This is my only 5 star review currently!!!! I love Stop 50. It is about an hour & some change from chicago but worth the trip. There is no concept here - it is just a wood burning oven and simple great ingredients. The firecracker goat cheese is to die for. The margherita pizza is unbelievable. I have been to numerous other wood fired pizza places but this one is the best. They do have a website and be aware that this is in a seasonal area in Michiana Shores so their hours vary.
(5)
Louis K.
This place is incredible. I was looking for a place near the Michigan City outlet mall, and this place showed up on Yelp. It did not disappoint. First, I want to mention the cleanliness. Straws are removed before giving drink refills, and childrens' toys (and high chairs) are wiped down with Clorox. Both are rare in this industry, and I love it (not the rare part, the cleaning part). Now, to the food. The Caprese salad (special) was excellent, a portion large enough to share. Not filling, it was a great appetizer (unlike most appetizers that just fill you up). The breadsticks are also fantastic. They use the same dough for the breadsticks and pizza, so you can get a pretty good idea if you'll like the pizza. The breadsticks come topped with shredded cheese (mozzarella?) - easy to shake off and still gives some flavor. The pizza was also awesome. Very thin crust, made right in front of you, it was very tasty. Not too much cheese, the pizzas are nice and light (so you won't feel sick afterwards). There are plenty of toppings (depending on the pizza you order), and they look beautiful. All of those items are only to prepare you for the desserts. Everything (that I know of) is homemade, and it is out of this world. The chocolate cake is excellent, a classic. Not especially unique, but quite tasty. The Beach Banana was very sweet (in a good way). Baked in honey and cinnamon, the banana is just, well, just try it. And the S'More is my favorite. Very rich, but very tasty, this s'more is enough to share. Personally, I recommend ordering 2 desserts and sharing them. You won't be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE
(5)
Kent V.
My Wife and I had a wonderful evening dinner there. The place is located a bit out of the way (well, at least for us) but nothing a good GPS can't overcome. We ordered the stuffed peppers with sausage for an appetizer. It was delicious, but a bit too spicy for me. My wife found it to be fine. We ordered the Mushroom pizza (if I'm remembering the menu name correctly) and it was wonderful. The flavors all work together in a terrific way. The crust was just out of this world. Be advised though - this is what I consider a gourmet, thin crust wood-fired pizza cafe. So don't come expecting traditional pizza or large selection. The pizza is *very* thin and the toppings are there for flavor, not quantity. Also it is a smaller location without a waiting area to speak of, so either make a reservation or time your arrival appropriately.
(4)
Malissa A.
Worth the drive for good pizza...would recommend reservations on the weekend! We enjoyed the goat cheese dip we started with and giver the prosciutto pizza two thumbs up...not something you are going to find everyday.
(4)
Sika G.
Do yourself one favor and make whatever detour possible to eat dinner here! The pizzas and the rest of the menu is delicious, I haven't had a bad dish yet! The food is fresh, the service is friendly, and the prices are a bit high but not unreasonable.
(5)
Agnes F.
seriously good pizza bf and i stopped by after a weekend wedding in MI we had the special asparagus and prosciutto pizza as well as the parmigiano, red onion, pistachios and rosemary pizza both were phenomenal and if we weren't as hung over, we would have tried their desserts as well definitely worthy of a road trip for the food!
(5)
Sam L.
I adore stop 50. Been going since they opened a few years back. The pizza has always been good but in the past couple of years the restaurant has transformed and earned its place in greatnessland. The thin crust pizza is divine and the server really know their stuff. Try the firecracker appitizer or the stuffed peppers. Actually dont pick one. Get both! Both are excellent.
(5)
Ryan D.
Best pizza I've ever had! I don't even LIKE pizza that much and I was completely amazed by Stop 50. The margherita pizza is phenomenal. The appetizer sampler is a must have - yummy breadsticks, stuffed peppers and roasted veggies. Staff is super nice and really service oriented. They obviously care about customers and seem really committed to making awesome pizza!
(5)
Jeanne S.
We stopped here on the way thru to northern michigan because of the great reviews. OMG, best pizza ever! We had the prociutto pizza, so flavorful, and a really great crust. A must stop if you are in the area. We sat out on their patio. A very cute and quaint place. Service was great and friendly.
(5)
Jeff H.
First and foremost, the food here was amazing! This was our first visit to Stop 50 so we relied on the recommendations of many Yelpers and started our early evening dinner with an order of the Firecracker Goat Cheese. This simply consists of 1" wide cuts of their pizza dough tossed into the wood burning oven along w/ a cup of melted goat cheese and some sort of phenomenally spicy marinara type of sauce. Again, by the black rings around the top of the cheese you could tell this had also just come straight from the pizza oven. Now for the one negative comment that is preventing me from giving Stop 50 a Five-Star raving review. As I mentioned we got there fairly early in the evening...around 5-5:30 I'd say. We did not have reservations (Friday evening) so they asked if we were OK with sitting at a table outside; which we were. The outside dining area consists of 10-15 tables scattered about in a fairly narrow area next to the building and separated by the parking lot by a 6 ft wooden fence. At the time we were sat there were 2-3 empty tables still available. As our waiter took our drink order (tea for my wife and a Three Floyds Gumballhead for me) we also ordered the aforementioned Firecracker as our appetizer. ~30-35 minutes go by, the empty tables are now full, and we still hadn't gotten our appetizer. In fact, the newly filled tables had already gotten their appetizers (Firecracker Cheese, of course) and still nothing for us. We are not ones to complain, but I had to get up, go into the restaurant to find our waiter and politely ask if he had remembered to place our appetizer order. He said he did, but I could tell by the puzzled look he had forgotten, or had taken it (most likely) to another table. Amazingly our appetizer showed up within 3 minutes of my asking. The troubling part was that there was no visit by a manager, or an offer by the waiter to either offer it up for free or comp a drink, nothing. After that ordeal, the rest of dinner went smoothly. We ordered the amazing Prosciutto, Pistachio, and Rosemary pizza. It was everything we had hoped it'd be. No grease whatsoever. I can honestly say it's the first time I've left a pizza place full, but not feeling bad about eating it! We'll definitely be back; hopefully with a better beginning than our first trip.
(4)
Michelle W.
The crust was phenomenal. Simultaneously crisp, chewy and thin. The toppings were balanced nicely. Friendly & attentive staff & owner, lovely beer selection and great setting (we sat outdoors). Just wish it was closer to Chicago!
(5)
David O.
Great service, atmosphere and food! Try the firecracker appetizer and the prosciutto pizza; you can't go wrong.
(5)
Nicole S.
Love this place! Have been here twice in the last few weeks. It is somewhat small until weather allows them to open outside seating, but we got in fairly quickly. We've had my 3 year with us both times and they were great with her. We all got different pizzas and shared. I still like the simple cheese ones the best...wonderful sauce, crust and cheese...who needs more? If you're just there for apps, get the breadsticks...either with the red sauce, or the goat cheese in red sauce. Yum! My hubby loved the beer selection too...local and hard to find ones I guess, which makes him happy.
(5)
kevin t.
Excellent thin crust pizza and we're from Chicago. One of my favorite rites of summer is sitting outside Stop 50 eating a delicious margherita pizza with it's chewy crust and drinking their red house wine ($5) while enjoying the aroma of their herb garden.
(5)
Maria S.
Excellent pizza!
(5)
carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. I went to this place on the day they opened a few years ago. Yes I got lost, and yes it is really in the middle of nowhere. Actually nestled in the subdivision of Michiana Shores. I do not think they were expecting so many people that first day. It was packed. It took a little while to get our food. The stuffed peppers were great. The pizza was a little under cooked. Recently I was in the area and thought I would give this place another chance. I figured since they were still open they must have gotten it together. I am glad I did. The spicy tomato and goat cheese appetizer was a great start. You could taste the firewood grilled goodness. And this time the pizza was much better and fully cooked. I am a big fan of wood burning ovens. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because they need to put just a little more ingredients on the pizza. Other than that if I am in the area I will go back. OH , by no means does this compare to the original Napolitan Pizza which I hope to find soon on the north side of Chicago
(4)
Thomas A.
