The area where Ypsilanti is today was first settled in the early 19th century by French explorers who set up a trading post where the Huron River flowed into Ford Lake. It was a solitary location and stayed that way for almost two decades until a few other pioneers arrived. Ypsilanti gradually began to take on the form of a town after a highway from Detroit to Chicago, which crossed the river nearby the settlement, was built. Once the road was in use a stagecoach service was implemented, but travel to and from Detroit remained difficult and time-consuming. By the mid-19th century, the railway had arrived in Ypsilanti and that was when the town really began to grow. By the beginning of the 1900s more housing had been built, factories were in operation, and many commercial enterprises had opened for business. It wasn't until the 1950s though that the first Italian restaurant was ready to introduce pizza to the Ypsilanti locals, but once they had, they never looked back and pizza has been a favorite meal in Ypsilanti for over seventy years.

Ypsilanti in Michigan is known for Chicago-style pizza

While Ypsilanti is around three hundred miles from the Windy City, it's not far enough away for the food trends there not to have an effect on the types of pies served in this Michigan city and so Ypsilanti is known for Chicago-style pizza. Chicago-style pizza is a type of upside-down pan-baked pie that first appeared on America's culinary scene in the 1940s. Why upside-down? After the dough has been stretched to cover the base and sides of the pan the first ingredient to go in is the cheese. That's followed by any other stuffing ingredient like meat or veg, then the whole thing is finished off with a layer of tomato sauce. Looking at a Chicago-style pizza can be off-putting if you're a cheese addict, but don't worry, there's always plenty in there even though it's been hidden away.

Best delivery pizza in Ypsilanti, Michigan

To get the best delivery pizza in Ypsilanti you need to order from a pizzeria local to where you are if that's possible. Cottage Inn Pizza has two premises in Ypsilanti so can dispatch their pies and get them to you a lot faster than most. Cottage Inn have their premises on South Huron Street and also on Washtenaw Avenue, so call the one closest to you and you'll have your delivery pizza in a flash. There's no faff or frills where Cottage Inn Pizza is concerned as all they do is concentrate on delivering a good pie. That's something they have a lot of experience with too as they've been dispatching dough for seven decades. All of Cottage Inn's pizzas are real appetite-pleasers and believe it, you'll be licking your fingers after devouring a slice or two of their Pricebuster or The Favorite.

Best takeout pizza in Ypsilanti, Michigan

If you've been enjoying a spell at the Van Buren Beach Park and find yourself hankering after a slice of pie, you don't need to go all the way into town to get it. You can in fact get the best take-out pizza in Ypsilanti from Maria's Liquor and Fine Wine which is on South Grove Street just a few minutes from where you are. While Maria's Liquor and Fine Wine is a store and deli, it's also a first-class pizzeria. There's no dining area or even a seat so you'll have to stand while waiting for your order to cook, but the discomfort will be worth it when you sink your teeth into one of Maria's pizzas. The Chicago-style pie from here is packed with meat and cheese and comes highly recommended.

Best pizza near Ypsilanti, Michigan

Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is a great Michigan city to head for from Ypsilanti when you want a family day out. There's a fantastic diversity of things to do there that will entertain both adults and kids. The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is a super place to start the day and will wake up the young ones' interest in the world around them. While the University of Michigan Museum might initially sound a little stuffy for kids, it's not, as they'll love the dinosaur skeletons even if they're not keen on the taxidermied exhibits. If they've got a build-up of excess energy, take them for a hike along the Border to Border Trail before feeding them a pizza at Blaze Pizza on Washtenaw Avenue.

Dearborn

If you're a big history fan there's no way you can't make the thirty-mile trip from Ypsilanti to Dearborn. There's enough diverse museums and galleries there to keep you busy for a week. You'll need a full day to explore all that the Greenfield Village Museum has to offer, never mind the rest. The Greenfield Village covers eighty acres of ground split into seven different districts which are each dedicated to a different era. There are a couple of hundred historic buildings originally collected by Henry Ford, vintage cars you can drive around in yourself, and a working farm that pays homage to the bygone days. When you've seen all that there is to see there, which won't be easy, drop by Buddy's Pizza on Michigan Avenue for a slice of pie.

Monroe

Monroe is a city right on the shores of Lake Erie and just a twenty-eight-mile drive south from Ypsilanti. To have a quiet, relaxing time head straight for the William C. Sterling State Park where's a beach for chilling out on or some great lagoon landscapes to hike around. If you're a fan of military history then don't miss the chance to take a selfie standing in front of the Custer Equestrian Monument before going to explore the River Raisin National Battlefield. If you're not into military history you may find the Monroe County Museum interesting enough to pass a couple of hours in before you go for a pizza at Pope's Pizzeria on North Telegraph Road.