Dave Portnoy, known for his pizza reviews, has been posting videos in recent weeks of findings from metro Detroit.
And now another review has dropped. This time Portnoy tried metro Detroit’s newest pizza darling.On Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Portnoy’s onebite.app, a review of Amelia Street Pizza Co. in Hazel Park popped up.
Portnoy's One Bite Pizza Reviews are available on his YouTube channel, which has more than 1.5 million subscribers. He also has a huge following on Instagram, with more than 5 million followers.
Amelia Street Pizza Co., from Matt Arb, opened in late June.The place is also known for its cookies and Portnoy tried those, too.
In his review, Portnoy gave a shoutout to his recent metro Detroit pizza visits saying, “what a great trip for
Detroit pizza.” But one of the biggest shoutouts was Portnoy declaring not only the top 3 in metro Detroit, but in Michigan.
“We have a clear one, two, three, not in that order, Fredi’s, Primavera and Amelia Street,” Portnoy said.
At first Portnoy called Amelia Street a “sensation." It opens at 3 p.m.
“You can't call it in. We just waited in line. And the line was already down to the corner by three,” Portnoy said.
He also added a tip to avoid the line.
Portnoy said the pizza “looks great,” and he loved that they had dog pictured on the box.
“Everybody also said you had to try the chocolate chip cookie…so we got the cookie,” Portnoy said.
At Amelia Street, Portnoy said he watched workers while sitting at the counter.
“They drench this (the pizza) in cheese on the outside of half the pizza,” he said. “They sprinkle it with parm. I don't know what the logic on doing half of it is, but that's what they do.”
Presumably in keeping with how he tries pizza, Portnoy tried the half without the fine shreds of cheese.
He said the pizza had a great undercarriage and that the “crust feels great.” He also noted the pizza was very hot.After a bite Portnoy called the pizza “great.”
He called Primavera Pizza in Livonia, who he gave an 8.4, “spectacular.”
“This is a different style pizza, but every bit as good.”
And then came a big Portnoy shout out.
Portnoy gave Amelia Street an 8.3 out of 10.
After trying the pizza, Portnoy tried the cookie, saying it was a “great looking cookie,” and really good. He rated the cookie 8.1 out of 10.
“For me, the pizza is the show,” Portnoy added.
Amelia Street − acclaimed chef James Rigato of Hazel Park’s Mabel Gray is a partner – makes New York style pizza using a sourdough that's fermented for 48 to 72 hours.
Arb first started with a small social media following for pizza pop-ups out of Arb’s Royal Oak home on Amelia Street.
The restaurant's pizza options are few. There’s an 18-inch pie made with cheese for $24, pepperoni for $28 or an additional $6 for a double helping of pepperoni.
The small shop has no slices and no other toppings.
“Clearly, top 3 bests in Detroit,” Portnoy said in wrapping up his Ameila Street review. “Probably (in the) state of Michigan. Fredi’s, Amelia, Primavera. There you go, my top three.”
Portnoy’s recent One Bite reviews in metro Detroit also included Fresh Farms Market (rated 7.9) in Grosse Pointe and Emo’s Brick Oven Pizza (rated 7.1) in Dearborn.
Portnoy’s pizza reviews land at the onebite.app on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Famed pizza reviewer puts spotlight on Detroit area restaurants