Talk about out of the way - but definitely worth hitting the google maps and firing up your gps to find this gem. This pizzeria has a wonderful array of personal size pizzas - OK they're a bit too much for one person - but order one for each and take home the leftovers. We had a small group and sampled the mushroom (awesome, but a bit salty); prosciutto with pistachios (sounds weird, but loved it); margherita (basil from their onsite herb boxes..mmmmm); and sausage (tasty). All of the staff were enthusiastic and charming. Wine was inexpensive - plus they even had a couple half off bottles - outrageous! While you're there walk over to the oven and chat up the pizza chef - he's probably the owner. They have a nice outside area for the warm weather that wraps around the building. Enjoy!
(4)
Renee K.
Amazing! We started out with the homemade meatballs and breadsticks. Both were extremely tasty and light. We then had had margarita and pizzaroni pizzas. Again...extremely tasty and light. We also had a mixed green salad which was very fresh with the right amount of cheese and dressing on it. Everything was so good that we took home an order of meatballs, breadsticks, and 2 margarita pizzas. Not sure if they will make it back the 1.5 hour ride to the O'Hare area! Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Jenn H.
We visited this place on a Saturday evening for dinner. It was a great night for sitting outside on the deck. Beautiful setting with their fresh herbs growing alongside the deck. Friendly hostess who went through the menu with us as it was our first time. As a group of four, we shared the firecracker breadsticks and the garden salad which were both fresh tasting and excellent. Then we got two pizzas. These are excellent pizzas and reasonably priced.
(5)
Glenn W.
First let me state that I understand napoletana pizza is not the same as most in the US are used to and this review is not just that the pizza is different. Thoughts: 1) I called Saturday night and asked about the gluten free option to ensure there were no stray ingredients that I couldn't have. All good. 2) Didn't make it Saturday but did Sunday. 3) I ordered a GF pizza only to be told they were out of GF. Not optimal. 4) Waitress suggested that they could do it "skillet style" which she described as putting all the ingredients into a skillet and then turning it over onto a plate. I was dubious but it was that or go somewhere else... 5) Pizza prices were $13-16 for a single size offering of 12-14" 6) I drink iced tea. I finished the first glass and didn't see the waitress for about 10 minutes. Again not optimal. 7) My bowl of pizza arrives. There is some sausage, a very small amount of mozzarella in the bowl, a small amount of sauce, and some pink watery substance sloshing around the bottom of the bowl. 8) Everything in the bowl was at best luke warm. That's it. Not cold but just luke warm. With the watery substance swishing around the bottom and it being that temperature it was totally unappealing. Unappetizing. Near disgusting is another way to describe it. 9) Along comes the other two pizzas. 10) One is a cheese pizza. How do you mess that up? You use very little, unseasoned tomato sauce with very little mozzarella. Then you have all sorts of old pizza and burned crust parts stuck to bottom of the pizza. 11) When the waitress finally comes back by, not to ask how everything is but to finally check on our drinks, I tell her the bowl is cold and frankly not appetizing. I had to actually request that she take it away as she had no intention of doing so. 12) No "I'm sorry that it isn't what you wanted." "I'm sorry we didn't have the GF." "Can I get you something else?" Nothing. Not a word. I'll leave it an even dozen. I don't write negative reviews lightly but I was thoroughly disappointed. I will never be back. This was my experience. Maybe you have different ones and that's OK. I just found it to be far from what I expect of a restaurant.
(1)
Jenna O.
I love wood fired pizza and Stop 50 doesn't disappoint. They have interesting combinations as well as classics. The beer selection is local and pleasing. And we enjoyed their basic salad as well, while waiting for our pizza. The pizzas can be shared by two hungry people, but probably not three, unless you also order sides like their sausage stuffed peppers or meatballs. I would personally just order as many varieties of pizza as the table accommodates though as I love their crust so. Definitely call ahead for a reservation though.
(5)
Roger K.
Went with the grandkids. It is always fun watching the pizza in the oven. Have eaten here about a dozen times. Wonderful European style pizza. Really nice staff and owner.
(5)
Mary B.
Delish, I had the Margherita pizza. We had a reservation, which is highly recommended on the weekends.
(5)
Brian B.
Holy hell... this place is awesome.. I can't believe I've gone as long as I did to eat here... the menu is kinda small but what they have is great!
(5)
Mick B.
This was my first visit to Stop 50, Terri has been here a few times. There is a cute patio seating area outside but since it was hot and sticky, we asked for a table inside. It was interesting being close enough to the kitchen to watch the cooks placing the pizzas into the brick oven. Let me give you a tip that things such as the salad and bread sticks (pizza crust) w/ dipping sauce appetizers that we were served were HUGE. The green salad we ordered to share could easily have served 4 people; I wish there was a half order option as I feel badly sending uneaten food back for no reason. We ordered both of these and they were delish if quite filling. It's not on the online menu but they have recently added Greenbush Brewing Company (Sawyer, MI) micro brewed beer in addition to Bell's (Kalamazoo, MI) and Backroad (LaPorte, IN). I tried the "Retribution" which is a Belgian style Ale brewed with dates, raisins and brown sugar. People at the table near ours seemed upset that they did not have "macro brew" beer such as Budweiser and Miller Lite. Suck it up sunshine (I say) and take the opportunity to try something new. I felt that the star attraction at Stop 50 is the crust that they describe as Naples Style. It seemed to have the right amount of rustic caramelization and flavor for my taste. The pizza we ordered had goat cheese and toppings which tasted fresh and inviting. We asked for a take home container and got one quickly with no problem. We had good service considering the rush of what I can only assume were The Locals trying to get their dinner orders placed before closing time on Sunday night. The crowd of diners rushing in to be seated all of the sudden turned what had started as a tranqul dinner for two into a shouting match to have a conversation over the din. At that point I was wishing and hoping for better acoustics to help with sound management. I made a mental note to try and get here earlier in the evening on our next visit. Overall I feel that Stop 50 is a great place for gourmet pizza at an affordable price and some relaxation. It is certainly worth the short drive off of the highway to enjoy.
(4)
Yuri L.
Wow. Definitely not disappointed. Everything was super fresh! Good beer selection. The s'more dessert was fantastic! The only reason they got a star knocked off is because our server took over 15 minutes to come to our table. The hostess was the one that took care of our drinks.
(4)
Lisa H.
Located just a few miles from New Buffalo Michigan in a small neighborhood town called Michiana Shores,IN. This place used to be a tiny grocery store that they turned into an amazing little restaurant. Pizza is wood fired & pretty good...all fresh ingredients. Service wasn't bad but not outstanding. They also have a small but descent selection of wine & beer. It was very loud sitting inside when it was busy so don't expect a quiet dinner.
(4)
William B.
It turns out you can get pretty far with a really hot oven. I wouldn't have expected much from a little pizza restaurant off the beaten path in Michiana Shores. The service is a little overzealous and some of the topping choices are strange (pistachios? on multiple pizzas?). But they turn out a really nice, simple pizza with the aid of a 900-degree wood-burning oven. (They also use that oven to roast bananas for dessert.) That's really all you need.
(5)
brent r s.
Late September the wood fired oven sounded great. We found this spot on our way back from a weekend in michigan. Goat cheese firecracker was a fun dipping sauce with olive oil garlic sticks. Tasty! Fresh green beans for an appetizer was also fresh and delicious. *** pizza was delicious too but could not have been any slower. It took over an HOUR for three small pizzas. Perhaps the kitchen was overburdened or understaffed. Although the toppings were fresh and the crust was just right ... The tardiness overshadowed the meal. Would we return? Maybe.
(3)
Sean T.
Amazing all the way around, the prices won't kill you and the food is pleasurable. A definite must come back and visit for the lady and I! As far as the meat lovers, there aren't a whole lot of options however everything is fresh and handmade + you cannot go wrong with wood fired Save room for dessert!
(5)
Denise L.
Seriously the best pizza. REAL pizza!! FRESH ingredients. Best salad Simple perfect flavors. Outstanding crust. Crispy charred but still Chewy we are all very lucky to have this gem here. Small well thought out wine and beer list. Amazing gelato. Pistachio ROCKS. Great service. Enjoy!
(5)
Eileen T.
