As much as I like pizza, I usually find it challenging to pick a favorite type of pizza, it’s all fantastic to me. But one type of pizza has had a resurgence in recent years: Detroit-style pizza! A concept created in the Motor City, Detroit-style is more like a pan pizza but has some distinguishing characteristics. It’s cooked in a pan and topped with cheese (not just mozzarella) and topped with sauce afterwards. The pan crisps up the pizza around the edges so you get a golden crust surrounding the pizza.
So color me excited when I heard that Emmy Squared (based out of Brooklyn) was announced to be coming to Durham in the midst of the pandemic. And then the wait began! Like many restaurants during the pandemic, construction and supplies were difficult to procure and opening dates are pushed back regularly. But finally in early May of 2024, Emmy Squared was ready to open, hooray! I’ve already had a chance to visit a couple of times and enjoyed it so far, read on for the details…
Emmy Squared, Durham – Location, Interior
If you’re familiar with BrightLeaf Square, it’s an old-school brick warehouse set of buildings which has some nooks and crannies throughout the space making it a challenge to navigate! But Emmy Squared sits neatly in the back left corner along S. Gregson Street, an easy and visible location. Parking in this area is not bad at all, a large paid parking lot is available but I prefer parking behind Brightleaf on W. Peabody which is good for 2 hours of free parking, minimum. Hoof it around the corner and you’ll find Emmy Squared decked out with a nice patio out front (black umbrellas, yellow chairs) and head on over to the alcove and front door.
Inside Emmy Squared it’s pretty basic and industrial, sporting the same red-brick interior that you have on the outside along with some wooden booth seating, shaped wooden chairs and white globe lighting. To the right you’ll find a larger high-top table and the corner bar. The space is large, airy, and open, great for casual dining! I’d call the decor here “sophisticated pizza parlor”.
Emmy Squared, Durham – Location, Interior
Emmy Squared’s menu is pretty basic given their focus on pizza: four appetizers, salads, twelve house pizzas (6 or 10 slice size) along with a create your own option, a handful of sandwiches and a dessert! A short list of beers, wines, and cocktails round out the menu giving you just enough to choose from without being overwhelming. All the items are under $20 except for the large pizzas, I’d expect to spend $30 to $40 per person for a meal and drink. They also have daily food and drink specials Sunday to Thursday so keep an eye out on them if you’d like to save a bit of money.
For starters, I highly recommend the cheesy garlic sticks. Six garlicky, greasy sticks covered in cheese and parsley pesto, delish! And while some may argue against the extra calories, I doubt you should be dining at Emmy Squared while on a diet. But if you want something more healthy, their brussel sprout salad is a nice plate cleanser offering brussel sprout leaves bathed in miso dressing and spiked with dried cherries, cashew nuts, and red onion. There’s tons of flavor and texture in this little salad.
But the mains and pizzas are where it’s at for Emmy Squared. Given we’re talking about Detroit-style pizzas, they are smallish in size (8″ x 10″) with 6 slices per pie. But due to the thickness of the pizza, 2 or 3 slices is all you’ll probably need! The Big Hawaiian pie is excellent, loaded with pineapple and pepperoni for a sweet and salty hit. And their Vodka pie is a classic, the creamy alla vodka sauce amped up with pecorino cheese and basil for a tasty bite.
Emmy Squared does a good job with their pizzas, the crust is not super dense (about 1.5″ to 2″ thick) and the cheese is nicely baked (not burnt) to the edges. A nice change from the NY thin-crust pizza I am usually craving for. Emmy Squared’s pizzas are also available with vegan cheese and/or gluten-free crust on request and for an up-charge.
Beyond the pizzas, Emmy Squared is known for their burger but I haven’t tackle their Le Big Matt (1/2 lb patties) yet. But I have their chopped cheese (a NYC concept) which is hamburger meat grilled with American cheese and peppers served on a pretzel bun. It’s messy, it’s gooey, it’s a bit salty but very tasty served up with their seasoned waffle fries. Overall I’ve found the food at Emmy Squared to be a touch salty for me but I am super sensitive to salt. It may just be the type of grill food, cheese-heavy menu they focus on. But the food is all delicious and well-prepared overall, beyond the saltiness.
Emmy Squared, Durham – Service, Conclusion
Emmy Squared is pretty new but their service is solid! I’ve eaten at the bar and at a table and the staff is consistently good and will check in on you. So what’s my overall take on Emmy Squared? Quite good for a smaller, regional chain. I would definitely come back for more visits given their somewhat unique menu. From the Detroit-style pizza to the chopped cheese and more, they do take some pride in their food here despite having 30 or so locations in (mostly) the eastern half of the US!
And I admit to having a soft spot for the food on their menu. You can get Detroit-style pizzas at Trophy Brewing and Pizza along with Hutchins Garage but only on certain days. So coming to Emmy Squared and enjoying Detroit-style pizza any day of the week feels a bit special right now! Make an effort to drop on by for a visit, Brightleaf Square is on a bit of a foodie roll right now and Emmy Squared is just part of this renaissance in this Durham development.
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