Beyond The Ordinary Slice: Flatbread Pizzas

February 22, 2024
Meat naan pizza with chicken and vegetables

Metro Detroit has some of the best-known and most flavorful pizza around, mostly because the area is home to so many major players. As a result, the pizza game here is strong, spicy and full of interesting dishes. One local favorite is flatbread pizza. This is not only a refreshing change to the traditional pie, but it also is an easy way to grab a bite or take your lunch or dinner on the go. Flatbreads are a convenient way to serve a single portion as well, if your group wants to try something different based on the many personalities at the table. From traditional interpretations to inventive twists, several local eateries stand out for their unique takes on this beloved dish. Let’s explore some of Detroit’s finest establishments where the humble flatbread is elevated to an art form…

POP’S FOR ITALIAN

280 West Nine Mile Road, Ferndale

Pop’s for Italian is a great spot in Ferndale for elevated meals and fun flavors, and flatbread pizzas don’t always have to be saved for lunch or dinner. As such, Pop’s for Italian offers a delicious breakfast flatbread on its weekend menu. With a white sauce, Italian sausage, scrambled eggs, and mixed cheese, it’s a perfect blend of breakfast flavors with a crispy flatbread base. Sleep in on the weekend, then head to Pop’s for the perfect in-between brunch and lunch meal. 

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THE MIXING BOARD

2645 Woodward Avenue, Detroit

The Mixing Board stands out not just for its menu, but for its drive and mission. “The Mixing Board is a restaurant built by Detroit, for Detroit. Their menu is complete with made-from-scratch offerings with local ingredients that showcase the best of the Motor City,” says Kara Horstmann, Marketing Manager. Highlighting their pre-game special, she shares, “Before weekday Pistons and Red Wings games, our flatbreads are only $6 from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.” The options cater to a variety of tastes: the Italian sausage flatbread features Stockyard’s Italian sausage, red sauce, onion, spinach, garlic, and fresh mozzarella; the Motor City Margherita boasts oven-dried tomato, olive oil, basil, and fresh mozzarella; and the caramelized mushroom and onion flatbread is a delightful mix of mushroom whip, cremini, truffle, braised onion, and fresh mozzarella cheese.

flatbread pizza from the mixing board with sausage, red onion, spinach, and garlic
Photo courtesy of The Mixing Board

ART & JAKE’S SPORTS BAR

Multiple locations in Metro Detroit

Art & Jake’s Sports Bar is known for its lively atmosphere, where friends gather to catch a game and enjoy great food. The flatbreads here are a testament to the commitment to quality and flavor, offering a perfect shareable snack or a meal for one with a variety of toppings to suit every palate. Grab the Margarita for the perfect combination of fresh mozzarella cheese, basil pesto, Roma tomatoes, red onions, and balsamic glaze, all atop of an Italian herb flatbread. For buffalo chicken fans, there’s a flatbread for you too with grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese crumbles, green onions, and a ranch dressing drizzle. Finally, there’s the Shawarma chicken flatbread, with a delicious garlic sauce, mozzarella and feta cheese, Mediterranean-seasoned chicken, tomatoes, sweet and spicy pickles, and pickled red onions for a fusion of an American favorite with a Mediterranean treat. 

oven fired pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onion, and green pepper

For even more pizza options, check out our list here…

CENTRAL KITCHEN + BAR

660 Woodward Avenue, #4, Detroit

If your taste buds are longing for something unique and flavorful, then you should head over to this Detroit favorite eatery. Central Kitchen + Bar takes a contemporary approach to its menu, with flatbreads that are no exception to that rule. For lunch, grab the Burrata flatbread, with olive oil, garlic, red pepper, and honey, with the option to add lobster. For dinner, order the fig flatbread as a shareable for the table (or just for yourself) as it features fig jam, crispy brussels sprouts, goat cheese, and a balsamic reduction. 

GILBERT’S LODGE

22335 Harper Avenue, St. Clair Shores

This St. Clair Shores mainstay is beloved by everyone who eats there because the food is always good and plentiful. There’s a reason why the parking lot at Gilbert’s Lodge is never empty. Any Saganaki fans? Gilbert’s has a Saganaki pizza made on its homemade flatbread dough, smothered in Kasseri cheese, and baked on its starter menu. For dinner, there are three other flatbread pizza options, including spinach artichoke, Margherita, and the Mushroom Extreme, with portabella, fresh mushrooms, and marinated domestic mushrooms with a touch of Alfredo sauce.    

This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on February 7, 2020, and was authored by Karen Dybis.

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