Pizzas (pizzaroni and sausage) were delicious and so was the dessert (biga donut and s'mores)! Bathrooms were SUPER clean! ...Bonus in my book!
(5)
Maria P.
This is a hidden gem. You really have to look for it but well worth it! Great outdoor seating, has the feeling of an Italian trattoria. Pizza and meatballs were excellent and fairly priced!
(4)
Rosanna L.
Not your ordinary bread sticks. You know those long, thick, garlic bread sticks we so often get from pizza joints well you won't find them here. Instead you get these long doughy bread sticks that well essentially is a pizza dough baked and seasoned than sliced into "sticks." These sticks were delicious in my book with a nice crunch to them, quite addicting. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ) However, the sauce tasted like pure tomatoes and I like tomatoes but would of preferred more seasoning. The boyfriend and I couldn't decided what to get the magherita or pizzaroni but luckily our waitress told us we can do half and half, perfect ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ). The magherita was delicious and I love the thickness of the crust. However, some of it was burnt and once you've had a taste of burnt in your mouth it doesn't go away easily. The boyfriend enjoyed his pizzaroni and we both rate this a 3.5 stars. I round it up to 4 because our server was extremely friendly and tentative.
(4)
Chris N.
Great atmosphere in a place tucked into, well, its kinda hard to describe where it is tucked into... Other than the cars lining the building, it would be easy to miss this place. Great variety, outstanding ingredients, unique taste. Have your kids confidently order "a Shaun" and make the owners happy (chesse pizza named after their son). If I had one pizza left to eat in my life, Stop 50 would edge out Traveling Stonebaker. If you are into thick crust, deep dish, tons of toppings kind of pizza, then this is not your place. If you refuse to spend more than $12 for a pizza, head to a chain place. This place rocks!! Well Done Chris!
(5)
Scott B.
We love Stop 50. I almost always try the seasonal pizza and get the fire cracker breadsticks. Chris and his wife are perfect hosts.
(5)
Kelly F.
I am in Michigan City for a family reunion, and I wanted to find a great restaurant for a group of us on Sunday night, so naturally I check Yelp. Thanks to the recommendations of other Yelpers we tried Stop 50 and were not disappointed! Great atmosphere, amazingly friendly and helpful staff, and a killer menu! My husband and I split the quinoa salad and the seasonal pizza, which had prosciutto, asparagus, walnuts, rosemary, mozzarella, and parmesan- yum! Everything was spectacular, and the pizza was arguably the best I have ever had. We are already planning on returning before the week is over!
(5)
bj j.
Great pizza great service (thanks Luke) and charming ambience. Really? This is Indiana?
(5)
Kris R.
this place was ADORABLE. hidden on a residential street, this cute-looking house-restaurant has outdoor seating, a mini parking lot, and the NICEST and most accommodating staff. the restaurant's surrounded by windows, so you get that air-y feel. we came here for lunch on a sunday, had a beer each and split the mushroom pizza with the goat cheese marinara sauce on the side. it was delicious!!! all kinds-a shrooms on that thing, very tasty. all in all, the bill came to cheap dollars and 99 cents. so rad. you all in Michiana have a great little gem in your midst. use it.
(4)
Cheffrey D.
Stop 50 still kicks butt and is seemingly getting better and better as each year goes by. Still the cleanest restaurant in the region, still the friendliest staff and owners, still the same great, naturally leavened pizza. Keep up the great work, we love Stop 50!
(5)
Janis L.
Stop 50! Do not miss this place. Best pizza we have had in a long time. Stayed in vicinity and came across this place. Fresh ingredients, good service and reasonable prices. We are from Indy but would consider driving up there for good pizza. Something called the "Bigga -donut" was scrumptious.
(5)
Tom Z.
The wood-fired pizza is as good as most - how hard could it be? But, the service is abominable!! Went there last fall about an hour before closing time. The place was 1/2 full. Ordered an appetizer and a pizza. The appetizer was served quickly but we waited and waited for the pizza. Remember, these are 12" pizzas with minimal ingredients that cook in about 6 or 7 minutes. The waitress kept coming out saying the pizza should be there soon. After about 45 minutes, I walked up to the pizza oven area and saw the owner making pizzas. I asked him what was going on and he said "we were slammed tonight". "Slammed? The place was 1/2 empty. I asked the waitress for a check and walked out. This place gets rave reviews I guess 'cause it's cool to have wood-fired pizza in the middle of nowhere. They know nothing about service or running a restaurant.
(1)
tracy n.
Adorable place! It's was kind of hidden in what seemed to be a neighborhood but the food was delicious and the place was small and cute and the staff was very friendly. We got the bread sticks and prosciutto pizza and absolutely love them both!
(5)
Nichole C.
A fancy wood-fired pizza joint minutes from the lake house? COUNT ME IN. This restaurant is a gem that I plan on returning to in the near future. The atmosphere is cool (even though it looks like a house in the middle of a neighborhood), the food is good (I'm coming back for you, fancy pizzas!), and they have decent drinks to boot (I even got to try a local brew from the Back Road Brewery. It was "meh" but it was there nonetheless)! We got the breadsticks, a pepperoni pizza, and a sausage pizza. Rosanna was spot-on in her assessment with the sticks. Basically, they are delicious pizza crust sticks with tomato sauce. I'd like them to step the marinara up a bit here, because it just tastes like tomato sauce (sans anything else), but the actual sticks were good. The pizza was pretty good too...I wish I would've gone with the fancier special with proscuitto, but I opted to go for the basics to see how they stack up against competitors. The pepperoni was on top so it was nice and crispy, and the sausage was razor thin slices, which was different, but good. Both pizzas had delicious wood fired crispy and chewiness but had a lot of crust. Next time, I might just ask for something to dip all that crust in rather than getting the sticks as an appetizer. The sauce is a little sweet, but I imagine if I load up the spices next time, it will counteract that. We shall see. Service was awesome, prices were decent, and it's close to home (well, not OUR home, but SOMEONE'S home at least). We will be back.
(4)
Laurence K.
small cute place off the beaten path in indiana, probably one of the best pizza's ive ever had in the midwest. the crust was paper tin and with the 900 degree oven it comes out crispy and delicious, also try the breadsticks
(5)
Michael T.
Great people, friendly service, killer food. Well worth going out of my way while traveling to Chicago (from Cleveland) I'd give Post 50 more than 5 stars but I can't seem to do that on Yelp. Stop in if you're nearby, make it a regular spot if you live close. I know I'll be back, that's for sure!
(5)
Robert A.
Wow great fire oven pizza. Where else can u go and the boss (owner) runs the fire oven. He will personally cook your pizza
(5)
Peter H.
Some of the best and most authentically Neapolitan pizza I've ever had. My fiance' enthusiastically stated that it was the closest approximation of what she'd had in Italy that she'd ever eaten in this country. Location-wise, it's a little out of the way, along route 12 to the east of Michigan City. But it's not rural - you're along a quiet little back-road in the affluent community of Michiana Shores. It's peaceful. The feel of the restaurant inside is minimal and understated, but clean, spacious and with appropriate focus on the wood fired oven that's key to the entire experience. Everything on the menu revolves around that oven. The appetizers, which range from asparagus, to sausage-stuffed peppers, to their fire roasted seasonal vegetables, are all deliciously charred by the oven baking. The razor-thin pizzas are flashed baked in that 900 degree inferno for just a minute and a half, for that wonderfully crisp texture. And the desserts, from caramelized bananas to smores baked in ramekins, all arrive in hot and bubbly fashion. They apparently experimented religously until they could get the perfect wall, air and base temperatures, for crispness of crust and perfect doneness of any topping ingredients. And it works beautifully. Our margherita had the perfect combination of garlicky tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, peppery/citrusy fresh basil, and crackly/chewy bread. The key seems to be love for every pizza they produce. My first time there, I was perhaps ten minutes late for my carry-out order; the chef (owner?) made sure to prop open the box so that the pie wouldn't get soggy. That's 5 star stuff. Highly recommended.
(5)
Sara L.
