A Taste of the Motor City in San Clemente - CLOSED

 Gibroni's Pizza

215 South El Camino Real

San Clemente, CA 92672

When I was growing up, I was naive about pizza. I never knew there were regions where pizza differed from the ones I consumed with great vigor after soccer games, birthday parties, and rounds of miniature golf. After a trip to the East Coast in the mid-eighties (yes, I am that old), I realized that all pizzas were not created equally after eating a pizza in New York City. That pizza we ate on that sidewalk in Manhattan all those years ago helped me see that there was way more to pizza than what I'd been eating at Chuck E Cheese or Pizza Hut. 

As I grew older, traveled more, and became a more adventurous eater, I soon realized that whether a pizza was made in the style of New York, Neopolitan, Chicago, New Haven, or Sicilian, they all had their own merits. Luckily, as the restaurant scene has evolved in OC, these pizzas are readily available without needing a plane ticket. 

The latest craze in the pizza game is Detroit-style pizza. Pizza Hut has been promoting it on TV, and my Instagram feed has featured plenty of it when I'm scrolling. There are now two places that serve pizza from this Midwestern city in OC, along with others in LA. I could not take seeing the glowing reviews and drool-inducing pictures anymore, so I gathered up two friends, and we headed to Gibroni's Pizza in San Clemente. 

Gibroni's operates out of the kitchen at JD's Bar, in the heart of downtown San Clemente, alongside El Camino Real. Tony and Lindsay Gioutsis had run a food truck in Texas but decided to make a dash for the beautiful shores of the Pacific. When the pandemic hit, they began perfecting their Detroit-style pizza, which they deeply missed from their youth in Michigan. They now run this pizza spot, Tony, in his trademark Detroit Tigers cap, Wednesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

But what exactly is Detroit-style pizza? It's pizza baked in a pan with sauce on top, cheese to the sides, and a buttery crust that is crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. Just like deep-dish pizza, making this kind of pizza takes a little time. They suggest you order on their website about 30 to 40 minutes before you want to eat longer during peak times on Fridays and Saturdays. We were going to be enjoying some beverages at JD's, so we just ordered online and waited for our pizzas to be ready. I was excited about my first Detroit-style pizza. Let's check it out. 

First up is the mushroom-centric Fun Guys Pizza ($16). This eight-by-ten-inch pizza comes with crimini mushrooms and is joined by sausage, white truffle oil, and porcini cream sauce. It is then finished with some parsley on top. Mushroom fans need to get this pizza stat, and even if you are not the biggest fan of shrooms, this flavor was very pleasing. It was hearty, and I loved how the crispy edges and soft dough in the middle contrasted. This could have had more sausage for my tastes, but it was an excellent start to my maiden voyage of having Detroit-style pizza. 

At Gibroni's, they feature a pizza of the month, and while we were there, we had this delicious Colonel Barry Sanders ($16). Hopefully, this one comes back soon. It's their take on the Nashville hot chicken craze at its peak right now. This one is topped with fried chicken pieces, pickled jalapenos, green onions, and their custom cheese blend. I detected a bit of heat and some sweetness in some bites, but I don't know where that came from. This pizza came with a side of their Cranch, which is what they call their house-made buttermilk ranch, which was excellent. For fans of buffalo wings, this would be your jam. 

This From the D Pizza ($16) is the most traditional pizza on the menu at Gibroni's. Double pepperoni, marinara, and parmesan made this pizza a winner. I loved the pepperoni they use here, which crisped up and formed little cups. The pizza was savory, with a touch of sweetness from the marinara. Because everything is layered on top of the pizza, it makes everything more prominent. 

We all split this Cheesy Bread ($11 with bacon added) as if we did not have enough carbs. The menu failed to mention that some sliced bell peppers and green onions would be included on top of this, which was not a big deal to me, but if you are not a fan, be advised. This was like their pizza but in breadstick form. It comes with either marinara or cranch, and we went with the ranch, which is always a good choice. 

Gibroni's lived up to the hype I had expected before my visit. You can now count me as a devotee of the Detroit-style pizza movement sweeping the country. This is more than a fad; this is some seriously great pizza. I loved the crispy edges and pillowy soft middle. This is a hefty pizza, much like a deep dish, which will make you full after only a few slices. The small pizzas will feed two adults, as two squares are enough for most people; even though I went through four during our visit, I was pretty stuffed for the rest of the day. Even though this was my first Detroit pizza, this is one of my top three pizza experiences in OC, joining Tony's Little Italy in Placentia and Terra Mia Pizza in Laguna Hills. I'm glad my tastes have evolved since I was a kid, and I loved all that mediocre pizza we got from Pizza Hut, Domino's, and others. 

Out of five Lakers (because Tony and Lindsay, the owners of Gibroni's, met at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, and their school mascot is Louie the Laker), five being best to zero being worst, Gibroni's Pizza gets 4 Lakers. 

For more information about Gibroni's Pizza, head to their website here: https://gibronispizza.com/