There’s an art to preparing ‘Old School Pizza.?
It begins with high quality cheese and a generous amount of toppings. It ends inside a brick oven that gives the pizza a ‘nice crispy bottom.?
But you don’t have to go to New York or a nearby Little Italy to get ‘Old School Pizza.? You can find it right here in Oxford and Orion at Fatty’s Pizza, owned and operated by Steve Templin.
A lifelong Orion resident and 1987 graduate of Lake Orion High School, Steve learned the pizza business at the local Papa Romanos, where he worked in high school and college.
Realizing a 9-5 job wasn’t for him after college, Steve opened his first Fatty’s Pizza in 1996 at 3063 S. Baldwin Road in Orion. He opened his downtown Oxford location at 40 N. Washington St. in 2003.
Steve prides himself on the fact that Fatty’s Pizza is not part of a chain or franchise which means he’s not trying to sell as many pizzas as he can by skimping on quality and lowering the price.
Take the size of a Fatty’s Pizza for instance. At most pizza joints, a large is between 12 and 14 inches. At Fatty’s, a large is 18 inches. ‘When we say large, it’s large,? Steve said.
Even the Fatty’s small pizza is 12 inches which at other places is medium or large, according to Steve.
But size alone doesn’t make a good pizza. That’s why Steve uses Grande Mozarella on his pies, a high quality, ‘real creamy? cheese that costs 30 to 40 cents per pound more, but ‘reheats really nice? for the customer, Steve said.
Even Fatty’s peppers are of superior quality. Most places only offer green peppers as a topping. But at Fatty’s Steve mixes red and yellow peppers in with the green to ‘give it some sweetness? and make the pie more appealing to the eye.
‘My motto is if you’re going to put it on the menu make sure it’s high quality and good,? Steve said.
Always looking to offer his customers something unique, earlier this year Steve introduced a ‘Hot Wing Pizza,? featuring chicken marinated in hot sauce, cheese, jalapeno peppers and more hot sauce on top. It comes with bleu cheese dressing on side to drizzle over the top.
But for those who aren’t always in a pizza mood, Fatty’s offers homemade hoagies served on fresh-baked honey white bread that’s piled high with meat and cheese. ‘We don’t skimp like other places where all you get is a lot of bread,? Steve said.
Fatty’s also offers homemade spinach lasagna and mostacholi, five different kinds of salads, and mouth-watering baby back ribs. ‘Most places offers spare ribs, but their too fatty,? Steve said. ‘My ribs are lean and flavorful. We sell a lot of ribs here. Oxford loves ribs.?
For those who may want to each a little healthier, Fatty’s offers an oven-roasted chicken dinner that consists of half a chicken, potatoes and coleslaw, all for just $6.95.
‘It’s a great option when say the kids want pizza, but mom and dad want something a little healthier,? Steve said.
Customers who want something on the side will find a variety of appetizers at Fatty’s Pizza including bread sticks, mozzarella bread sticks, cinnamon bread and potato wedges.
Delicious food aside, Steve and Fatty’s Pizza are dedicated to the Oxford/Orion area. A family man with a wife of eight years, Lori, and two small sons, Logan and Lucas, Steve regularly donates to the senior all night parties at both OHS and LOHS, and sells pizza to the various sports teams at a discount.
‘It’s important to give something back,? he said.
Fatty’s Pizza’s Oxford and Orion locations are open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday. To reach the Oxford location call (248) 628-4471. For the Orion location call (248) 391-9226.