I've been meaning to get here for a long while, probably since they opened a couple years ago. I'm on board with the mission and love the idea of a restaurant at 28th and Lehigh that is worth going out of your way. Finally got here and was not disappointed. Fries were spectacular. Cauliflower wings were spectacular (I now know to get a side of the excellent house-made buffalo sauce because more is more with good hot sauce). Got the Uptown Vibes pizza and it was - no surprise - spectacular. A really unique take on Detroit-style pizza. As other reviews noted, the dough has an almost focaccia-esque tang and chew, which I really liked. The Detroit-style burnt edges were there and they were delicious. One pizza (with the wings and fries) was more than enough for two adults to eat too much and still have leftovers. Service was friendly and military-level precise: I arrived at 4:41 for my scheduled 4:45 takeout order and waited exactly (probably to the second) four minutes for my order. Highly recommended for both the food and the mission. I would love to see more small businesses (particularly restaurants with excellent grub) orient themselves toward effectuating meaningful change in traditionally underserved communities. read more

Some of the best pizza I have ever had...the they not like us pizza is my go to....after that would be the bbq pizza jawn

I've searched from end to end in the city for Detroit style pizza. This place specializes in Detroit and doesn't disappoint. Although a few bad reviews state that it's not worth $20 for a pizza I'm going to beg to differ. The size isn't huge but the weight it ample. It's almost two and a half pounds of food for the down north pizza. The sauce errors on the side of sweet which is right in my wheelhouse. The sweet sauce is the only way to compleme the thick yet light and airy dough of a Detroit pie. The bottom was crisped up and the top was lined like a baseball field fresh cut alternating between sauce and cheese. Pepperoni was a good compliment. read more

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I have to cross three state lines, deal with 95 traffic and DC beltway traffic to get this pizza....... It is worth every second. So, I visit Philly to see my kid, but via IG see this new pizza spot that is opening up. It's mission was timely, noble and exactly what we need. SO, I am like "yeah, I will support this local-owned, black-owned business. " Honey let me tell you - I showed up and they were sold out of pizza. But one of the gents and co-owners heard my plea and promised me a pizza before they opened in the morning. So, the next day (yes, I grabbed a hotel for a night to get a pizza)I showed up and ordered an I'm a Boss and PSK Vegan pizza along with a cucumber mint lemonade. I took a bite and can I tell you that I felt that scales fell off my taste buds. The dough was so fresh and perfection, all fresh ingredients, seasoned to perfection and NO GREASE! Gourmet pizza in Philly..... So, the great thing is that I have been able to reheat a slice 5 days later and it taste so fresh. Go get you a pie. read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I have been waiting to get to this place for awhile now. Happy to have finally made it. The service was great, easy to order online and plan my pickup. They were very pleasant and helpful inside. The blueberry lemonade (not pictured) I got was perfectly sweet without being over the top. The buffalo cauliflower was so fresh and done right as I got there. As far as the pizza goes I would say it's one of the better detroit pies I've had in the city. I would definitely recommend checking this place out. Love what they are doing for the community as well. read more

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I have been meaning to try Down North Pizza for so long, and finally on a lazy day where I was really craving just some junk food and solid pizza, I was happy to see they delivered and ordered some asap for a cozy night in. Down North definitely did not disappoint - the pizza is super solid. I absolutely loved the rich tomato sauce, the toppings, and the crust. Especially for a deep-dish reminiscent style pizza, the dough needs to be perfect and that's exactly how it was. The dough is super fluffy on the inside and really crispy on the edges. The pizza is slightly on the smaller side, but because the slices are thicker, it does at least fill you up. I ordered the I'm a Boss: Turkey Pepperoni + Turkey Sausage + Mushrooms + Red Peppers + "Norf" Sauce. So, so good. Their pizzas are definitely on the pricier side (this square pie was $25) but if you're feeling something different than your run of the mill pies, definitely support them. I saw in a video a while ago that was highlighting local Philly businesses, and the owner of Down North talked about their community work and how they employ formerly incarcerated individuals and do a lot of activism in that area, so you know your money is going to support a great local business that gives back! Would absolutely recommend showing them some love, and the pizza really is a standout in Philly; they don't make the "best of" lists for nothing. read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ELITE pizza experience in Philadelphia! I'm a huge fan of Detroit style pizza and this does not disappoint. We ordered online and picked up from the location. The pizza held up very well after the drive home and each one should be able to serve 2-3 people. Ordered the Roc the Mic (tomato, pepperoni) and Break You Off (lamb sausage, za'tar). You get your signature Detroit dough. Crispy square and layery dough similar to a focaccia. Roc the Mic reminded me of Prince St in NYC with its touch of spice and balance of flavors. However my fav was the Break You Off. I'm a toppings guy and this is a unique, delicious combination of ingredients, particularly with the garlic honey drizzle bringing it all together to create a magical bite. read more

