After more than 65 years, Domino's finally has a dish named after the brand itself. I tried the domino-shaped pizza with my kids, and it's about to make pizza night so much easier.
I lived in North Beach—San Francisco’s Little Italy—for most of my 20s. For someone with a tremendous weakness for fresh pasta, crisp and creamy cannoli and far too much Italian wine, the neighborhood gave me very few reasons to eat elsewhere. Less than a block from my apartment was Golden Boy Pizza, a tiny neighborhood gem known for thick, square slices of focaccia pizza. Being able to walk from my front door to a delicious slice from Golden Boy was not a privilege I took for granted.
These days, I live about 500 miles north in Coos Bay, Oregon, where my pizza options look a little different. Domino’s is one of only a couple of pizza chains in town, and my kids happen to love it, so it makes a fairly regular appearance at our house.
When Domino’s announced it was launching its first Detroit-style pizza, I was curious enough to order one for lunch. What I wasn’t prepared for was how familiar that first bite would taste.
What is Domino’s new Detroit-style pizza?
Domino’s has been making pizza for more than 65 years, but until now, it’s never actually made a domino. That changed on Aug. 31 with the nationwide launch of the chain’s first Detroit-style pizza. It’s a small rectangular pizza divided into two large, square slices, making the finished pie look, appropriately enough, like an oversized domino.
Domino’s uses its buttery-flavored pan dough, coats it with Parmesan and bakes it in a rectangular pan, giving the pizza the thick, airy interior and crisp, cheesy edges Detroit-style pizza is known for. On top are two layers of cheese, your choice of sauce and up to three toppings. It’s then finished with Domino’s signature garlic seasoning.
What really sets the Domino apart, though, is that it’s made for one person. Everyone gets to choose their own sauce and toppings instead of negotiating what goes on a shared pizza. As the mother of two children, I require no further explanation of the appeal.
How does Domino’s Detroit-style pizza taste?
In short, I loved it.
I ordered the pepperoni, and the crust was easily my favorite part. It was thick and soft inside with a crisp bottom and edges, and the Parmesan added a salty, savory layer beneath all that cheese and pepperoni. The garlic seasoning kept it recognizably Domino’s, but the texture was unlike any Domino’s pizza I’ve had before.
More surprisingly, it reminded me of Golden Boy. While Golden Boy isn’t Detroit-style, the Domino’s thick, airy bread, crisp exterior and generous layer of cheese and pepperoni are very similar. For a moment, I was back in North Beach eating one of my favorite pizzas of all time.
That’s more praise than I expected to give it!
Is Domino’s Detroit-style pizza worth the money?
A one-topping Domino starts at $7.99, but it’s also included in Domino’s Mix & Match deal. Order two or more qualifying items and a two-topping Domino is $6.99, depending on location.
For a family of four, that works out to $27.96 before tax. A larger pie may still be the better bargain if everyone can agree on pizza toppings, but four individually customized pizzas for less than $30 is hardly a budget-buster.
My kids enthusiastically declared the Domino their new regular order, which will make my life considerably easier on pizza night. They can each get exactly what they want, and $6.99 is a price I’m willing to pay for both pizza and peace. I’d happily order the pepperoni again, too. Anything that takes me back to North Beach (and my 20s) has absolutely earned another order.
