Willi’s Pizza Bar is making waves with its Detroit-style pan pizzas, and after tasting the pizza, whipped anchovy toast, and a unique martini infused with bay leaves and tomato from beverage expert Elise Godwin, Bar & Bites believes it could be a success story for the third time.
So, what exactly is Detroit pan pizza? It’s delicious, for starters. Chef Place, originally from Vancouver, explains that this style originated when Italian immigrants used blackened oil tins in Motor City to bake their pizzas.
It’s important to note that Detroit-style pizza is different from Chicago’s deep-dish pizza. The 48-hour fermented dough is light and airy, with a tasty crust made of grated cheese.
Willi’s offers five distinct pizzas:
The Antonio Margheriti, named after a fictional character from Inglourious Basterds, features blistered tomatoes.
A savory mushroom pizza.
A pizza loaded with four different cheeses.
A felino pizza, a flavorful blend of tomato and hot honey.
A pizza with pork, fennel, and scamorza.
For maximum crunchy cheesy goodness, be sure to try the corner pieces.
In addition to pizzas, the menu features small plates, including mortadella, market fish crudo, “bloody good” anchovies, and oysters. The wine list includes fun “pizza wines,” featuring selections like Gonzo goon and a chilled red. Godwin also creates playful cocktails.
Chef Place, 35, manages around 50 dishes across the upstairs pub, the fine-dining Fleur restaurant, and the pizza bar—a remarkable achievement for someone so young.
FROM THE RUINS
If you’re reading this, it means Ruinbar is closing—almost. The small bar, opened in early 2022 by Miles Hull’s Dark Horse Group on the corner of Beaufort and Newcastle streets, was sold last year to the owners of Picabar and Percy Flynt’s. It will serve its last drinks on October 12 before shutting down for extensive renovations.
When it reopens in mid-November, it will be rebranded as The Leadlight and feature a fresh look with new paint, a commercial kitchen, a more comfortable interior, and a larger, greener beer garden. Co-owner Brian Buckley explained that the name refers to the leadlights that adorned the row of former shops.
The Leadlight will aim to be an inner-city pub with a full pub offering rather than just a bar, Buckley stated. The former Pretty Good Pizza space will become the kitchen, but he assured that pizza would remain on the menu.
Ruinbar will close with a bang on October 12, hosting a farewell party called Knockoffz, featuring DJs, slices from Pretty Good Pizza, and “insane drink deals.”
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
In East Vic Park, Lola’s Filipino Diner will close on October 13 after three years of serving delightful Filipino soul food. Founded by the team behind RoyAl’s Chicken and Burgers, and run by the friendly husband-and-wife duo Damien and Melanie Chowrimootoo, Lola’s was popular for dishes like adobo, liempo, fried chicken, and cheeseburger spring rolls.
While Bar & Bites regrets not returning more often, it’s rumored that some beloved Lola’s dishes may appear at RoyAl’s locations in some form.
Regardless, it’s farewell, and thank you for all the delicious popcorn chicken.
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