July 01, 2024
Photo credit: Amar Pizza
Detroit Free Press
June 25, 2024
Susan Selasky
Ahh, pizza. The beloved pie, be it Detroit-style, Neapolitan-style or wood-fired, it’s arguably an American favorite.
The phones at Amar Pizza on Jos. Campau in Hamtramck likely will be buzzing.
On Tuesday, the New York Times released a list of 22 of the Best Pizza Places in the U.S. paired with its story on “How America Became the Capital of Great Pizza.”
Amar Pizza at 12195 Jos. Campau Ave. made the list and was noted for using Bangladeshi ingredients on its pizzas.
That use of Bangladeshi ingredients, the New York Times Brett Anderson wrote, was “born of necessity.” “We’re in a neighborhood where there are pizzerias that had been around 20 to 30 years,” owner Khurshed Ahmed told the New York Times. “We had to come up with something unique, to separate us.”
Amar Pizza was noted by the New York Times for its pizza made with dried fish paste, a condiment, and another with Naga chiles as an ingredient.
“I am ecstatic, thrilled and honored,” Ahmed, reached by phone Tuesday, said. “All of the years of hard work is getting recognized. This is big.”
On the online menu, Amar Pizza has a dozen specialty pizzas, including its Dry Fish pizza featuring dried shrimp, roasted garlic, mozzarella and provolone cheese blend, onions and cilantro with spicy fish paste sauce. Its Naga pizza is made with chicken, red onions, cilantro and naga sauce. Amar is also home to the Ghost Pepper pizza, described as having extreme heat, with chicken, red onions, cilantro and ghost sauce. Ahmed said he created the Ghost Pepper pizza when customers wanted a spicier version than the Naga pizza.
The Tandoori Pizza, described on the menu as sweet and tangy, has tandoori chicken breast, cheese, red onions and a tandoori sauce.
Thin crust, round and deep dish pizzas are also offered.
Amar Pizza got its start in 2010 mostly as a takeout place. According to its website, other menu items offered are burgers, Biryanis, sandwiches, subs and salads. There’s also a Troy location at 3728 Rochester Road, owned by another family member.
Learn more about living in Hamtramck.
