Ann Arbor’s growing restaurant scene has brought along a myriad of interesting and exotic places to the classic college town. With new places to eat, locals and students alike have multiplied their options for lightning-fast lunches, delicious dinners, and late night eats. One of the best additions to the long list of food spots is Snap Custom Pizza & Salads. Located on East Liberty Street near the Michigan Theater, the restaurant is situated in a great spot for a midday pick-me-up or delicious way to unwind. Aside from its ideal location, Snap is creatively innovative, profoundly community-minded, and definitely delicious. Residents and visitors should trust this slice advice and surely check out Snap Pizza.

Backstory

Julia Weiner

Co-founders Peter Howey and Aaron Nocks started Snap Pizza in the mid-1990s. At the time, Howey coached Villanova University’s rowing team, yet had an insatiable desire to open his own pizza business. He called Nocks, his lifelong friend from Marblehead, Massachusetts, to propose his idea. The two immediately began building their new business, at the time called Peace a Pizza. After growing to ten stores and six franchise locations, Howey and Nocks converted into Snap Pizza, rebooting the company. The two founders perfectly molded their business to fit the needs of today’s consumers. With the rise in popularity of food customization, such as build-your-own salad and self-service frozen yogurt shops, the two friends knew they needed to blend the idea with their own. Snap’s model allows customers to pick from fresh ingredients and modify their orders to include exactly what they want, while excluding everything they don’t. Today, the two co-founders and thousands of residents along the east coast enjoy the company’s free spirit and creative combinations.

Menu Items

Julia Weiner

Snap only uses fresh ingredients; each batch of dough and sauce are made from scratch. Every location varies slightly in the ingredients offered, but Ann Arbor arguably has the best options. Some of their signature pizzas include a barbecue chicken pizza (Mexicue), sausage and egg pizza (The Good Egg), and a mac ‘n’ cheese pizza. For the make-your-own pizzas, they offer three types of crusts, six types of sauces, and nine types of cheeses. Customers with dietary and lifestyle restrictions can easily find options with their gluten-free crusts, cauliflower crusts, and vegan cheese. The proteins, vegetables, and toppings range from traditional to exotic, including items like falafel, chipotle corn, and cilantro lime crema. While the thin-crust pizza is baking in a 600-degree oven, customers can enjoy homemade sodas, made from natural ingredients. Aside from pizza, Snap offers a wide-range of custom salads and grain bowls.

Core Values

Aside from their amazing menu options, Snap Pizza is also built on six core values that drive the company’s admirable mission. Snap believes that the product is everything, and is committed to the best ingredients and combinations to please customers. Their employees are dedicated to staying positive and being team players, which is reflected in the care they put into the customer’s experience from the moment they enter to the moment they leave. Outside of their business, they take an interest in the communities they serve, which is why they are involved in fundraisers for local businesses. They have helped raise over $100,000 through partnerships with local communities.

If campus organizations are interested in partnering with Snap for a fundraising event, they should check their website for more information!