By Brian Hernandez
In a world where deep dish reigns supreme in Chicago and New Yorkers wield their foldable slices like battle-ready shields, one man dared to ask the unthinkable: “What if we just did both?” That man is Anthony Pizzi, marketing mastermind at Brooklyn Pizza in Short Hills, New Jersey, and a pizza consultant who’s shaking up the game with a creation he calls Skinny Deep Dish.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Deep dish is supposed to be thick! The laws of nature demand it!” But Pizzi and his crew at Brooklyn Pizza took one look at those rules and said, “Yeah, no thanks.” Instead, they reimagined the traditional deep-dish format into something sleeker, crispier and, dare I say… a little sexier?
So, what exactly is Skinny Deep Dish? Is it a bar pie in disguise? A Sicilian wearing a deep-dish trench coat? I sat down with Pizzi to get to the bottom of this deliciously devious creation.
Brian Hernandez: Anthony, welcome, my friend. Tell the good people who you are and why you’re here disturbing the balance of the pizza universe.
Anthony Pizzi: I’m Anthony Pizzi, marketing manager for Brooklyn Pizza in Short Hills, New Jersey, and a pizza consultant. I help pizzerias improve sales, develop new concepts, and basically keep the pizza world from getting boring. And today, we’re talking about Skinny Deep Dish—our delicious, slightly rebellious take on deep dish.
Hernandez: Give me the backstory—was this a total accident, like when someone first deep-fried a Twinkie, or was it a calculated move?
Pizzi: It was a mix of curiosity, necessity and customers telling us they just weren’t into the traditional deep-dish thickness. My guy Jose Rodriguez—owner of Brooklyn Pizza—wanted to try something new. He pulled out a Chicago-style deep-dish pan, we made a classic deep dish, and people were like, “Love the taste, but it’s too much.” So we pressed the dough thinner, took the cheese to the edge, and eliminated the bulky crust. Boom—Skinny Deep Dish was born.
Hernandez: So you basically Tony Starked it—took an old idea and re-engineered it into something sleek and powerful. Now, is it only at Brooklyn Pizza in Short Hills, or can I go to the Sterling location and demand one politely?
Pizzi: Short Hills only! It’s exclusive. We thought about rolling it out to the Sterling location but decided to make it special. If you want Skinny Deep Dish, you gotta make the pilgrimage.
A Pizza Worth Traveling For
Exclusivity in pizza is a power move. When a pizza joint says, “You can only get it here,” it turns a menu item into a destination. Chicago has its deep dish. Detroit has its caramelized cheese-edged squares. And now, thanks to Pizzi and the Brooklyn Pizza team, Short Hills has Skinny Deep Dish.
But what exactly makes it different? Imagine this: a square Sicilian pan—yes, they ditched the traditional deep-dish round because, why not?—lined with dough, then layered with cheese, toppings and sometimes sauce. A second, thinner dough sheet is placed on top, poked with holes (because science), then finished with another layer of cheese that runs to the edges, crisping up into that irresistible caramelized crust. It’s not quite stuffed, not quite bar pie—it’s something entirely new.
And it’s working.
Flavor, Marketing, and the Future of Skinny Deep Dish
Hernandez: So it’s like a bar pie and a deep dish had a baby, but that baby did Pilates and is in the best shape of its life. I can see why people are digging this. What flavors are on the menu?
Pizzi: We’ve got a few signature styles—the classic Skinny Deep Dish, the Pizzi and the Birria, which has been the breakout star. That one’s just blowing up. Imagine the bold, rich flavors of a Birria quesadilla brought to life with our in-house Birria sauce…I won’t do the whole commercial. Just try it.
Hernandez: I’ve seen that one on your socials—it’s got that drippy, melty, slow-mo cheese-pull action. What’s the marketing strategy here? Just flood the internet until people can’t resist?
Pizzi: Pretty much! We’ve been cranking out content like crazy—Instagram, TikTok, Facebook. Plus, I run the NJ Pizza Alliance, which connects pizzerias, influencers and pizza fanatics across the state. We do meetups, cover the latest pizza news, and basically make sure everyone in Jersey knows where the best pies are. We’re not just trying to sell pizza, we’re building a pizza movement.
Respecting Tradition While Redefining It
Naturally, whenever you mess with pizza tradition, there’s going to be pushback. The deep-dish purists are probably already clutching their pearls, muttering about sacrilege between bites of fork-and-knifed slices. But pizza has always evolved. Detroit-style wasn’t always a thing. Neapolitan wasn’t even the first style, either, if you think about it.
Pizzi gets that. He’s not here to erase deep dish. Think Weird Science, but instead of turning a computer program into the perfect woman, Brooklyn Pizza has transformed deep dish into a sleeker, more irresistible version of itself.
Brian: But let’s be real—there’s gotta be some deep-dish purists out there saying, “This is sacrilege!” How do you respond?
Anthony: Listen, we respect tradition, but pizza evolves. Skinny Deep Dish is just the next step in that evolution.
And honestly? He’s got a point.
If you’re the kind of person who lives for trying the next big thing in pizza, Skinny Deep Dish should be on your list. It’s got the indulgence of deep dish without the food coma, the crispiness of a bar pie without the dryness, and a cheese edge that could bring a tear to a Detroit-style fan’s eye.
So if you haven’t tried it yet, what are you waiting for? As Pizzi himself puts it: “Get creative, push boundaries, and keep the local pizza scene thriving. And if you haven’t tried Skinny Deep Dish yet, get to Short Hills ASAP.”
Brian Hernandez is PMQ’s associate editor and coordinator of the U.S. Pizza Team.
