On one of my first nights on campus this semester, I found myself wandering Central Campus late at night. Coming from the south, I was woefully unprepared for the brutal Ann Arbor winter. However, while I was suffering the below-freezing temperatures, I was surprised to find a long line of hungry college students happily waiting for their turn to order from Joe’s Pizza.
Joe’s is a popular spot in Ann Arbor, and for good reason — it’s the real deal. Hailing from humble roots in Greenwich Village, Joe’s has become a model of great New York-style pizza. As the only Joe’s location outside of New York City, Joe’s Pizza in Ann Arbor brings that same Greenwich Village slice to the Diag. With a hole-in-the-wall size and stripped-down menu, Joe’s focuses on what it does best: good pizza.
Its aesthetic and decor — down to the massive wall of celebrities posing with the famous Joe’s slice — is virtually identical to the NYC location. Walking into Joe’s is like being briefly teleported from Ann Arbor to the heart of Manhattan. Plus, with cheap slices so large they require two paper plates to hold, it’s no wonder students stay in line and brave the elements for a taste of the authentic NYC experience.
Daily Arts Writer Kai Bartol can be reached at kbartol@umich.edu.