With pizzas selling out as soon as slots went live and even a Michelin-starred chef travelling to the city to get his hands on one of the pies, Midnight Pizza Crü was one of Sunderland’s lockdown success stories.

Named after late night pizza nights owner Dan Shannon would have with his mates after gigs, the Detroit-style pizza brand has maintained its following throughout the past five years with pop up nights.

Midnight Pizza Crü owner Dan Shannon | Sunderland Echo

placeholder image — Midnight Pizza Crü owner Dan Shannon | Sunderland Echo

Now, MPC has its first dedicated restaurant as part of the revival of the Bridge Hotel Vaults on the corner of High Street West and Sunderland Street.

As the pub - which gave new life to the old grand townhouse built for the wealthy Lambton Family in 1797 - goes from strength to strength, the pizza restaurant has been created in its own space behind the pub.

You can walk from the pub through to the restaurant, but it also has its own entrance and aesthetic inspired by Parisian bistros and 1970s New York-style diners, as well as original Victorian features including the tiled flooring.

It’s a blend of cultures that complements the style of pizza that evolved in the mid 19thcentury when Italian/American families started baking pizza in the steel pans of Detroit’s famous motor industry.

The style of pizza emerged in Detroit in the middle of the last century | Sunderland Echo

Speaking about how MPC came to be, Dan, who is also a director at the nearby Pop Recs, said: “It started from my house in December 2020. I’d been made redundant and was looking after the kids while my wife worked throughout in social care.

“It was born out of something creative to do, but also as a way to pull a bit of money in. I’ve always had a keen interest in food and at the time people had been doing the Neapolitan pizza thing for a while. I was interested in how different pizza styles have evolved in different regions, like America and London.

“People work with the ingredients they have to hand and it changes the style.”

The restaurant has had a soft opening but launches officially on August 8 | Sunderland Echo

The thick base, pan-baked pizzas Dan made at home soon took off. In the early months, he would release slots each week which would sell out in minutes and he soon needed a kitchen bigger than his home in Pallion.

He started selling them from the back of Ship Isis in 2021 and people would travel far and wide for their MPC fix, including James Close from the former two Michelin-starred Raby Hunt near Darlington where Dan would also go on to do a pop up.

MPC nights would follow when Dan became a co-director at Pop Recs, but he always felt it needed its own restaurant space.

The restaurant is in Sunderland Street at the back of the Bridge Hotel Vaults pub | Sunderland Echo

“The plan was always to have a food offering at the Bridge Hotel Vaults, but the restaurant has its own style and atmosphere,” explained Dan.

“It’s what I’ve always wanted for the brand: to have its own space and identity. It’s exciting for that to finally happen and I’m excited to see what we can do down here as part of the emerging community in Sunniside.”

Old favourite pizzas are being brought back as well as new versions | Sunderland Echo

The restaurant launches officially with an opening party from 7pm on Friday, August 8 and all are invited.

You can tuck into a selection of Detroit-style pizzas and Sicilian-style squares as well as slushie cocktails from Mean Eyed Cat in Newcastle, natural wines from House in Heaton and a DJ set.

It will be open weekends after that, but keep your eye out on the restaurant’s social platforms for the exact times.

A wider menu will also be introduced including sides, pastas and more.

In the meantime, you can also book slots for this weekend to try the squares and slices to try at the bar at Bridge Hotel Vaults or to take away via https://sliceupp.com/mpc