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Excellent pizza. Super amazing edges. Sweet yet spicy sauce. Our first visit. Met the owner Muhammed. Really nice guy. Great idea to help those previously incarcerated!! Ladies at the counter were really friendly and helpful. Roc da mic pizza was terrific. Love the beef pepperoni. Brisket fries were really flavorful. We have leftovers for the ride home to NYC. Would definitely be back when in Philly or just passing through like today. read more

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Honestly, I don't have much to say but Go. It's very Detroit style pizza (a lot of crust). I love that they have beef pepperoni. I love the mission of the restaurant and what they stand for. Just get out and support them! read more

Down North Pizza - Roc the Mic Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I was really craving pizza and have been trying to make my way to this pizza spot since they opened. I was hoping to try the "Break You Off" but they were sadly sold out at the time. So instead I ordered the "Say Yes". At first I was skeptical with the idea of butternut squash on the pizza but it work really well. I like how the dough was crispy and chewy all at the same time. This particular pizza is a white sauce pizza and I asked for the red sauce on the side it honestly made the pizza 10x better. Not saying it wasn't good to begin with I just thought it lacked a little something. Even when I reheated it the next day it was still just as good. It's not as greasy and most pizza places which was a pleasant surprise. It's very filling easily shared between two people. I hope to visit again soon when they lamb pizza isn't sold out. read more

Down North Pizza - Say Yes Pizza Jerk Turkey sausage, butternut squash, lemon ricotta and honey lemon drizzle - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Down North has been on my radar since it opened. What an amazing mission and business philosophy! I preordered a Roc The Mic pizza and an Oreo Shake for pickup. The pizza was very good. I'll looking forward to having it again. The milkshake was yummy, but I am not sure I would order it again. They were a little backed up, which happens, so I was happy to wait. I ended up waiting ~25 minutes which was quite the wait in my opinion. The pizza was hot, but the milkshake was melted. I think the milkshake was made when I arrived but the pizza wasn't ready. Definitely frustrating which is why I gave four stars. I will certainly give them another shot and hope the next experience is better! read more

Down North Pizza - Roc the Mic Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This pizza was worth the hype. I ordered a Roc the Mic (4 cheese + pepperoni + spicy tomato sauce) on a weekday afternoon. When I got there, a few minutes before the designated time, the pizza was ready to go. It was smaller than I expected--maybe 12"x12" or 13"x13"--but very heavy. Here's the deal. The crust is crisp and crunchy on the edges from the cheese. In the middle it's pillowy soft. Usually I'm not a fan of more soft doughy breads, but this was great. Warm and just, I dunno I have no words. The sauce was a perfect combo of spicy, savory, and sweet. The four cheeses were really nice and some were distinguishable. Would go back in a heartbeat. read more

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Awesome message and mission and solid pizza Staff were extremely friendly and were cracking jokes. Seemed like great guys read more

