Best Pizza in Michigan, Mani Osteria & Bar Ann Arbor

Submitted by umhero on

For those of you local to Ann Arbor or planning to visit for The Game. Mani Osteria & Bar was named the best pizza in Michigan by Mlive.  They visited 33 reader submitted restaurants around the state and chose the Ann Arbor location as the best.

The founders of Mani wanted to have both a family-style Italian restaurant and high-style dining, and they hit the mark. "I hope we are re-energizing the Italian-American cuisine. It's something I grew up with," said chef Brendan McCall. "We want this to be approachable, like an Italian American diner restaurant.....this should be a family restaurant. That's the end goal." The staff was extremely knowledgeable and provided great service, answering questions on pizzas and the ingredients. A lot has been written about their wood-fire stoves, but the star of the menu is Executive Chef McCall, who pushes the boundaries of typical flavors. Take the  Cippolini pizza -- our choice for Michigan's Best Pizza 2013 -- with mozzarella, roasted arugula, bacon and balsamic, for example, as well as the savory Sausage & Peppers with smoked scamorza, pepperonata and chile pesto. After a few bites, we wanted to keep eating more. The sauce also shines, and features San Marzano tomatoes that are strained and blended with spices to give it a rich and zesty bite. The cheeses are rich and buttery and the ingredients are locally sourced. Their most popular pizza is the Margherita, which has fior di latte, san marzano tomatoes and basil.

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1blockradius

November 21st, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^

#1 is in my current home town: Mani Osteria makes a decent tasting pizza, that's no doubt, but I'm 160lbs and I ate an entire pizza like it was 1 single piece. That place is over priced and you hardly get any food. Would never go there again unless someone else was paying and I was allowed to get 2 full pizzas to myself.

#3 is my college town (I went to Michigan Tech) and that #3 is a joke. Sure its good pizza but no way is it great. People go to the Ambassador because the waitresses are hot (the only restaurant in the region that can say that), they serve big fish bowl hard liquor drinks, its on the water and because of the cool artsy paintings on the wall. Pizza is decent.

Off topic: if youre ever in ludington you MUST try Chuck Wagon.

Joined: 11/05/2011

MGoPoints: 224

M-Wolverine

November 21st, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^

In Washtenaw County....

http://www.mlive.com/living/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/11/readers_choose_ann_arbors_best.html

Admittedly the first place one crammed their votes with Facebook pandering, but this place is so overrated. It's perfect for Ann Arbor crowds who like fancy dining wear for a slice of pizza that's over priced, and not really pizza but a chip with toppings. All the place around it on the county poll are better.

And for the record, while I love me some Anthony's Chicago Style, I voted for Zukey Lake Tavern, the best regular pizza around here.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 42190

LSAClassOf2000

November 21st, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^

If you're ever in Oakland County, definitely stop at Green Lantern in Madison Heights or Marinelli's in Troy. There is also some good pizza to be had at Shield's in Southfield and Loui's in Hazel Park as well. Closer to Ann Arbor, try Tower Inn too. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130831

TenaciousGrizz

November 21st, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^

Mani is objectively delicious.  So is Cottage Inn.  So is Jets.  So is [Insert Other Pizza Place Not Named Hungry Howies].  Pizza is almost always good.  People need to relax about lists, which are dumb, unlike pizza.   

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 216

RabidWolverine20

November 21st, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^

I love the neapolitan style pizzas. For that, Mani's takes it in taste over the cheaper options in the area. 

They weren't focused on cost, it was all about how good the food actually is. I eat at Mani's at least once a month for the pizza only. I am always full eating less than a pizza. It is the size of a medium pizza from anywhere else. If you want any type of pizza other than neapolitan style, don't eat at Mani's.

Neo Papalis is also along the same lines, but with a cheaper price point and almost no wait. They aren't cheap either if you start adding toppings on above their standard template. 3 toppings at NP will result in a pizza as costly as Mani's...

