Midwest - Stop 50 Pizza - Michigan City, Indiana

gets great reviews, in the best pizza in US thread (in dining buzz forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=613035 ) a fellow FT'er recommends Stop 50 Pizza as one of the best in the US. They have received some good press. Has anyone been ? It is about 5 minutes from the Indiana / Michigan state line in Indiana.

Stop 50 Wood fired Pizza
500 S El Portal Drive
Michiana Shores (Michigan City) IN 46360
http://www.stop50woodfiredpizzeria.com/

By the way, I intend to stop here for dinner on Thurs Aug 21 if anyone cares to join me for a pizza, see this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=856476

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Ok, it is NOT a traditional Chicago thick-crust stuffed pizza place. But for creative thin-crust pizzas, it is amazing. A bit hard to find, but well worth it. Good wine selection. Great for a summer afternoon.

Ok, it is NOT a traditional Chicago thick-crust stuffed pizza place.
That doesn't bother me, I enjoy both thick and thin crust.
But for creative thin-crust pizzas, it is amazing.
So this place sounds great !!, thanks.

Went to Stop 50 the other evening as I was driving back from the Detroit area. Stopped by about 7pm.

Got off 94 at the 20/35 exit, then took 212 north to Rt 12, went east on Rt 12 for 1/2 mile, the turn off sign for Michiana Shores is not large whatsoever, so be on the lookout. (need to go over the RR tracks.)

Now for the crazy fate oriented things that happened that evening, they say timing is everything.

I drove up to the restaurant and the hostess asked if I wanted to sit outside or inside. It almost was a coin toss type decision but seeing as it was just a bit too humid for me, I chose inside. Glad I did because as I'm walking to my table, I hear a voice from where the pizzas are being made say in a questioning voice "Sweet Willie ?" Turns out the guy making the pizzas (the owner) and I worked for years at the same company HQ'd out of SW Michigan. We didn't work on the same accounts but knew each other. We shot the bull while my pizzas (yes plural;)) were being prepared.

We also discussed the wines of a FT'er which Stop 50 was serving. Quite delicious I may add.^

There were some very appetizing items to choose from like the wood fired veggie of the day, or the homemade breaksticks with sauce. As stated above, I simply ordered two pizzas. A red (no cheese) pizza and a pear, gorgonzola cheese, prosciutto, with a sprinkle of pine nuts thrown in.

Both were terrific, the red could have used a bit more sauce but now that I know, I'll ask for it that way next time I go which there will be a next time.

Stop 50 masters what I consider a big downer about "true" Neapolitan pizzas, the fact that every Neapolitan pizza I've had the center crust is mushy, not at Stop 50, the incredibly thin crust is crispy all over the on the whole pie. The owner mentioned that he also did not like the mushy crust of a true Neapolitan so he cooks the pizzas so they don't have this.

Then on the way home from Stop 50 I was driving along Rt 12 and had not seen any police cars which I thought was strange, then in a very short period I saw 5. Next thing I know is I look in my rear view mirror and here comes a car FLYING (70+ in a 25mph zone) with the 5 police cars right behind him. I hear screeching of tires and he skids by my car (maybe 5') then shoots offroad into an embankment 20' from my car and crashes into 3 parked cars in a lot. The cops are all out of their cars in seconds with guns drawn, I hightailed it out of there and proceed on a leisurely drive down 12 until it met up with the Skyway where I merged on and finished the drive home.

Stop 50 is well worth a stop, I'd even suggest going out of your way to try it. Mrs Sweet Willie and I are considering a trip out there to play on the dunes (Indiana State Dunes National Park http://www.nps.gov/indu ) during the day then go to Stop 50 in the evening for some delicious pizza.

I went to Stop 50 last week for the first time and was dissappointed. Living in Michiana Shores, I have been to all the local pizza places and for the money, you can get a better pizza and in a place with more ambience. The pizza I had was a mushroom pizza. The herbs were very fragrant, but the other toppings were not that impressive. The crust was very good but for $12.00 we split one pizza four ways and had it as an appetizer. The place was so loud, I couldn't hear my fellow companions. I noticed that the place was filled, so people with disposable income must like it

Living in Michiana Shores, I have been to all the local pizza places and for the money, you can get a better pizza and in a place with more ambience.

If there is better quality pizza in the area, by all means please post where!!^

I emphasized quality as I don’t want to eat a 50” pizza that is only $2 when the quality is ehh, some would jump at that and say it is a great value, big whoop. I’m not interested in quantity for my money spent, I’m interested in quality.

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I went to Stop 50 last week for the first time and was dissappointed. Living in Michiana Shores, I have been to all the local pizza places and for the money, you can get a better pizza and in a place with more ambience. The pizza I had was a mushroom pizza. The herbs were very fragrant, but the other toppings were not that impressive. The crust was very good but for $12.00 we split one pizza four ways and had it as an appetizer. The place was so loud, I couldn't hear my fellow companions. I noticed that the place was filled, so people with disposable income must like it

Using the word "ambiance' with any place that area is a stretch. Hammer's on U.S. 20 has ok "old fashioned" pizza, (which sounds like your preference) but hardly much ambiance. What are you thinking of? I have a condo in the same area and am there every week-end, so I would be interested to know.

Went here yesterday with Sweet Willie and the_happiness_store.

Quite good. I had the prosciutto pizza. Not cheap, but excellent quality.

I can see how it might get a little loud, as it was all exposed surfaces inside.

I went to Stop 50 last week for the first time and was dissappointed. Living in Michiana Shores, I have been to all the local pizza places and for the money, you can get a better pizza and in a place with more ambience. The pizza I had was a mushroom pizza. The herbs were very fragrant, but the other toppings were not that impressive. The crust was very good but for $12.00 we split one pizza four ways and had it as an appetizer. The place was so loud, I couldn't hear my fellow companions. I noticed that the place was filled, so people with disposable income must like it

I guess that I will not trust as my food guide since you haven't mentioned any alternatives.

We are talking about the quality of the food, not whether the place is loud. If you want quiet come to my place.

If there is better quality pizza in the area, by all means please post where!!^

I emphasized quality as I don’t want to eat a 50” pizza that is only $2 when the quality is ehh, some would jump at that and say it is a great value, big whoop. I’m not interested in quantity for my money spent, I’m interested in quality.

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Quality is the word. Some know the meaning of the word and I'll be damned sometimes you really have to pay.