I really enjoyed my No Betta Love plain pizza here from Down North! I could really tell that the ingredients in the cheese, sauce, and crust were all well above par. You have to be willing for your sauce to have a little spicy kick, but it's not too spicy. I also usually prefer crunchy crust to chewy, but this chewy crust still tasted great! Online ordering was a breeze. Overall definitely recommend read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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MY NEW FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE IN THE COUNTRY I've had some amazing pies, but Down North serves up slices of heaven. Their flavors were summoned by angels I tell you. I have never had such savory flavor combos on pizza - my god, on food period - before. The "Flip Side's" smoky bacon and sweet BBQ sauce were perfection, but then throw in the caramelized puréed pineapple (a genius innovation, why has no one ever thought of doing that to pineapple before??) and you're seeing God. The "Uptown Vibe" is smothered with their "Norf Sauce", which is a spicier red sauce that will make all other pizzas taste bland until the end of time. The "Break You Off"...the dusting of zaatar and the melty cheese just made me want to cry because so many beautiful emotions were coursing through my body as I chewed. The Detroit style crust is on the thicker side, but is perfectly fluffy/chewy on the inside and a little crunchy/charred on the outside. I love that the crust is not greasy at all. The staff are wonderful. They served our pizza quickly, they joked with us, and they even gave us the "Bean Pie" ice cream sandwiches for dessert on the house! These fellas are making (and baking) Black History; trust me, you'll want to come back over and over EVERY month. I am certainly considering moving to Philly just for that opportunity read more

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I wanted to love this pizza but sadly the 3 of us did not like it. I believe it was the sauce, tasted like barbecue to me but my girls said it's just too sweet. Its literally a loaf of bread so thick. We wiped the sauce off and none of us finished our slice. The shoestring fries and wings were delicious. I love the concept and wish this business much success just not for me. read more

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Hands down some of the pizza I've EVER HAD! My brother from another mother put me onto 'Down North Pizza' and told me I had to try it. It was deep dish blah blah blah. I rarely take pizza suggestions because everyone claims the know of the best pizza in town. Most times their taste and palette is straight up garbage. Anyway, I took a chance and place and online order for pick up after that everything was on and popping. From the crust, to the sauce, to the toppings everything about their pies are out of this world. The sauce has a little spice to it which to my knowledge isn't classic but it's the perfect touch in 2022 (chefs kiss). I love the philly homage with the pizza names and as a musician, that alone would have secured a 5 rating but the quality and taste of the pizza held up their end of the bargain. 10/10 would recommend. Also if you are into supporting black owned business like I am, here is their mission statement found on their website: Down North Pizza is a mission-led for-profit restaurant providing excellent food and quality customer service to North Philadelphia. We exclusively employ formerly incarcerated individuals while providing culinary career opportunities at a fair wage and equitable workplace. read more

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This place been on my "must support" to do list! I love the initiative this business took to give back to the community and support those who were previously incarcerated. Providing jobs, living arrangements and reintroduction to society in such a meaningful way! I tip my hat and open my wallet . The customer service was great, the pizza was bomb, the cost was not typical pizza prices but this is not your typical pizza shop. Definitely will return. read more

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Best vegan pizza I ever had. I never tried their regular pizza but I bet it's the best too! I order delivery and the pizza is always hot and fresh when it arrives. The vegan "wings" are good too! (Cauliflower). Definitely give this place a try! So so good!! read more

I absolutely love the pizza here! 2 pizzas feed my family of 4 with leftovers! They offer some of the best dough I've had!

(Visited on 10/24/21) Been wanting to try this place for a minute. Read about this restaurant in a few publications as they employ formerly incarcerated individuals at a fair wage; big shout out to the establishment for that alone! Now to the food....i went on cheat day (Sundays) so that I could go IN. the menu items are titled based on classic Philly lingo. I got the What We Do pizza (shout out to Beans and Freeway for that classic) and the Honey Chipotle wings. The wings were AMAZING. Fried hard with a nice crisp. The honey Chipotle had a mix of spice and sweet that I've honestly never tasted on wings before. Very good. Also, the blue cheese dressing how a sweetness to it as well which was surprisingly good. The pizza was very flavorful. Thick dough with a layer of cheese and toppings. Well worth the price. This is definitely a place to support, not only for the mission but great food as well! read more

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Fantastic Detroit Style Pizza. Great service and a very inviting cozy shop. Everything I've tried here has been great. Roc the Mic and Flip Side being the two biggest standout pizzas. The wings, lemonades and milkshakes should not be slept on either! read more