Stumbled upon this hidden gem while coming back from a trip..thanks to Michael S for bringing us!! Granted I may live in Chicago, but I am a huge fan of thin crust pizza! The menu isn't very extensive as with some other places, but it doesn't need to be here. We ordered the mushroom pizza, prosciutto pizza, margherita pizza and their heirloom tomato pizza. In addition, we also ordered the firecracker goat cheese appetizer and I ordered the pistachio gelato. First lets start with the appetizer, firecracker goat cheese, it was spicy and had the perfect ratio of goat cheese and sauce. Personally, I am a huge fan of the mushroom pizza and prosciutto pizza! The mushroom was full of flavor, the right amount of cheese and olive oil that really brought out the mushrooms. The prosciutto pizza had the perfect amount of meat and other ingredients! Overall, great place to drop by! Too bad it isn't closer to Chicago..womp womp
(4)
Alisa M.
Came here on our way back from warren dunes for dinner. We left the dunes really late and luckily this place is on central time! Service was ok, a little slow, but not bad. All of the food comes out really fast and the staff is very friendly. We ordered: 1. Firecracker- I am not a fan of goat cheese, but this sauce wasn't overpowering. I thought it was really good. We even used the sauce to dip our crusts from the pizza. 2. Margherita - tomato, mozzarella and basil. Nothing special. It was good, but the other pizzas were better. 3. Wild Mushroom - olive oil, garlic, mushroom, oregano and mozzarella. If you like mushrooms, order this one. Soooo good! 4. Prosciutto - prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary. This one was also a winner. The prosciutto adds the perfect amount of saltiness to the pizza. A sure winner. 5. Their daily special.. I can't remember, but it was really good. It had Gorgonzola and some other goodies! I think this one was another winner. 6. Gelato: Pistachio and coffee- these are homemade and excellent. 7. S'mores- a little too rich and sweet for me even though I'm a total chocolate and sweets person. It comes in a bowl with crushed graham crackers on the bottom, layered with marshmallows, and drizzled with chocolate. Tips: 1 pizza can be shared between 2 people. They are pretty large. We had 5 people in our group and had trouble finishing all the pizzas.
(4)
Louise P.
At my mother's recommendation, I visited Stop 50 yesterday while in the area. My husband and I were really pleased with the experience--a cozy ambience and good, fresh food. We made reservations ahead of time (wise on the weekend), but at 8 p.m. we had missed most of the Friday dinner rush. We ate the market salad (excellent, fresh, and certainly big enough for 2), and the sausage and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas are thin and approximately 12-15 inches, so they could easily be split, but we ordered two and left satiated with a few extra slices to bring home. The mushroom pizza was delicious--I was expecting standard white mushrooms, but was pleasantly surprised by the creminis, and possible enoki mushrooms. Lots of variety. Love Neapolitan pizza, so I will certainly be back.
(4)
Karl H.
Great wood fire pizza place in between Michigan City and New Buffalo. Food rocks and the people there are extra friendly. It's a little off the beaten path but definitely worth seeking this place out. Our favorites are the breadsticks, and the pear and gorgonzola pizza (I think this pizza is seasonal though).
(4)
Renee D.
While I really like the look and feel of the restaurant, it is really small. We showed up soon after they opened, I believe on a Thursday, by the time we left it was a full house. Pizza was good, not great, and super thin. I've had wood fired pizza many times, but this was a really thin pizza. When we left Stop 50, my husband and I were still hungry. The kids weren't too excited about the authentic pizza they promote. They definitely prefer a Chicago style pizza.
(3)
Michael L.
I love this place. We found this hidden gem last year and made a point to visit again when we visited Michigan City this past weekend. We were lucky to stop in before they got busy at dinner. My family was able to talk to the owner, Chris, and watch him make the pizzas. You can tell he has a passion for great food and the taste of the food shows it. We started off with the breadsticks and house red sauce. The crisp breadsticks (from the 900 degree oven) were a hit with my seven year old. My wife hates red sauce, but for some reason cannot get enough of the house red sauce here. We had the seasonal roasted veggies...amazingly roasted in the oven as well. I love roasted carrots. For Pizzas, we had the margherita and the seasonal sausage/potato. The margherita, while the simplest of pizzas, was great. The seasonal pizza was great as well. Id love to have some of the sausage to take home!!!! Last, but not least, was the homemade gelato. There are several flavors, but I could eat the pistachio all day. Last year, I had two servings!!!!!
(5)
Darci S.
Stop 50 is just adorable and delicious. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday with three kids in tow and they were so welcoming and friendly. It was dead in there but I could definitely see it being packed at dinner and on the weekends. Way cooler and fancier than you'd expect in a lake house area (its nestled in a residential neighborhood).Cozy interior and the pizza oven is right there for you to watch as they whip up the pizzas. We had the app sampler, definitely a must get, the breadsticks are different but really good, stuffed peppers were amazing and the grilled asparagus, while nothing out of the ordinary, was solid as well. Pizza was great, upscale pizza with thin crispy center and chewy crust. I would definitely go back. My only negative would be that the food was slow to come out despite the fact that we were the only table by the time we ordered.
(5)
Michael S.
After a trip going apple picking GF and I stopped by here thanks to a tip from Derrick T. I'm not a huge fan of crispy thin crust pizza, but this place was very good. We got the prosciutto pizza and the mushroom pizza. Both were very good, but I think I liked the prosciutto the best. Didn't get anything else, but we did see the salads were huge. It's not worth it for me to drive from Chicago just for this place, but it's a definite place I'd go back to if around the area.
(4)
Jimbo B.
Great, cozy little place if you are staying in the resort towns along the Michiana coast. Go for the pizza and the delicious salads and other appetizers made in the wood fired oven. Small, but quality beer and wine selection. Casual and friendly, family run place. Not too expensive. Oh and the pistachio gelato was amazing. I think they make it themselves!
(5)
Darkling S.
Another birthday weekend with me and my feline companion Grigori - spent at Tryon Farm Guesthouse. so Saturday evening i'm planning to sty in and watch DVDs after a full day of antiquing and dining from Saugatuck back to the farm ... and i decide to try this place. it looks like an old drive-in from the outside, but inside it is quite comfortable and that brick oven really makes a statement. of course, when i called to order "carry out" she said it'll be ready in 5 minutes. not what one is used to hearing from a pizza place! but this place isn't the ordinary pizza shop. i drove over and when i arrived arrived the check out clerk told me that it would be ready in a flash - since they place these prepared paper-thin pies in the oven for 90 seconds and voila - Naples pizza. i chose the prosciutto with pistachios - to die for. they are 12" but so thin and so good that i ate the entire pizza with my glass of red. btw, the guy handling the oven wore a tee that read Air 70 degrees Water 80 degrees Oven 900 degrees ... this is a must visit when you're anywhere near the beach or Michigan City!
(5)
Leo Z.
Being from the NYC area, I am really picky when it comes to pizza in the Chicago area. I do not like the abomination of a pizza that is called deep dish and very few places give New York or Neapolitan style pizza any justice around here. Stop 50, however, is the exception. It's pizza is amazing, the slices nice and thin, the crust crispy and the cheese melts right in your mouth. The pizza and many other things on the menu are made in a brick oven, just like pizza should be. Ingredients used for everything are seasonal, local and fresh. Aside from the amazing pizza, the appetizers are wonderful as well. The bread-sticks are thin and come with a really nice and spicy tomato dipping sauce. The sausage stuffed Italian peppers are done just right and when I was there, the seasonal vegetable, asparagus was honestly the best I have ever had. If you still have room for dessert after all this, I highly recommend the smores, which look and taste great. Stop 50 is totally off the beaten track, but is a local gem that is worth a trip from Chicago or farther any day.
(5)
Carrie H.
I love good pizza but come on-- Over priced and over hyped- buyer beware. $14-$16 for at best an oblong smaller than 12 inch pizza that is so thin you will still be hungry after you eat it. And last week during 90 degree day- no AC on in restaurant- it was cooler outside in the sweltering heat than inside with wood burning pizza ovens going full tilt and yet management was trying to seat people inside the inferno- crazy.
(1)
JANET D.
