by Staff Report CTNewsJunkie
New Haven, CT – Is there room in the Pizza State’s capital city for Midwestern square pies? A local restaurateur already established in New Haven thinks so.
Yale University Properties will welcome Bobbi’s, a new restaurant featuring what the owners describe as “Detroit-ish” style pizza, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday at 51 Broadway. The location is within the Shops at Yale downtown.
“The timing felt right: students, locals, and foodies are eager for something fresh, and Detroit-style pizza allows us to bring a new twist to the mix,” said owner Ankit Chellani, who also owns Indian-American restaurant Sherkaan Indian Street Food just a few hundred feet away from the site of Bobbi’s.
Chellani said he hoped to enhance New Haven’s legendary pizza scene, not compete with it.
“New Haven is already one of the most competitive pizza cities in the country, but Detroit-style pizza doesn’t exist here yet,” he said. “We’re not trying to replace New Haven apizza — we’re celebrating pizza in a different form.”
Detroit-style pizza features thick, square pies with caramelized cheese edges and crunchy, chewy crust, according to Bryan Burke, executive chef at Bobbi’s and Sherkaan.
“The highlight of Detroit-style pizza, for me, comes from the traditional Wisconsin brick cheese melting down the sides, between the crust and the pan, to create these wonderful crispy cheese edges,” Burke said. “The fat content of the brick cheese gives the bottom of the crust a slight buttery flavor and almost griddled texture. The toppings range from classic to pretty adventurous.”
Chellani said the “adventurous” toppings are the root of the “Detroit-ish” description.
“We’re in New Haven, not Detroit, and the ‘ish’ gives us permission to be playful and creative,” Chellani said. “This style is still new to Connecticut, and we’re excited to introduce it.
He described Bobbi’s as “cheeky, fun and welcoming” and said it would provide a fresh experience compared to the city’s existing pizzerias. The eatery includes a muraled motto, “In a city of circles, be a square.”
The kitchen will also offer smashburgers, wings, fries, salads, and desserts for grab-and-go or dine-in. Beer, wine, ready-to-drink cocktails, and local sodas will be served.
“It’s exciting to take what I’ve learned at Sherkaan — creativity, bold flavors, and quality sourcing — and apply it in a completely different way with pizza,” Burke said.
David DelVecchio, director of real estate asset management at Yale University Properties, said Bobbi’s would bring a unique concept to the city that would appeal to students, residents and visitors.
“We’re thrilled they chose The Shops at Yale on Broadway for their new restaurant,” he said.
Yale University Properties & The Shops at Yale The Shops at Yale is made up of the Chapel Street Historic and Broadway Districts in Downtown New Haven and includes a mix of retailers and restaurants, such as Apple, lululemon, Warby Parker, J.Crew, Claire’s Corner Copia, Villa Lulu, Sweetgreen, More Amour Boutique, Shake Shack, Raggs, and idiom Boutique.