Pizza. Quite possibly the perfect food, yes? Whether a tasty little square or big indulgent slice, pizza can make even the most utilitarian meal feel celebratory. After years on the road managing tours and producing cultural events, we’ve savored the most renowned pies in the country. To this day, we find new discoveries, including here at home along the Lake Michigan shore. Find your favorite among these stellar pizzerias exploring the creative possibilities inherent to the form.

Emma Hearth & Market 

Masters of their craft, Emma and their bustling wood-fire oven turn out an impressive number of pizza styles packed with savory, caramelized flavor. All are expertly prepared and totally worthy, but the flagship thin Roman and thick Al Taglio styles remain favorites. If you’re up for it, order one of each—Satan’s Kiss and Seasonal Italian Greens are our go-to’s. The menu leans heavily toward fresh, traditional Italian profiles with herbs, San Marzano tomatoes, and Calabrian chilis grown nearby on the market’s farm. Paired with a bottle of wine and a summer breeze on the beach or Emma’s charming sideyard, you might forget you’re in Michigan. (We recommend preorders here.)

9709 Red Arrow Hwy
Bridgman, Michigan
Website | Map

Brewsters

Tucked away on a side street in the heart of downtown New Buffalo, Brewsters serves delicious, hand-tossed sourdough pizzas. The New Yorker, a rich, savory/salty combination of fontina, provolone, and mozzarella with crushed tomato sauce, and the Betty White, a delectable union of creamy ricotta, garlic confit, and hot honey, are stand-outs. Best enjoyed inside by the cozy fireplace or out on Brewsters lush garden patio. 

11 W Merchant St
New Buffalo, Michigan
Website | Map

Haymarket Taproom

A lakeshore outpost for the long-established Chicago brewer, Haymarket delights with its beer and pizza. In their take on this perennially popular combination, they went intentionally craft-brew focused and wood-fired in the kitchen. Think BBQ pulled pork, spicy elote, or caramelized shallot pies on a thin crust with just the right amount of char. Bring a crew and try them all! Tucked under a canopy of string lights adjacent to a large wooded greenspace, their outdoor patio is great for families and bigger groups. 

9301 Red Arrow Hwy
Bridgman, Michigan
Website | Map

Villa Nova Pizzeria

Craving an old-school Chicago tavern-style pie? Villa Nova’s your spot. Thin, crispy, sweet, and herbaceous, it hits all the nostalgic marks, right down to the tasty Italian sausage. Served in the classic party cut (fun to say and fun to eat!), the pizza here is perfect any time of day. But it’s particularly enjoyable as a late-night delivery when you realize that your well-earned beach day just breezed through dinnertime. 

134 E Buffalo St
New Buffalo, Michigan
Website | Map

Staymaker

Let’s head in the other direction and talk Detroit-style pizza. Journeyman Distillery’s restaurant Staymaker offers a small selection of the satisfying deep-pan pies. The uniquely flavorful, crispy-chewy crust is made with Journeyman’s locally grown Featherbone Bourbon mash bill. Try the Detroit Meets Italy pizza—delightful with roasted garlic purée, fresh tomatoes, arugula, and pesto—paired with a Black Hearts Gin Negroni for full effect. 

109 Generations Dr
Three Oaks, Michigan
Website | Map

words  Penny Duff + Michael Slaboch
images  Gabrielle Sukich, Brewster’s, Haymarket, Villa Nova, Staymaker
updated  February 2026

After delighting fans with delicious food and extraordinary music events as The Storehouse, Penny Duff and Michael Slaboch opened Out There, a wine bar and shop in Sawyer’s iconic Shell service station, in August 2024. Together with Out There co-founder Molly Kobelt, they created a modern, welcoming space for low-key revelry — wine and oysters, fresh seasonal meals, and signature live and vinyl music programming.