Pensacola is getting a Detroit-style Jet's Pizza in January

A popular Detroit-style pizza franchise is slated to debut at 2620 Creighton Road, Suite 301, on Jan. 4. Here’s everything we know about the Jet's Pizza franchise, and why you should get excited about it.

What is Jet’s Pizza?

Jet’s Pizza is an American pizza franchise with over 400 locations spanning 22 states. Until now, the closest location was in Destin, where many Pensacolians first fell in love with its slices. The company has maintained a reputation for its quality ingredients, including vine-ripened tomatoes, Italian herbs and spices, dough prepared by hand each day and hand-grated, 100% pure premium mozzarella cheese, per the Jet's website. Even today, the marinara is still made fresh daily from Mama Jetts’ original secret recipe.

The Detroit-style pizza dough is made using a proprietary blend of flour made exclusively for Jet’s, which is then kneaded and hand-pressed into the company’s signature steel pizza pans.

The Pensacola location will be carry-out and delivery only, although there are dine-in locations in other parts of the country. This is the first location to pop up in the Pensacola area, though there are plans to add more in time.

Jet's general manager and part owner Vasil Naumveski has moved from Michigan and made Pensacola home, along with other local investors. The Pensacola location's staff was sent for a rigorous nine-week "Pizza University" training at Jet Pizza's head office in Michigan.

What is Detroit style pizza?

For starters, these deep-dish pizzas come in a square rather than a circle. Like Chicago’s signature deep dish, Detroit-style comes loaded with toppings and caramelized cheese, but the distinguishing factor is the crunch that comes with the crust despite the pizza’s light and airy center. The restaurant's success is tied to the steel pans, which are modeled after those used by Detroit’s automobile manufacturers. The style of pizza allegedly originated in 1946 when soldiers returning from World War II baked their pizzas in blue steel automotive part pans, according to the Detroit Style Pizza Co. Despite Jet’s growth as a company, the pans are still made in Detroit today.

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How did Jet’s Pizza get started?

Jet’s Pizza started back in 1978, when founder Eugene Jetts signed a lease on a space in Sterling Heights, Michigan, that would become the first ever location, per the restaurant’s website. Back then it was known as Jetts Party Shoppe & Pizzeria and has since been renamed to Jet’s Pizza.

Six crust options

Although the Detroit-style deep dish is what the company is known for, the restaurant also offers the classic hand-tossed round, a wafer-thin crust, the wide, foldable New York style, a seasoned cauliflower and a gluten-free crust. Just a heads-up, the gluten-free pizzas may have been exposed to gluten from other foods in the kitchen and are not recommended for those with celiac or similar diseases, per the restaurant’s website. The restaurant also includes the option to “flavorize” the crust with flavors such as butter, Cajun, garlic, Jet’s Turbo Crust, Romano and sesame seed at no extra charge.

The pizza’s crispy corners are key, which is why Jet’s allows you to order a four-corner pizza or an eight-corner pizza so every bite can be the best part.

What are Jet’s Pizza’s signature flavors?

Jet’s offers a variety of unique options, including the Eugene Supreme (named after the company’s aforementioned founder) made with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, green peppers and mild peppers, or the Jet 10 made with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, ham, hamburger, Italian sausage, bacon, onions, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives.

Other standouts include the Aloha BBQ Chicken, BLT, Buffalo Ranch Chicken and Hawaiian.

Non-pizza eats

If pizza isn’t your pick, there are plenty of other options to savor, including Jet’s crispy wings, piled-high salads, desserts and Jet’s calzone-style boats, which are 10-inch Calzone-style sandwiches stuffed with fresh ingredients.

Jet’s signature ranch dressing

Also worth mentioning is Jet’s homemade ranch dressing, which is so popular it can be purchased on the side in a 12-ounce squeeze bottle. It’s so famous, culinary-focused publications like Bon Appetit and The Takeout have dedicated entire articles to it. The homemade sauce is said to be dairy-heavy and should be used within four to five days, The Takeout writes. But the bottom line is, you shouldn’t have a problem finishing it as it can be enjoyed on just about anything.

More updates and information can be found on the Jet’s Pizza website.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Jet's Pizza coming to Pensacola Creighton Road this January