day” for Buddy’s 75th anniversary. Today, the holiday not only honors this Motor City classic but also raises funds to fight hunger and homelessness.