The pizza has its roots in Detroit. The owner is from New York. And there isn’t a round pizza tray in the place.
This is Square Pie Guys, the restaurant credited with introducing San Franciscans to Detroit-style, crispy-edged square pizza. The group opened its first brick-and-mortar in 2019 in SoMa after running a successful pop-up. The pies then became available at Ghirardelli Square and Oakland restaurants and from Local Kitchens locations throughout the Bay Area.
The Campbell SPG — near the Campbell Avenue entrance into downtown — is the South Bay’s first. Next up will be locations in Walnut Creek and Palo Alto, founder-owner Marc Schechter has announced.
The pizzas feature Square Pie Guys’ signature cheddar cheese-edge, which gives them the crunch that differentiates Detroit from other styles. Bestselling pies, Schechter says, are the Pepperoni with red sauce and 48 pepperoni slices, and the Big Von, with sausage, pepperoni, ricotta cream and Mike’s Hot Honey. For veggie lovers, the restaurant tops its Plant Supreme with mushrooms, kalamata olives, pickled peppers and red onions.
Playing a starring role in most of these pies is a legendary name from here in the Valley of Heart’s Delight. California tomatoes from San Jose’s DiNapoli company are used to make the red sauces, both the traditional and the vodka-spiked one.
Other menu highlights include the Garlic Cheesy Bread; lunch specials like a Chicken Parm Sando on house focaccia; a Chop Salad with salami and marinated artichokes; and the gluten-free Szechuan Wings with house-made cilantro-lime crema for dipping.
Details: Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and till 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 501 E. Campbell Ave,, Campbell; www.squarepieguys.com