This is a wonderful place for wood fired, artisan pizza. All the ingredients are fresh, the food is prepared with love and care- if this restaurant was in Chicago, the wait would be 2 hours, a la Great Lakes. Only open March-November, and hours mirror the resort lifestyle- but it is memorable and wonderful. My standard order: featured salad (caprese), prosciutto and pistachio pizza, s'more desert or home made gelato or sorbet. Heaven. Tell Chris and Christy I sent you, and you owe me.
(5)
Joey S.
Absolutely awesome food! It's kind of in a secluded location and has weird hours, but that's what makes it awesome... and of course the pizza is great too. Of the two times I've been there the staff has been genuinely nice and very helpful and made for a awesome experience. One waitress I had throughly explained all the ingredients and everything that goes along with the pizza/food, truly amazing. What's also great is that the only use local or natural ingredients and have a nice selection of local beers (Bell's and Backroad, no crappy Miller Lite or Bud Lite) and imported Italian beers . I could go on and on about this place! Just go check it out for yourself it's definitely worth the drive.
(5)
Kevin C.
Wonderful atmosphere, great food, and family feel. If you're in the area this is a must. Save room for the Smores.
(5)
Gertrude s.
Sorry, this pizza is not worth the drive. First it is seriously over priced. $12.00 and up for a personal size pizza? And then $8.00 for the salad? And in Michiana Shores? Do they think they are on Michigan Avenue? This is seriously a bad value. I had the mushroom pizza and could taste the fresh herbs and the cheese, but it was unmemorable, except for the price. They are definitely catering to the wealthy Harbor Country summer vacationers.
(2)
Meg O.
If Spacca Napoli and the Heartland Cafe had a love child, the result would be Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria. Excellent pizza with very Italian traditional toppings and a delectably charred crust. What I love most about this place though is its dedication to local and seasonal. In the spring, definitely order the roasted asparagus; it's divinity on a plate. If I didn't have yellow squash coming out of my ears, I would have ordered the seasonal roasted veggie platter. I'm hoping to get out here later in the fall so I can feast on the eggplant and zucchini. One of my favorite pizzas is the wild mushroom, which has this perfect brown butter sage finish. The sausage is also great too. The smores dessert--8 marshmallows, lots of chocolate, and and graham cracker crust for only $4--is a sweet finish must. Wash it all down with local Michigan beers, like Bells. The waitstaff is super friendly and even downright bubbly at times. They love it if you're from Chicago and have read about them on LTH (or Yelp:). They nearly burst with happiness when you tell them that you just had to stop here on your way to a wedding in Kalamazoo, or on your way back home from blueberry picking. It's hard to find off of Route 12, so keep your eyes peeled for the left over the railroad tracks. It's also not open in January, and other non-tourist friendly times of year.
(5)
jeremy s.
I'm a big fan of this little gem of a pizzeria. Located off the beaten path, Stop 50 can be a little tricky to find the first time. Still, it's well worth the hunt. They dish up fantastic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Last time I was in I had a Rosemary/Prosciutto/Garlic/Motz/Olive oil pizza. Also tried the sampler of appetizers that came with breadsticks, grilled cucumber and stuffed peppers. All so very good. They have a great beer and wine selection featuring local brewers and regional wines. It you're looking for cheap pizza take out this is not the place for you. A couple drinks, appetizer and pizza came out to about $40.
(4)
Steve J.
Very good pizza, although I did not find the "wild mushroom" pizza as good as other yelp reviews suggest. Service was fantastic. Our 4 year old had a good time here (very child friendly). However, get a reservation!
(4)
David T.
This place is a regional treasure for those who know what Naples-style pizza is all about. Nothing in Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan can touch this place. Sure the pies cost a bit more and weigh a bit less than utility pizza from typical outliets. This place is not typical. We went with a group of 10. Every pizza of the 6 we tried was flawless. Special favorites included the margarita, the sausage, and the prosciutto with pistachios. Firecracker appetizers gets lots of praise here, but I was not a huge fan--it was merely good, while everything else was marvelous, including fire-roasted seasonal asparagus. Excellent gelato and espresso followed.
(5)
Ruth P.
My family which consisted of 3 children between the ages of 3-13 and my husband and I decided to stop here for lunch on our much needed vacation. Because I saw the reviews on Yelp, I was extremely certain that this would be a great place to stop. We love wood fired pizza so we were extremely excited. Because we had the 3 kids with us we decided to make sure were arrived as soon as they opened to beat the rush. One reviewer mentioned that a reservation would be recommended. Beat the rush we did, we were the first ones in the resturant. Being that we had absolutly no one in front of us, I would assume that our order woudn't have taken long to create. Close to an hour later, our food arrived. You can imagine how restless the kids were getting. I will absolutly agree with the person who posted before me that the food was extremely overpriced for what you got. I have been to Pizzaria Bianco and this pizza didn't even come close. Not even in the same spectrum of pizza. To be quite honest, I would have been just as happy going to pizza hut. None of us were impressed. We ended up spending $60 for lunch for the 5 of us. Not worth the stop in my opinion. I wont be returning. But in order not to leave a completely bad review, the place was very clean, nicely appointed. The staff was nice but seemed overwhelmed with 5 tables to serve. Ok well that isn't completely positive but the previous review set my expectations quite high and I left disappointed.
(2)
Kenneth C.
After finishing up some blueberry picking, I had developed quite an appetite. I opened up Yelp with the pedestrian goal of finding lunch for the family. Only a few options popped up including Stop 50. 4 stars- promising. Pizza. That should work. We quickly drove to Michiana Shores and nearly missed the place. Upon parking we noted some fresh herbs growing outside (very promising) and then an LTHForum review/award nomination. Quite promising. We were quickly greeted and brought inside. My oldest daughter who is not noted for "change" and for whom the platonic ideal of pizza is Bertucci's looked around the place with a smile. Our ordering strategy was our standard for somewhat expensive pizza places: 3 kids share a half pepperoni/half plain while my wife and I go for a special. While waiting we noted the wood fired oven (pleasing warmth) and staff and owner clearly dedicated to their craft. The pizza, while small and pricey, was excellent...We had the snap pea/prosciutto special. The addition of fresh (emphasize fresh) snap peas to basil combined with high quality prosciutto was a brilliant combination. The crust was delicious with a perfect balance between a chewy inside and crisp outside. While I wouldn't have minded having a larger pie, the pizza itself was tasty. My own dreams of New Haven pizza soon melted away... A few other points. They carry local beers and we were introduced to Sunspot from Greenbush brewery. It was a nice pairing to our meal. The wild rasberry sorbet was quite good and the smores dessert had perfectly toasted marshmellows. The restaurant itself nicely combines an older wood beamed roof with a crisp/clean modern decor. Summary: great pizza, great restaurant, great staff and owner who clearly are invested in their work. While the price is high and size small, it's otherwise hard to find a fault.
(5)
Eric B.
Fantastic. Just like the pizza I had in northern Italy, maybe even better
(5)
Tobin B.
If you are looking for traditional pizza then this is not your place. However, if you are looking for a treat this pizza offers something special. The portions are small but I can tell you the taste is well worth it!
(4)
Gail H.
Short,but sweet. Very,very good. You'll love it. Be prepared to wait. It is a labor of love for the owner.
(4)
Bob D.
This is an excellent Pizza! Don't bother with Mapquest they will send you on a wild goose chase down a gravel road just West of the tracks. Follow the Michianna signs and presto great Pizza. This year I have been coast to coast trying each regions best Pizza's. While 50 Stop does not establish themselves as a Pizza Mecca, they are serious about the product. I am a traditionalist at heart, I want my pie to be burnt on the edges (not bitter burnt) bubbles in the crust from a long fermentation. I would like the toppings to compliment the dough not dominate it. I desire a piece shaped like a triangle that droops, but doesn't drop. And I expect the ingredients to be of good to great quality. 50 Stop achieved all these things. The Pizza Marguerita was well balanced, a nice chewy crust, fresh mozzarella, and big Genovese Basil leaves. It was all quite harmonious. We shared the sampler as an appetizer. The roasted asparagus was amazing perfectly cooked with a little snap left in it. Looked and tasted like local, but didn't ask. Zucchimi and yellow squash were deliscious as well, bread sticks were ok. The marinara to dip into was exactly what I make at home. A simple no fuss preperation of good quality tomatoes from Italy (yes I can tell) garlic and EVOO, not cooked too long. The only negative were the stuffed peppers, these need work boys. The pepper was very bitter due to its rawness, and the smear of sausage was lost. This preperation needs some more thought. (I'd be happy to offer up some suggestions) This was my only negative . The wine and beer list was small, but the Double Hearted Ale (I think that's what it was called) was fantastic. Considering my food experiences in this part of the country this pizza is at the top, really 4 1/2 stars but yelp won't allow it. Thanks Dan G. for the heads up or I would have ended up eating some desperation meal on the edge of a steel mill somewhere.
