March 7 • 2019 39
jn

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