A new Detroit-style pizza restaurant, Detroit Slims, is set to open in Manchester city centre this autumn. The venture comes from the team behind popular spots like Diecast, Ramona, and Firehouse.
Located on Oxford Road in the Circle Square neighbourhood, Detroit Slims will be a ‘quick-service’ restaurant offering fresh, made-to-order pizzas. The concept is inspired by the team’s love for Detroit, a city known for its vibrant music scene and distinctive style of pizza, which they see as a ‘twin city’ to Manchester.
To celebrate the launch, Detroit Slims is offering 10,000 free pizzas to those who sign up for their newsletter on the restaurant’s website. Early subscribers will receive a unique code to redeem their free pizza during the restaurant’s first few weeks of operation.
Dan Mullen, Director at Detroit Slims, expressed his enthusiasm for the new venture: “This has been in the works for a while now, and we are thrilled to introduce this new concept. Detroit has held a special place in our hearts since we first visited, and we even brought a piece of it back to Manchester with the opening of Ramona in 2021. Detroit Slims is our latest expression of love for Detroit-style pizza, and we’re excited to share it with our home city and eventually the entire UK.”
The restaurant will serve 10-inch rectangular pizzas made with a slow-fermented, 48-hour focaccia dough. The pizzas will be available for takeaway or a quick dine-in option, with prices starting from £5. Menu highlights include the Cheese Burger Slim, BBQ Meat Feast, and Shroom Slim, with the standout signature being The Pepperoni Crown. Each pizza will be paired with house-made dips like Kimchi Mayo, Hot Honey, and Dill & Jalapeño Ranch.
Sides will include chicken tenders seasoned with homemade Cajun pepper and crispy scooper fries. For dessert, diners can indulge in thick ‘Slim Shaky’ milkshakes, available in flavors like Banoffee Pie and Detroit-style ‘Bumpy Cake,’ as well as ice cream sandwiches, cookie trays, and soft-serve ice creams.
Will Taplin, Executive Chef for Detroit Slims, expressed confidence in the quality of their offerings: “We believe everyone will love our pizza as much as we do. All of our pizzas are homemade using high-quality ingredients, ensuring fast food that not only tastes great but also leaves you feeling good. Our bases are made right here in Manchester, and as we expand, they will be distributed to other locations across the UK. There’s nothing like Detroit Slims in the UK, and we’re ready to introduce ourselves with genuine American hospitality.”
Detroit Slims will join a growing list of restaurants and bars at Circle Square, including Mr. Su’s, North Brewery’s taproom, brunch spot Federal, and Hello Oriental market hall and restaurant.
Matt Pazos, Retail Commercial Manager for Bruntwood SciTech, welcomed the new addition: “Creating a diverse range of restaurants, bars, and retail spaces for both businesses and the public has been central to our vision for Circle Square. We’re excited to welcome Detroit Slims, whose team has already seen great success in the city. This will be an excellent addition to the Oxford Road Corridor knowledge quarter, and venues like theirs are bringing Circle Square to life.”
Looking ahead, the Detroit Slims team plans to open another location in Greater Manchester by the end of the year.
The free pizzas will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Subscribers will receive a unique code to claim their free Slim during the restaurant’s opening weeks.