Midnight Pizza Crü launch weekly nights at Sunderland's Pop Recs serving Detroit-style squares and New York slices

During their pandemic pop up nights at The Ship Isis, collection slots for Midnight Pizza Crü pizzas would sell out in seconds, with people eager to get their hands on the distinctive deep pan of the American delicacy which is three times the thickness of your average pizza, with a base more akin to focaccia.

The brainchild of Dan Shannon, who’d lost his previous job due to Covid, it proved a lockdown hit, attracting people from across the region, and even led to a pop up Midnight Pizza Crü night at the two Michelin-star Raby Hunt restaurant near Darlington.

Dan has since gone on to become director of another great Sunderland success story: Pop Recs, which has transformed centuries-old buildings at the bottom of High Street West into a vibrant venue, cafe and community space.

Now, he’s combined the two ventures with Midnight Pizza Crü becoming a weekly fixture on the Pop Recs menu.

He’s also recruited pizza chef Andy Evans, who’s previously worked at the hugely-popular Scream For Pizza in Newcastle, to help sling New York-style thin base pizzas, as well as Detroit squares.

It’s the latest string to the Pop Recs bow, which has already built up a following for its breakfast and cafe menu, as well as its broad range of gigs, as it nears its first anniversary of opening in the once-derelict city centre Victorian buildings as part of a wave of investment in the city’s Heritage Action Zone.

Dan said: “There’s a really emerging quality food and drink scene in Sunderland and we want to be a part of that. We’ve already had our first pizza weekend and people made the effort to support us, with people travelling from Newcastle and Hartlepool. We really want to get it established now.”

Andy’s worked with Dan on collaborations previously, including The Raby Hunt event, and says it’s great to be part of the Pop Recs team.

"I’d been at Scream for Pizza for three years and was managing the kitchen. It was great, but I was looking for something new and this was perfect timing,” he said. “As soon as I walked in, it felt like the right thing. The fact that they’re a community interest company was also a huge part of why I wanted to be involved, they do some great work in the community with their music workshops and other projects.

"It’s a belter of a place and the people are quality.”

Dan added: “I needed someone to be able to lead on the pizza side of things and it’s great to have Andy on board, who’s talented and experienced across a diverse pizza offering. He’s used to a busy kitchen environment and he can enable us to offer pizza regularly and consistently.”

The vision of Pop Recs has come to life thanks to the drive of Pop Recs directors, building owners Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust and funding from National Lottery.

The buildings are also a gateway cornerstone of Sunderland’s Historic High Streets Heritage Action Zone, a revival scheme comprising grant funding from Sunderland City Council and Historic England.

Across the road, work has also started on the corner building on Villiers Street to restore it and bring it back into use by the community.

:: Midnight Pizza Crü at Pop Recs will be available weekly up until the New Year on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from mid-afternoon to early evenings. It’s walk ins only and you can eat inside the venue or in the new terrace, weather dependent. Check their socials for more.

What’s on the menu

Detroit style

::Motor City (£14) – triple cheese, Bechamel, red sauce, ricotta, basil oil, Grana Padano

::Sun City (£15) – triple cheese, chorizo, red sauce, ricotta, hot honey

::Mother of God (£12) (vegan) – red sauce, miso roasted mushrooms, thyme

New York slices

::Cheese – £4

::Pepperoni – £4

::Tomato (vegan) – £3

Dips

::Roast garlic herby mayo – £1.50

::Frank’s hot honey – £1.50