‘Best dough in town.’ Lexington pizza restaurant moves, switches to Detroit-style
When chef Matty Evans decided to leave Greyline Station for a new kitchen, he knew the wood-fired “Nearly-apolitan” style crust he made for his Rise Up! Pizza would have to change.
Because the kitchen he moved into in the Horse & Jockey Pub downtown on Lexington’s Short Street and Cheapside has a gas oven.
But, because of his passion for bread-making (he calls his sourdough starter Audrey II, as in “Little Shop of Horrors”), he turned that change into a big plus.
He decide to switch to Detroit-style pizza, which allows him to lean into the dough, ramp up the cheese and get Lexington on-board with a big food trend which has been building since 2021.
What is Detroit-style pizza? How is it different than Chicago-style deep dish?
It’s rectangular, thick crust with, most notably, the cheese on the bottom and the tomato sauce on top. Locally, the pizza chain Jet’s Pizza serves it.
Detroit style differs from Chicago style, which is a round deep-dish pizza built on a thin, buttery flaky crust and stuffed with loads of cheese and toppings. While Chicago style can take 30 minutes to bake, Detroit style is much faster.
But there is a lot more to Detroit style than the square shape, although that is a key element.
Evans grew up in Massachusetts loving both New England-style pizza (think New York style but not served by the slice) and South Shore bar pizza, which is smaller and cooked in round iron pans.
Dough, cheese, toppings make Detroit-style pizza special
But what he loved as a kid was the caramelized cheese, those crispy tangy edges. And that’s what gives Evans new Detroit-style pizza its punch as well.
That and the bubbly, chewy sourdough crust.
“I have the best dough in town,” Evans said. He’s tinkered with the recipe a bit but still uses Weisenberger Mill flour to achieve a crust that’s “crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside,” he said.
Like the original Detroit pizzas that were made in industrial pans, Evans makes his in a steel pan. He presses it deep into the corners and layers it with a blend of provolone, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses then bakes it for 8 minutes at 500 degrees to melt the gooey cheese directly into the crust.
Then the pizzas are topped with items like Ohio-based Ezzo Sausage’s specialty pepperoni (“The best pepperoni ever,” Evans says) and red sauce and baked again. More delicate toppings such as fresh basil and burrata are piped on once its done, then the whole thing is sliced into crunchy rectangles.
Prices, ordering Rise Up’s pizza
It will be available by the slice for $5 or by the pie for $25; prices may vary by toppings, Evans said. Vegetarian and vegan versions will be available on the menu.
He’s open now in the new location and will have QR codes on tables so customers won’t have to order at the bar.
He plans to cater to the evening grown-up crowd that comes to the pub on weeknights and weekends, and will keep doing carryout but doesn’t plan to offer delivery options.
Rise Up! Pizza
Where: 131 Cheapside (inside Horse & Jockey Pub on Short Street, facing Tandy Park and the Fifth/Third Pavilion)
Hours: Tuesday through Friday 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday noon to 11 p.m. Closed Monday unless there’s a University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball game.
Online: Facebook.com/riseuppizzatruck