(4)
Jacob R.
I've never written on Yelp before, but I had to after my family's experience at Stop 50. They have decent food that is overpriced. We spent $93 on 3 small thin pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers, & 2 orders of ice cream. We ordered sauce to dip our crusts in and the waitress brought a small, I mean small, dish of cold marinara sauce. We didn't think too much of it until the bill came and we we're charged $3 for the sauce. I know this post probably seems snobby and petty, but we're not snobs. We thought after spending over $90 on a meal (that didn't fill us up) plus drinks that $3 for a small dish of cold marinara sauce left a bad taste in our mouths. My mother in law spoke with the owner about being charged for the sauce and he just kept on saying to her "well, we only use fresh ingredients", as if that justified charging the $3. He eventually offered to refund the $3, but my mother in law declined, telling him it was just the principle behind the whole thing. Bottom line: decent food, overpriced, didn't fill you up, owner who doesn't want to maintain a client base. The customer is always right, don't defend yourself by repeating that you only use fresh ingredients, over a $3 dish of cold marinara sauce.
(2)
Chris K.
Average pizza at best. Light toppings, some slices had no cheese, others had no sauce. Appetizers were way over priced as was the pizza. We laughed at some of the food that came to our table. Bad service as well. Biggest disappointment eating out in 5 + years. They can get away with it with the summer crowds. They told me how many times they had been reviewed. I guess they think the hungry hound review will get them by. Do not waste your your time or money on the chance a few of their pizzas might be good that night. The manager was no help in resolving our issues.
(1)
Dan G.
What, good pizza in the MC? Did I bring it with me from Chicago? I can't believe it has taken me so long to go to stop 50. This was some seriously good pizza. They cook them in their wood fired brick oven and they come out slightly charred, just the way pizza is meant to be. We brought the units over for lunch today. We had a couple sausage pies, a veggie and a caprese salad. The sausage was very tasty and had fresh oregano. The veggie had red peppers, red onion, zucchini and lots of fresh basil. The salad had both red and green tomatoes and a great balsamic vinegar dressing. These pizzas were very good thin crust. We could have used some crushed red pepper flakes, which were not available. We had lunch last week at the pizza Mecca otherwise known as Lombardi's, so we're kind of picky when it comes to our pizza. Stop 50 is far and away the best in town. The setting is really nice inside and kind of loft style. There is also outdoor seating as well. Service was prompt and helpful and we had a great lunch. We will definitely be back and get some takeout too.
(4)
Sherry P.
Don't bother. Room temp, rubbery pizza with REALLY minimal toppings. . Grumpy waiter. So not worth the trip.
(1)
Bob B.
Call me silly, but when I drop $50 on salad, bread sticks and pizza I expect to leave full. Instead the salad was a plate of weeds. The bread sticks were a pizza crust that was over cooked and chopped into bits. And the pizza, although tasty was about a 10" pizza not the 12-14" the claimed it would be. My son said it best with the line "they call it stop 50 because it cost $50 to stop there". All I can say is drive ten more minutes into Michigan City and go to Roma's pizza on Franklin, it was well worth it and we actually had left overs and only spent $30.
(1)
John J.
Really, really, really good pizza! Cool atmosphere too!
(5)
Ermelinda C.
Great Pizza. This place is definitely worth the drive! Spacca Napoli might have some competition ;-)
(4)
Todd T.
My wife and I when there for lunch a Saturday. Not to many people where there and it was nice a quite. We had the bread sticks and they where real good. We also had a margherita pizza. It was very good too. I went to look at the oven and I think I talked to a owner was more than happy to talk about it. We'll be going back again.
(4)
Erik B.
all of their pizzas are AMAZING! If you want hundreds of toppings to choose from, don't come here; they have amazing flavor combinations, some including nuts, that work amazingly well together when blasted from the heat and flames from their wildfire pizza oven. Our [party of 3] service was exceptional! Be sure to ask for some oil and vinegar to dip the crust in, if the waiter does not bring it with the first pizza. Quite an expansive beer collection, local brews too; there's definitely a beer that caters to each palate.
(4)
John H.
Been here twice now, and will be back. Great pizza, and outstanding salads (big enough for 2 or 3) that are fresh as can be. We love to go on a nice summer evening and sit outside. Inside can get VERY noisy. Reservations are definitely recommended. Parking can be tough when they're busy, but I've always manged to find a spot either in their lot...or down the street a bit. Prices are on the high-side for what you get in terms of quantity (size of pizza and they're not very generous with the amount of toppings), but in terms of flavor, I suppose the price is worth it. We've always had great service.
(4)
aj b.
I would give Stop 50 more stars, but NOT after today's experience. Their pizza is usually pretty good, love the fresh ingredients, love their selection of beers. We brought our friends to Stop 50 and it was nothing like we told them it would be. We waited for our food close to 45 minutes and when pizzas came, one of them was BURNED! We asked the waitress what happened and she told us that she worked at Stop 50 since the day they opened and the pizza should be just like that ( mind you, we ordered 2 pizza Margherita and one of them was fine and the other was BURNED. It was actually black, tasted like burned dough, very bitter. Waitress told us that that her name was Laura or Laurie ( didn't pay attention) and that the next time we come, we should ask for another server. She was RUDE, had bad attitude. I mean gee... they are some pills you can take for PMS, or whatever condition you have, but hey, when I see a burned pizza, I don't want to eat it. Needless to say, we didn't tip her and that was the first time EVER I didn't leave a tip. We did talk to the owner and seems like he didn't care what we had to say. BAD BUSINESS! Seriously, how hard is to apologize to you customer who comes to your place at least 4-5 times during the summer. I'v seen attitude like this before and business didn't last. I do wish them the best, they do make a really decent pizza when they don't burn it. Bottom line, after $50+ for 2 pizzas and some beer, we left unhappy. Shouldn't be like that. Should it? I don't recommend this place due to bad service and inconsistent food.
(2)
Meg O.
If Spacca Napoli and the Heartland Cafe had a love child, the result would be Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria. Excellent pizza with very Italian traditional toppings and a delectably charred crust. What I love most about this place though is its dedication to local and seasonal. In the spring, definitely order the roasted asparagus; it's divinity on a plate. If I didn't have yellow squash coming out of my ears, I would have ordered the seasonal roasted veggie platter. I'm hoping to get out here later in the fall so I can feast on the eggplant and zucchini. One of my favorite pizzas is the wild mushroom, which has this perfect brown butter sage finish. The sausage is also great too. The smores dessert--8 marshmallows, lots of chocolate, and and graham cracker crust for only $4--is a sweet finish must. Wash it all down with local Michigan beers, like Bells. The waitstaff is super friendly and even downright bubbly at times. They love it if you're from Chicago and have read about them on LTH (or Yelp:). They nearly burst with happiness when you tell them that you just had to stop here on your way to a wedding in Kalamazoo, or on your way back home from blueberry picking. It's hard to find off of Route 12, so keep your eyes peeled for the left over the railroad tracks. It's also not open in January, and other non-tourist friendly times of year.
(5)
jeremy s.
I'm a big fan of this little gem of a pizzeria. Located off the beaten path, Stop 50 can be a little tricky to find the first time. Still, it's well worth the hunt. They dish up fantastic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Last time I was in I had a Rosemary/Prosciutto/Garlic/Motz/Olive oil pizza. Also tried the sampler of appetizers that came with breadsticks, grilled cucumber and stuffed peppers. All so very good. They have a great beer and wine selection featuring local brewers and regional wines. It you're looking for cheap pizza take out this is not the place for you. A couple drinks, appetizer and pizza came out to about $40.
(4)
Steve J.