Everyone's tastes are different. Your mileage may vary.

 

Joined: 10/17/2012

MGoPoints: 86

antidaily

November 21st, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^

I really like a place in Farmington Hills called Tomatoes (I think). Supino's is great too.

In Muskegon, there's Scribs and Glendside pub. Fricanos a bit overrated IMO.

Now I'm hungry.

Joined: 05/21/2009

MGoPoints: 7509

tdcarl

November 21st, 2013 at 2:51 PM ^

Working at Pizza Pi in the north campus Ugo's for going on 4 years now has really taken away some of the luster of pizza for me. I mean I'll still eat it and like it well enough, but some of the magic is gone.

That being said, South U Pizza is still one of my go-to post bar meals. 

Joined: 04/11/2009

MGoPoints: 3176

kzooblue2016

November 21st, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^

Martini's pizza in Kalamazoo is the best pizza I've ever had, though neo papalis rivals it. What mojo calls pizza is an abomination, and north quad does solid pizza, if not filling.

Joined: 09/09/2013

MGoPoints: 606

umumum

November 21st, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^

of the thankfully banned Zingerman's v. Maize & Blue debate.  I suspect that the Zingerman's fans are markedly more likely to like Mani than the Maize & Brew crowd and vice versa.  More likely--not 100%.  And for what its worth, I like both delis for different reasons and for different occasions.

Mani hasn't just won this local award--it has a national reputation and adds to Ann Arbor's reputation as a food destination locale--at least in Michigan.  I do, however, find it interesting that the two restaurants with the best national reputations are so often disparaged locally--or at least by the football community. 

Pizza is arguably the most subjective of the food items--that's part of its beauty--a thin crust one day, a deep dish the next.  Kinda like Jon Stewart's New York versus Chicago style pizza debate.

Joined: 01/06/2011

MGoPoints: 7896

Epic-Blue

November 21st, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^

Was rated # 9. I had mani's before it's decent if you like yuppy thin crust pizza.
Klaxons on M50 north of Jackson blows this Mani's out of the water!! The only think about Klavons it's always at least an hour wait to get seated. On the weekends anyways.

Joined: 10/06/2013

MGoPoints: 920

BeantownBlue

November 22nd, 2013 at 2:14 AM ^

Mani is not only the best Pizza in Michigan, it is competing for best restaurant in A2 as far as I'm concerned.  Yeah, it's pricey but I'm willing to pay more for that experience. Everything they make is great.  Having lived on the East Coat for several years, I was so upset to lose the thin crust experience when I moved back to MIchigan.  Mani isn't as good as the best East Coast pizza in terms of crust/sauce, but it's actually better when it comes to bold ingredients.  Their pasta is spectacular too--not the red sauce blandness of traditional italian restaurants. 

And yes, Anthony's is amazing but we're talking about apples and oranges.  Anthony's is my go-to when I want a food-coma inducing pizza at home.  But Mani is a higher-end, sit-down experience.  I woudln't eat at Anthony's unless stuck in a blizzard or something. 

By the way, after Mani and Anthony's, it's a huge drop off to third place.

I didn't realize I had such strong opinions about pizza...

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 1744

Mirasola

November 22nd, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^

Mani pizza is largely overrated.  Even for higher end gourmet pizza, I've had much better.

If you're looking for a great traditional mom and pop pizza place in A2, check out City's Pizza on Packard, just off of Platt.

Joined: 09/18/2009

MGoPoints: 635

mgoblue78

November 23rd, 2013 at 9:57 PM ^

I got no argument with Mani, though I don't drive a Prius and I got my JD from a far more prestigious law school than that Cooley Law School East in Cambridge MA.

Sorry, but Thano's was disgusting. Only reason to go there was to hang out with the hockey team pre-Red Berenson. And Cottage Inn is an abomination. I wouldn't feed it to my dog....if I had a dog. 

Joined: 12/15/2011

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