PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

The Detroit Zoo will be rolling in the dough next spring when Buddy’s Pizza brings its signature Detroit-style square pizza to Michigan’s largest paid family attraction. The new 4,434-square-foot eatery will seat 155 guests – 80 indoors and 75 on an outdoor patio and rooftop deck – and offer a picturesque view of Rackham Fountain.

“The Detroit Zoo and Buddy’s Pizza are two southeast Michigan icons that have been serving families in the community for decades,” said Ron Kagan, executive director and CEO for the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). “We’re excited to add this exceptional product to our dining options.”

In addition to serving a variety of Buddy’s original square pizzas – including the chain’s special Detroit Zoo pizza, topped with its signature Motor City cheese blend, roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, pine nuts and tomato-basil sauce – the restaurant will feature pizza by the slice, gluten-free pizza, antipasto salad and cold beverages.

“As the home of the original Detroit-style pizza, we’re thrilled for the opportunity to serve our pies inside one of the region’s most beloved cultural institutions,” said Wes Pikula, Buddy’s Pizza vice president of operations. “As we prepare for this new location, we look forward to giving our existing fans and zoo patrons a unique way to dine on our square pizza.”

The Detroit Zoo site – to be located just west of the Ford Education Center – will be the first Buddy’s Pizza within an attraction. Buddy’s will join two other popular Detroit food traditions at the Zoo – American Coney Island and Detroit Popcorn.

The new Buddy’s will be built according to Green Restaurant Association (GRA) standards – incorporating such eco-friendly practices as water and energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, and sustainable furnishings and building materials – joining the Zoo’s Arctic Café as a GRA-certified restaurant.

Family-owned and operated since 1946, Buddy’s Pizza is the birthplace of the original Detroit-style square pizza. For seven decades, the restaurant has been feeding patrons at its 12 metro Detroit locations and earning accolades from fans across the nation, including recognition from CBS This Morning, USA Today, Zagat, Food Network, Pizza Today, Eater, Travel Channel and others. For more information, visit www.buddyspizza.com.