Brooklyn-Based Emmy Squared Opens First Florida Restaurant

A little bit of Brooklyn and Detroit – all in one – is landing in South Florida.

Brooklyn-bred Emmy Squared — renowned for its Detroit-style pizza — is opening its first Florida location in Fort Lauderdale. The restaurant, located at 468 N. Federal Hwy., will be located in the same complex as popular brunch spot Foxy Brown and opens on Monday, November 20.

According to Karin Salinas, chief marketing officer of Emmy Squared, South Florida is a "key market" for the hospitality group Howard Greenstone, cofounded by Emily and Matthew Hyland, the same duo behind Bajo Sexto Taco and Adele's in Nashville, among other endeavors.

When it opens, the new Fort Lauderdale Emmy Squared will mark the brand's 28th restaurant to open following its New York debut in 2016. The brand has since expanded to Connecticut, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, among other states.

Core to the Emmy Squared experience is its Detroit-style pies, each sporting a fluffy, focaccia-like crust, cheese-crisped edges, and a variety of unique flavor combinations. Pies come in two sizes: 8-by-10 inch and 10-by-14 inch, each with ten slices apiece.

Fan favorites in other markets include the "Big Hawaiian" topped with pepperoni, bacon, pineapple, and a chile oil drizzle, or the "Angel," a pie layered in a truffle mushroom cream, ricotta, and fresh mushrooms.

Beyond pizza, the Emmy Squared menu also boasts half-pound, double-stack burgers, shareable salads large enough to feed three, chicken sandwiches served on housemade pretzel buns, and more.

Vibe-wise, the restaurant offers an upscale, coastal ambiance with rattan light fixtures, a soft green color palette, wood tones, an open kitchen, and community tables for mingling.

"One of the pillars of Emmy Squared is that we are a neighborhood restaurant. We want to be a part of the community and have our neighbors help create the space with us," says Salinas. "No two Emmy Squareds are alike, and we believe we have captured the vibe of Fort Lauderdale."

Beyond the November 20 opening, Salinas says the company plans to open an Emmy Squared in Coral Gables at 230 Miracle Mile by the end of January, with two additional Sunshine State locations set to open by the end of 2024.

Emmy Squared. 468 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 754-296-0076; emmysquaredpizza.com. Opens Monday, November 20.