Toronto may have an (over) abundance of Neapolitan pizza places, a rising faction of Roman-style pizzerias, and a few New York-influenced pizza joints, but the Detroit pie is something that to my knowledge we haven't seen much of around these parts (we're still struggling in the Chicago department as well).

That's set to change this spring when Descendant Pizza opens in the former location of the Dinesafe-plagued Amaya Express in Leslieville. What exactly is Detroit-style pizza? The defining characteristic is its square shape, which comes from the semi-deep dish baking pan in which it;s cooked. The idea is to give the crust an almost fried flavour by generously oiling the pan prior to baking.

Detroit-style pizza also tends to feature marinara sauce applied on top of the pie after its removal from the oven. Given this city's obsession with pizza, you can expect that a lot of people with be curious to try the new restaurant, which is currently undergoing the final phase of renovations. Look for a May opening date.