March 7 • 2019 39
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W
hen you introduce an
award-winning New York-
born pizza expert to a
Detroit-based pizza guru, the possibili-
ties are endless. Bruno DiFabio and Tony
Sacco have officially joined forces, bring-
ing New York-style pizza to Detroit with
the creation of Mootz Pizzeria + Bar.
While DiFabio and Sacco hail from
different culinary backgrounds, they ulti-
mately bonded over their love of pizza.
DiFabio began experimenting with
pizza-making at age 12 while working at
his grandfather’
s restaurant in Manhattan
and was immediately hooked. He even-
tually opened Amore Cucina & Bar
in Stamford, Conn., and now owns 12
restaurants around the country.
In addition to his business ventures, he
spent time in Italy, South America and
California to learn from the pros and
now holds the title of six-time champion
in the World Pizza Games.
Like DiFabio, Sacco found his passion
at an early age. He began experimenting
with rolling pizza dough in his aunt’
s
basement as a youngster and landed his
first job in 1968 at a Detroit pizzeria.
Since then, Sacco has gained a solid
reputation in Metro Detroit and has
more than 50 years of restaurant owner-
ship under his belt, including the Tony
Sacco’
s Coal Oven Pizzas chain.
While many locals love a classic
Detroit pie, Sacco and DiFabio decided
on changing up the local pizza game.
They named their restaurant after
mozzarella cheese, emphasizing the
Italian pronunciation of those white
globs of goodness.
After finding a name and choosing
the location on Library Street, DiFabio
and Sacco set to work on creating the
ultimate pizza.
They chose the Biga method, which
involves an 18-hour fermentation pro-
cess at room temperature followed by
fermentation in a cold environment for
another 48 hours.
The end result is worth the wait, pro-
ducing a light and airy dough that is easy
to digest, with plenty of bubbles and just
the right amount of crunch.
The dough is topped with a generous
helping of homemade tomato sauce from
a family-owned cannery in Modesto,
Calif. The tomatoes are picked and
packed in three hours, with no added
water or citric acid.
“Our pizza sauce is a well-seasoned
sauce, which is a characteristic of New
York pizza — it has Pecorino Romano,
Sicilian olive oil, basil, parsley, orega-
no, sea salt, pepper and garlic powder,
”
DiFabio explains.
The final ingredient comes from
Brownsville, Wis. — a heavy-handed
dose of high-quality, whole milk moz-
zarella.
After a successful soft opening,
Mootz’
s official opening day was Jan. 28.
Now, diners can indulge in 13 varieties
of pizza with catchy names and lots of
toppings.
The Original Tomato Pie is a
crowd-pleaser featuring pinched sau-
sage, mozzarella, shaved parmesan, fresh
oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
On the other end of the spectrum, the
Nuts and Bolts is loaded with hot salami,
pepperoni, pinched sausage, tomatoes,
caramelized onion, green olives and a
robust marinara.
The menu boasts tempting salads and
starters like the burrata and Nonna’
s
Meatballs. Diners can also choose from
six varieties of hoagies, plus seafood and
pasta dishes.
Locals who are craving just a slice
or two can stop by Side Hustle, a pizza
counter next to the restaurant with a
fast-paced, big city vibe. On Friday and
Saturday nights, Side Hustle stays open
until 3 a.m.
“[At Side Hustle] you’
re going to get
that New York City hustle and bustle
right in Detroit,
” DiFabio says.
Mootz was built from the ground up
and designed by the talented Carmine
Martone, who is famous for crafting the
Fox Theatre marquee and other Detroit
landmarks.
The interior comfortably seats 100
guests with a mix of booths and tables,
plus an 18-seat bar. Diners can also
expect live music throughout the week.
Mootz is a “cashless” restaurant,
only accepting debit and credit card
payments. Online ordering will also be
available soon at mootzpizzeria.com. ■
eats | drinks | sweets
nosh
Mootz Brings
New York Pizza
to the “D”
ALLISON JACOBS DIGITAL EDITOR PHOTOS COURTESY OF MOOTZ PIZZERIA + BAR
Mootz Pizzeria + Bar
1230 Library St., Detroit
(313)243-1230
2 free hours of validated parking
available in the Z Deck
Bruno
DiFabio