People often think of cars when they think of Detroit, but now they might also think of pizza. Ryan Ososky, two-time International Pizza Challenge winner, chef, and owner of DTown Pizzeria, first honed his skills under acclaimed chefs such as Michael Mina, Charlie Palmer, Wolfgang Puck, and Bradley Ogden. Now, Ryan is the proprietor of DTown Pizzeria. The chef-driven eatery was previously located inside Phorage WeHo at 7326 Santa Monica Blvd. In April 2023, Ryan announced DTown’s closure in an Instagram post, saying they had “simply outgrown the space”. Earlier this year, DTown Pizzeria reopened at 8424 Santa Monica Blvd #D (the former location of Big Mamas & Papas Pizzeria). WEHOonline reached out to him for an interview.
Q: What foods and cultures were you exposed to while growing up?
A: There were a lot of Italians growing up. And I grew up with some Polish influence in the family for sure.
Q: When was Detroit-style pizza invented? How is Detroit pizza different from other styles?
A: 1946 by Gus Guerra from Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit. The crispy, cheesy crust edge called the frico is the hallmark of Detroit-style pizza. Yes, it’s a deep dish rectangle pan pizza with the sauce on top after it’s cooked.
Q: Do you think it has the chance to become as well known as New York style and Chicago deep dish?
A: Absolutely. The style gained a ton of popularity in the last decade or so, and it’s a great addition to any pizzeria menu.
Q: When did you open, and what inspired you to create Dtown Pizzeria?
A: The brainstorming and the idea blossomed in 2017, and we finally launched in 2020 pre-pandemic. I wanted to create the pizza I grew up with, but chef-driven.
Q: Did you have a pizzeria in Michigan before moving to LA?
A: I left Michigan in 2001, so I did not. I’m a chef by trade, so I went to culinary school, graduated in 2001, and then embarked down that rabbit hole of finer cuisine. The pizza thing was an opportunity to create something here in LA, with my own money.
Q: How does living in LA compare to Detroit?
A: Well, it’s hard to beat the weather here in SoCal. Detroit’s nice in the summer, but California year-round is pretty great despite the taxes.
Q: What is your number one seller?
A: The goomba, which is our pepperoni pizza, is number one. As in most pizzerias.
Q: Anything else you want to tell us? About yourself, your business, pizza in general, life in general?
A: I’m also a triathlete and love to stay active. We coordinate group runs on Sundays with customers for insane pizza discounts, we love our furry dog friends at the restaurant and always have treats for them, and we are the home of the $100 Wagyu pizza.
I’ll try a pie this weekend! Looks awesome.
I do love their pizza. One of the best around. Hopefully they are doing ok in their own space now.
D-Town has a whole other meaning in WeHo’s “Boys Town.”
Yum! They should advertise!