Really cool spot! They serve Detroit style pizza, and you have to order online and pick up there - I didn't see any seating when I went in. All of their meats are beef/lamb, which was selfishly exciting since I don't eat pork. The sauce is on the sweeter side, but very good. Everything we ordered was great, I will definitely be back here. read more

Down North caught our attention through the purpose of their mission - Exclusively employ formerly incarcerated individuals while providing culinary career opportunities at a fair wage and equitable workplace. Their aim is to help erase employment barriers formerly incarcerated men and women face by providing culinary career opportunities. Down North also provides the crucial resources returning citizens need such as reduced housing, legal representation, and transportation. What a great mission. We visited this location and experienced a mouthful of greatness. We ordered the crab fries, Break You Off, and the Roc The Mic. I would do it again and again when we visit Philly. Thank you for the great customer service and great food. Best pizza we have ever had. The food did not make it pictures, we devoured it. read more

Food is good. Store is nice. People are nice. They were quickly and get you out of there fast read more

Finally. Finally. Finally, got a chance to slide by Down North. Grabbed a "Break You Off" with lamb and ricotta and a bunch of other lit ingredients. Now...for $20+ I need my pizza to be bigger than a personal size. I almost paid my Peco bill in pizza if I dared to get two lol. No shade y'all but geez. Unfortunately, the pizza fell short for me. I love me a Chicago deep dish but this jawn was deeeeep. Way too much dough and same with the cheese. Also got some fries and sad to say those were really average too. I'm not sure if I'd go back but their cucumber mint lemonade really hit the spot! read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had this place bookmarked as a new hip black-owned pizza spot to check out. I was in the area so popped in for a takeout order. Pizza was yummy, I had one filled with veggies. The crust was thick and buttery. I enjoyed and will return when I'm back in that area with a hankering for pizza. read more

Deep crust almost deep dish. This is a hearty pizza and with a good cause. Plenty of toppings and a crisp crust. It reminds me of Pizza Hut pizza. I'm a Boss pizza has turkey sausage mushrooms red peppers and turkey pepperoni. The fries were perfectly crispy and lightly salted. Local MOB with a good cause. The size was surprising for the cost but it truly was hearty so you were full. I wouldn't crave in the future but definitely eat if others are buying. read more

Down North Pizza - I'm a Boss Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Amazing pizza, we order roc the mic pizza. Their pizza comes out as a sicilian pizza. The dough was nice a fluffy buttery inside the square part. While the crust or outside the square was a crispy crunch cheese bite. Their norf sauce was just the right touch of spicy and sweet the pizza needed. Great beef pepperoni. Pizza was not oily at all. read more

Down North Pizza - Roc the mic pizza. - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The unique pizza flavors are the best part of about Down North Pizza. The service is usually on point here as well. It's a bit pricey, but definitely worth it. read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is such a solid spot for Philly! Firstly, it is far and few between that you can find a Detroit-style pizza (which is my personal favorite) in Philadelphia, so to make it stand out amidst the competitive pizza landscape of the city, you've gotta bring the heat. Down North quite literally does that, starting off with their Norf Sauce. This is a delicious combination of a sweet and spicy red sauce that they put on their "No Betta Love" pie. I would consider this their standard, and a must have if you are just starting to dabble with this style of pizza. Their dough is thick and airy, has a great crisp around the edges, and really holds up for the rich sauces they put on top. My only critique here...I wish there was more sauce on the pie! Really good all around. You may across this same problem that we had which was, how can you only order one? Their speciality pies all look great, so we tried to balance it out, and we also got the "Yeah That's Us" (which is a buffalo chicken & blue cheese pie) and the "What we do" (which is like a meat lovers special with pepperoni and sausage, along with banana peppers and a honey chipotle drizzle...and you can't forget the kale, in case you want a healthy aspect ;) All that said, I felt like the "Yeah That's Us" was my favorite. Right off the jump, opening the box, the aroma of that spicy buffalo sauce and melty blue cheese is just amazing. Neither over-power each other, and you know these guys are pros because they use chicken thighs. This is crucial, because thighs are way juicer, and hold their own flavor and the flavor of the sauce much better. All the pies were slamming, and then we also got an order of their crab fries...YO. I must have skimmed by the description, because I had no idea there was going to be real crab meat on these jawns, but talk about stepping it up a level. The cheese sauce and kale are a great compliment to the old bay seasoning. These were fire. Even their lemonades were off the chain - we got the cucumber mint and blueberry - I would like gallons of these in my own home. The joint itself is pretty cool too. Nice service and you can't help but be consumed with what they stand for. They are community centric, and have the art and attitude that stands for it. If it wasn't so far for me, I would eat here at least once a month. Highly recommend checking this out, regardless of where you live in the city! read more

