Royal Oak Gets Its Own Pizza Style

Royal Oak — Every region has its food quirks. Monroe has iconic hot dogs. Yoopers have pasties and chow-chow. Detroit has its now-iconic pizza style with the deep dish crust and sauce on the top.

But how did these start? How do new ideas about food take root as a cultural icon? You can see it happening in real time here in Royal Oak, near the corner of 13 Mile and Crooks.

It started in 1987, according to the daughter of the original owners of Tania’s Pizza. Her parents started experimenting and came up with the idea of a stuffed pizza.

Their signature pizza has two crusts: one on top and one on bottom. But it’s not a calzone—we know those when we see them. The top crust has a little garlic salt that adds extra flavor to the bite.

You’ll need something to drink, and Tania’s is happy to help you with that. They have a fantastic selection of beverages, including great non-alcoholic options that will quench your thirst no matter the time of day.

You can get a hot stuffed crust pizza by the slice or by ordering ahead. Between those two sheets of dough, you can add anything from the normal toppings to the more bizarre: vegan beef crumble or dill pickles.

They have traditional pizza as well, so if the extra layer of bread isn’t your thing, you’re not out of luck. If it is your thing, they also have refrigerated stuffed crust pizzas available for you to take and bake at home.

Buy one hot and one cold and have pizza all week. That’s innovation. It’s convenient and it’s better than fast food.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Royal Oaker, which has pepperoni, ground beef, onions and banana peppers. It’s a great experience. I had it stuffed, but it would be delicious either way.

This mom-and-pop shop offers something unique to the area. Maybe Royal Oak-style pizza will catch on and people will embrace the unique second crust. All it takes is a few more restaurants to see the demand and start offering a rival product.

That’s how the local food trends get started: An enterprising business owner plays around with the ingredients they have to make something customers want and then works hard to build a reputation for being the best at making that food.

Tania’s stuffed pizza may not take off the way Detroit-style has been exported throughout the nation. But it’s a joy to experience the eccentricities of a place through its food.

Royal Oakers should cherish culinary innovations that set them apart from all the other suburban enclaves.