Very good pizza, although I did not find the "wild mushroom" pizza as good as other yelp reviews suggest. Service was fantastic. Our 4 year old had a good time here (very child friendly). However, get a reservation!
(4)
David T.
This place is a regional treasure for those who know what Naples-style pizza is all about. Nothing in Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan can touch this place. Sure the pies cost a bit more and weigh a bit less than utility pizza from typical outliets. This place is not typical. We went with a group of 10. Every pizza of the 6 we tried was flawless. Special favorites included the margarita, the sausage, and the prosciutto with pistachios. Firecracker appetizers gets lots of praise here, but I was not a huge fan--it was merely good, while everything else was marvelous, including fire-roasted seasonal asparagus. Excellent gelato and espresso followed.
(5)
Ruth P.
My family which consisted of 3 children between the ages of 3-13 and my husband and I decided to stop here for lunch on our much needed vacation. Because I saw the reviews on Yelp, I was extremely certain that this would be a great place to stop. We love wood fired pizza so we were extremely excited. Because we had the 3 kids with us we decided to make sure were arrived as soon as they opened to beat the rush. One reviewer mentioned that a reservation would be recommended. Beat the rush we did, we were the first ones in the resturant. Being that we had absolutly no one in front of us, I would assume that our order woudn't have taken long to create. Close to an hour later, our food arrived. You can imagine how restless the kids were getting. I will absolutly agree with the person who posted before me that the food was extremely overpriced for what you got. I have been to Pizzaria Bianco and this pizza didn't even come close. Not even in the same spectrum of pizza. To be quite honest, I would have been just as happy going to pizza hut. None of us were impressed. We ended up spending $60 for lunch for the 5 of us. Not worth the stop in my opinion. I wont be returning. But in order not to leave a completely bad review, the place was very clean, nicely appointed. The staff was nice but seemed overwhelmed with 5 tables to serve. Ok well that isn't completely positive but the previous review set my expectations quite high and I left disappointed.
(2)
Jennifer G.
This is my only 5 star review currently!!!! I love Stop 50. It is about an hour & some change from chicago but worth the trip. There is no concept here - it is just a wood burning oven and simple great ingredients. The firecracker goat cheese is to die for. The margherita pizza is unbelievable. I have been to numerous other wood fired pizza places but this one is the best. They do have a website and be aware that this is in a seasonal area in Michiana Shores so their hours vary.
(5)
Louis K.
This place is incredible. I was looking for a place near the Michigan City outlet mall, and this place showed up on Yelp. It did not disappoint. First, I want to mention the cleanliness. Straws are removed before giving drink refills, and childrens' toys (and high chairs) are wiped down with Clorox. Both are rare in this industry, and I love it (not the rare part, the cleaning part). Now, to the food. The Caprese salad (special) was excellent, a portion large enough to share. Not filling, it was a great appetizer (unlike most appetizers that just fill you up). The breadsticks are also fantastic. They use the same dough for the breadsticks and pizza, so you can get a pretty good idea if you'll like the pizza. The breadsticks come topped with shredded cheese (mozzarella?) - easy to shake off and still gives some flavor. The pizza was also awesome. Very thin crust, made right in front of you, it was very tasty. Not too much cheese, the pizzas are nice and light (so you won't feel sick afterwards). There are plenty of toppings (depending on the pizza you order), and they look beautiful. All of those items are only to prepare you for the desserts. Everything (that I know of) is homemade, and it is out of this world. The chocolate cake is excellent, a classic. Not especially unique, but quite tasty. The Beach Banana was very sweet (in a good way). Baked in honey and cinnamon, the banana is just, well, just try it. And the S'More is my favorite. Very rich, but very tasty, this s'more is enough to share. Personally, I recommend ordering 2 desserts and sharing them. You won't be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE
(5)
Kent V.
My Wife and I had a wonderful evening dinner there. The place is located a bit out of the way (well, at least for us) but nothing a good GPS can't overcome. We ordered the stuffed peppers with sausage for an appetizer. It was delicious, but a bit too spicy for me. My wife found it to be fine. We ordered the Mushroom pizza (if I'm remembering the menu name correctly) and it was wonderful. The flavors all work together in a terrific way. The crust was just out of this world. Be advised though - this is what I consider a gourmet, thin crust wood-fired pizza cafe. So don't come expecting traditional pizza or large selection. The pizza is *very* thin and the toppings are there for flavor, not quantity. Also it is a smaller location without a waiting area to speak of, so either make a reservation or time your arrival appropriately.
(4)
Malissa A.
Worth the drive for good pizza...would recommend reservations on the weekend! We enjoyed the goat cheese dip we started with and giver the prosciutto pizza two thumbs up...not something you are going to find everyday.
(4)
Sika G.
Do yourself one favor and make whatever detour possible to eat dinner here! The pizzas and the rest of the menu is delicious, I haven't had a bad dish yet! The food is fresh, the service is friendly, and the prices are a bit high but not unreasonable.
(5)
Agnes F.
seriously good pizza bf and i stopped by after a weekend wedding in MI we had the special asparagus and prosciutto pizza as well as the parmigiano, red onion, pistachios and rosemary pizza both were phenomenal and if we weren't as hung over, we would have tried their desserts as well definitely worthy of a road trip for the food!
(5)
Sam L.
I adore stop 50. Been going since they opened a few years back. The pizza has always been good but in the past couple of years the restaurant has transformed and earned its place in greatnessland. The thin crust pizza is divine and the server really know their stuff. Try the firecracker appitizer or the stuffed peppers. Actually dont pick one. Get both! Both are excellent.
(5)
Ryan D.
Best pizza I've ever had! I don't even LIKE pizza that much and I was completely amazed by Stop 50. The margherita pizza is phenomenal. The appetizer sampler is a must have - yummy breadsticks, stuffed peppers and roasted veggies. Staff is super nice and really service oriented. They obviously care about customers and seem really committed to making awesome pizza!
(5)
Jeanne S.
We stopped here on the way thru to northern michigan because of the great reviews. OMG, best pizza ever! We had the prociutto pizza, so flavorful, and a really great crust. A must stop if you are in the area. We sat out on their patio. A very cute and quaint place. Service was great and friendly.
(5)
Jeff H.
First and foremost, the food here was amazing! This was our first visit to Stop 50 so we relied on the recommendations of many Yelpers and started our early evening dinner with an order of the Firecracker Goat Cheese. This simply consists of 1" wide cuts of their pizza dough tossed into the wood burning oven along w/ a cup of melted goat cheese and some sort of phenomenally spicy marinara type of sauce. Again, by the black rings around the top of the cheese you could tell this had also just come straight from the pizza oven. Now for the one negative comment that is preventing me from giving Stop 50 a Five-Star raving review. As I mentioned we got there fairly early in the evening...around 5-5:30 I'd say. We did not have reservations (Friday evening) so they asked if we were OK with sitting at a table outside; which we were. The outside dining area consists of 10-15 tables scattered about in a fairly narrow area next to the building and separated by the parking lot by a 6 ft wooden fence. At the time we were sat there were 2-3 empty tables still available. As our waiter took our drink order (tea for my wife and a Three Floyds Gumballhead for me) we also ordered the aforementioned Firecracker as our appetizer. ~30-35 minutes go by, the empty tables are now full, and we still hadn't gotten our appetizer. In fact, the newly filled tables had already gotten their appetizers (Firecracker Cheese, of course) and still nothing for us. We are not ones to complain, but I had to get up, go into the restaurant to find our waiter and politely ask if he had remembered to place our appetizer order. He said he did, but I could tell by the puzzled look he had forgotten, or had taken it (most likely) to another table. Amazingly our appetizer showed up within 3 minutes of my asking. The troubling part was that there was no visit by a manager, or an offer by the waiter to either offer it up for free or comp a drink, nothing. After that ordeal, the rest of dinner went smoothly. We ordered the amazing Prosciutto, Pistachio, and Rosemary pizza. It was everything we had hoped it'd be. No grease whatsoever. I can honestly say it's the first time I've left a pizza place full, but not feeling bad about eating it! We'll definitely be back; hopefully with a better beginning than our first trip.
(4)
Michelle W.
