Joe's Pizza

Authentic NYC pizza just off campus

by Marion Amirian

Delicious food, five decades of dedication, a little superhero fame, and a savvy entrepreneur from Naples, Italy. These are the ingredients that have led to the success of Joe's Pizza, which is a popular place for students to get a slice just off the University of Michigan's Central Campus.

Joe Pozzuoli (2013). Photo courtesy Eater New York.

Google Street View showing Joe's Pizza's prime location at at 1107 S University Ave., the crossroads of many popular walkways on Central Campus.

About as close to being on campus as a private business can get (on University Ave. where it meets two main campus walkways), Joe's Pizza Ann Arbor location was the first Joe's outside of New York City (Afana). Joe Pozzuoli, the namesake of Joe's Pizza, opened his first restaurant in Greenwich Village in 1975. Since then, it has become undeniably iconic, with five locations in NYC plus others in Cambridge, MA, Miami, and here in Ann Arbor ("Order Now"). It even made an appearance in the film Spider-Man 2 (Leishman).

When Joe's Pizza was set to open it's Ann Arbor location five years ago, an enthusiastic supporter took to Reddit and exclaimed, "Joe's isn't just real authentic New York pizza. This is the best pizza the whole city, hands down" (Powerjam). The sentiment is widely held, with New York Joe's locations being a "perennial top 10 listing" in top New York City restaurant guides, New York Magazine naming Joe's "Best of New York" and calling it "the quintessential New York slice," according to Destination Ann Arbor; which also adds, that "in 2009 GQ Magazine listed Joe's Pizza as one the 'Best 25 Pizzas on Earth.'"

When you walk inside Joe's, your mouth starts to water. The Italian seasoning, burnt cheese, and freshly baked dough saturate the room with aromas that create an irresistible environment. Aside from the unforgettable scent, the walls are iconically covered in photos of famous guests, such as Kim Kardashian and J. J. McCarthy. This creates an ambience of nostalgia and love that adds a special touch to your visit.

Inside Joe's Pizza. Photo by Marion Amirian (Sep. 18, 2024).

Exterior of Joe's Pizza. Photo by Marion Amirian (Sep. 18, 2024).

"Pozzuoli decided to bring his business to Ann Arbor after a friend, who is a UM alum, recommended the area" (Afana). Ann Arbor’s Joe’s location has a special collaboration with A2 eatery legend Zingerman’s Deli, using their fresh mozzarella to create a pizza that has an unbeatable taste. Joe's Pizza even made a special effort to bring Ann Arbor water to New York for testing to ensure their dough maintained its signature quality and taste (Neeb). I think it is essential to note that "Pete Levin, partner and manager of Joe’s" is a University of Michigan alum who also used to be the proud owner of Professor Thom's, which was "New York’s Michigan Sports bar" (Neeb).

The name Joe, coming from Joseph, means "he will increase” or “God will add" (Meehan). It's a name that has come to symbolize simplicity, something Joe's Pizza embodies by being built on fresh, local ingredients and straightforward, timeless recipes. Much like the name, the pizza is unpretentious yet beloved, a classic that never goes out of style—besides, it is also the best pizza I have ever had.

Work Cited

Afana, Dana. "Joe’s Pizza opens first non-New York location in Ann Arbor." 16 Sep. 2019, MLive, mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/09/joes-pizza-opens-first-non-new-york-location-in-ann-arbor.html. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Amirian, Marion. Exterior of Joe's Pizza in Ann Arbor. 18 Sep. 2024. Author's personal collection.

Amirian, Marion. Interior of Joe's Pizza in Ann Arbor. 18 Sep. 2024. Author's personal collection.

Meehan, Alison. “Joe.” The Bump, thebump.com/b/joe-baby-name. Accessed 28 Sep. 2024.

“Joe’s Pizza.” Destination Ann Arbor, Pure Michigan, annarbor.org/listing/joes-pizza/2357/. Accessed 28 Sep. 2024.

Leishman, Rachel. “The Best New York City Spots You Can Visit from Marvel Movies and TV.” Culturess, 28 Aug. 2018, culturess.com/2018/08/27/can-visit-new-york-spots-featured-marvel-movies/7/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Morabito, Greg. "Joe Pozzuoli Fires up the Ovens at Joe’s Pizza 14th Street." Eater NY, Mar. 2013, ny.eater.com/2013/3/1/6473489/joe-pozzuoli-fires-up-the-ovens-at-joes-pizza-14th-street. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Neeb, Elizabeth. “Joe’s Pizza x University of Michigan.” Spoon University, 1 Mar. 2020, spoonuniversity.com/school/u-mich/joe-pizza-ann-arbor-all-the-yummy-details/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2024.

"Order Now." Joe's Pizza, joespizzanyc.com/ 5 Nov. 2024.

Powerjam. "Joe's Pizza of NYC opening on South U!" r/AnnArbor, Reddit, reddit.com/r/AnnArbor/comments/cy1ct9/comment/eyqwa28/ Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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