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So my husband learned about Down North Pizza after watching a JL Jupiter review and we had to try it!!!! The order process was very easy, it was an online ordering process which at the end informed you when you could pick it up. We heard they sell out pretty fast so we was not about to walk in to order and he turned around because they had no more food. My husband actually went inside to get our order while and from what he reported the establishment is very clean and the all male staff was very professional and personable. He was able to speak with the owner and he mentioned how humble he was and how appreciative he was of the business. Customer service is a big thing for us as we both work in fields that require constant public interaction and we must show up at all times. And Down North staff did just that!!!' So the food I purchased a Rock the Mic for us and an order of fries and a Yeah that's Us for my parents. The pie was of course Chicago style deep dish, one piece is all you needed seriously. It was amazing their tomato or "Norf" sauce was very fresh and light and just enough as it was on top with the cheese underneath. The pepperonis were fresh and the best part was the dough, wow!!! Flavorful, thick but not choke you thick, it had a nice density and moistness that made it go down easy. My parents loved the Yeah that's Us, it looked amazing I wanted a piece but like I said one slice is enough. The box is smaller than the average pizza, but this is not the average pizza place One box feed my and husband for 3 days lol and one box feed my family of 4 for a day and a half. We got fries also, they were thin cut like shoe string fries my husband liked them. Our bill totaled about $50, not bad at all for all we had. Please tell a friend and another friend and so on, we need to keep these businesses in our communities you will not be disappointed and most of all they are serving with a mission behind it, to help folks successfully transition from incarceration! Let's get behind this read more

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Thick pizza with a friendly storefront. Saw them making milkshakes at the counter and can't wait to try those next time I go back. I got spicy cheese fries and a pepperoni pizza with pickled jalapeños and the whole thing blew me away. Although it's smaller than a regular pie, it's crispy edges, cheese and dough stack made me full after just two slices. Can't believe I waited so long for Detroit style! read more

Down North Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

First time here. Easy to order online and pickup. We got the strawberry and cucumber mint lemonade and the uptown vibes pizza. The drinks were delicious and refreshing. The pizza was yummy and as described by others chewy with a nice crunch along the edges and full of flavor! read more

This new blacked owned pizza spot gets it name for being in North Philly. Today was their official grand opening and I was able to pre order ahead of time through their Instagram page. They also had walk ins available as well. I choose a buffalo chicken because a lot of the options and time slots were already taken but it didn't disappoint. It is a pan style not too crispy and not too soft. They always offer milkshakes, wings and other things that I will have to try another day. read more

Visiting the area for a rowing regatta and worked up an appetite - Down North was the perfect stop: great sauce, solid crust and exceptional service read more

The pizza is great and worth the money. It's a deep dish that has a bit of weight to it. A pizza is enough to feed two or three

Ate at his museum pop up. Best pizza I've had in the city. Lamb pizza was absolutely spectacular!

Pizza is a 3.5, service is a 1. Signed up for a timeslotted order on Super Bowl Sunday and my order was skipped. Had to wait an extra 45 minutes to get food for a party I was hosting. read more

One of the best Detroit style pizza's I've had. Three words to describe it? Fluffy. Sweet. Spicy. Although it sounds like a weird combo, they pull it together magnificently. I 100% will be back, and can't recommend it highly enough. I preorder online, showed up on the dot, and the food was ready to go. Always bonus points for businesses trying to do the right thing! read more

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