The crust was phenomenal. Simultaneously crisp, chewy and thin. The toppings were balanced nicely. Friendly & attentive staff & owner, lovely beer selection and great setting (we sat outdoors). Just wish it was closer to Chicago!
(5)
David O.
Great service, atmosphere and food! Try the firecracker appetizer and the prosciutto pizza; you can't go wrong.
(5)
Nicole S.
Love this place! Have been here twice in the last few weeks. It is somewhat small until weather allows them to open outside seating, but we got in fairly quickly. We've had my 3 year with us both times and they were great with her. We all got different pizzas and shared. I still like the simple cheese ones the best...wonderful sauce, crust and cheese...who needs more? If you're just there for apps, get the breadsticks...either with the red sauce, or the goat cheese in red sauce. Yum! My hubby loved the beer selection too...local and hard to find ones I guess, which makes him happy.
(5)
kevin t.
Excellent thin crust pizza and we're from Chicago. One of my favorite rites of summer is sitting outside Stop 50 eating a delicious margherita pizza with it's chewy crust and drinking their red house wine ($5) while enjoying the aroma of their herb garden.
(5)
Maria S.
Excellent pizza!
(5)
carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. I went to this place on the day they opened a few years ago. Yes I got lost, and yes it is really in the middle of nowhere. Actually nestled in the subdivision of Michiana Shores. I do not think they were expecting so many people that first day. It was packed. It took a little while to get our food. The stuffed peppers were great. The pizza was a little under cooked. Recently I was in the area and thought I would give this place another chance. I figured since they were still open they must have gotten it together. I am glad I did. The spicy tomato and goat cheese appetizer was a great start. You could taste the firewood grilled goodness. And this time the pizza was much better and fully cooked. I am a big fan of wood burning ovens. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because they need to put just a little more ingredients on the pizza. Other than that if I am in the area I will go back. OH , by no means does this compare to the original Napolitan Pizza which I hope to find soon on the north side of Chicago
(4)
Thomas A.
Talk about out of the way - but definitely worth hitting the google maps and firing up your gps to find this gem. This pizzeria has a wonderful array of personal size pizzas - OK they're a bit too much for one person - but order one for each and take home the leftovers. We had a small group and sampled the mushroom (awesome, but a bit salty); prosciutto with pistachios (sounds weird, but loved it); margherita (basil from their onsite herb boxes..mmmmm); and sausage (tasty). All of the staff were enthusiastic and charming. Wine was inexpensive - plus they even had a couple half off bottles - outrageous! While you're there walk over to the oven and chat up the pizza chef - he's probably the owner. They have a nice outside area for the warm weather that wraps around the building. Enjoy!
(4)
JANET D.
This is a wonderful place for wood fired, artisan pizza. All the ingredients are fresh, the food is prepared with love and care- if this restaurant was in Chicago, the wait would be 2 hours, a la Great Lakes. Only open March-November, and hours mirror the resort lifestyle- but it is memorable and wonderful. My standard order: featured salad (caprese), prosciutto and pistachio pizza, s'more desert or home made gelato or sorbet. Heaven. Tell Chris and Christy I sent you, and you owe me.
(5)
Joey S.
Absolutely awesome food! It's kind of in a secluded location and has weird hours, but that's what makes it awesome... and of course the pizza is great too. Of the two times I've been there the staff has been genuinely nice and very helpful and made for a awesome experience. One waitress I had throughly explained all the ingredients and everything that goes along with the pizza/food, truly amazing. What's also great is that the only use local or natural ingredients and have a nice selection of local beers (Bell's and Backroad, no crappy Miller Lite or Bud Lite) and imported Italian beers . I could go on and on about this place! Just go check it out for yourself it's definitely worth the drive.
(5)
Kevin C.
Wonderful atmosphere, great food, and family feel. If you're in the area this is a must. Save room for the Smores.
(5)
Gertrude s.
Sorry, this pizza is not worth the drive. First it is seriously over priced. $12.00 and up for a personal size pizza? And then $8.00 for the salad? And in Michiana Shores? Do they think they are on Michigan Avenue? This is seriously a bad value. I had the mushroom pizza and could taste the fresh herbs and the cheese, but it was unmemorable, except for the price. They are definitely catering to the wealthy Harbor Country summer vacationers.
(2)
Renee K.
Amazing! We started out with the homemade meatballs and breadsticks. Both were extremely tasty and light. We then had had margarita and pizzaroni pizzas. Again...extremely tasty and light. We also had a mixed green salad which was very fresh with the right amount of cheese and dressing on it. Everything was so good that we took home an order of meatballs, breadsticks, and 2 margarita pizzas. Not sure if they will make it back the 1.5 hour ride to the O'Hare area! Highly recommend this place!
(5)
brent r s.
Late September the wood fired oven sounded great. We found this spot on our way back from a weekend in michigan. Goat cheese firecracker was a fun dipping sauce with olive oil garlic sticks. Tasty! Fresh green beans for an appetizer was also fresh and delicious. *** pizza was delicious too but could not have been any slower. It took over an HOUR for three small pizzas. Perhaps the kitchen was overburdened or understaffed. Although the toppings were fresh and the crust was just right ... The tardiness overshadowed the meal. Would we return? Maybe.
(3)
Sean T.
Amazing all the way around, the prices won't kill you and the food is pleasurable. A definite must come back and visit for the lady and I! As far as the meat lovers, there aren't a whole lot of options however everything is fresh and handmade + you cannot go wrong with wood fired Save room for dessert!
(5)
Jenn H.
We visited this place on a Saturday evening for dinner. It was a great night for sitting outside on the deck. Beautiful setting with their fresh herbs growing alongside the deck. Friendly hostess who went through the menu with us as it was our first time. As a group of four, we shared the firecracker breadsticks and the garden salad which were both fresh tasting and excellent. Then we got two pizzas. These are excellent pizzas and reasonably priced.
(5)
Glenn W.
First let me state that I understand napoletana pizza is not the same as most in the US are used to and this review is not just that the pizza is different. Thoughts: 1) I called Saturday night and asked about the gluten free option to ensure there were no stray ingredients that I couldn't have. All good. 2) Didn't make it Saturday but did Sunday. 3) I ordered a GF pizza only to be told they were out of GF. Not optimal. 4) Waitress suggested that they could do it "skillet style" which she described as putting all the ingredients into a skillet and then turning it over onto a plate. I was dubious but it was that or go somewhere else... 5) Pizza prices were $13-16 for a single size offering of 12-14" 6) I drink iced tea. I finished the first glass and didn't see the waitress for about 10 minutes. Again not optimal. 7) My bowl of pizza arrives. There is some sausage, a very small amount of mozzarella in the bowl, a small amount of sauce, and some pink watery substance sloshing around the bottom of the bowl. 8) Everything in the bowl was at best luke warm. That's it. Not cold but just luke warm. With the watery substance swishing around the bottom and it being that temperature it was totally unappealing. Unappetizing. Near disgusting is another way to describe it. 9) Along comes the other two pizzas. 10) One is a cheese pizza. How do you mess that up? You use very little, unseasoned tomato sauce with very little mozzarella. Then you have all sorts of old pizza and burned crust parts stuck to bottom of the pizza. 11) When the waitress finally comes back by, not to ask how everything is but to finally check on our drinks, I tell her the bowl is cold and frankly not appetizing. I had to actually request that she take it away as she had no intention of doing so. 12) No "I'm sorry that it isn't what you wanted." "I'm sorry we didn't have the GF." "Can I get you something else?" Nothing. Not a word. I'll leave it an even dozen. I don't write negative reviews lightly but I was thoroughly disappointed. I will never be back. This was my experience. Maybe you have different ones and that's OK. I just found it to be far from what I expect of a restaurant.
(1)
Jenna O.
I love wood fired pizza and Stop 50 doesn't disappoint. They have interesting combinations as well as classics. The beer selection is local and pleasing. And we enjoyed their basic salad as well, while waiting for our pizza. The pizzas can be shared by two hungry people, but probably not three, unless you also order sides like their sausage stuffed peppers or meatballs. I would personally just order as many varieties of pizza as the table accommodates though as I love their crust so. Definitely call ahead for a reservation though.
(5)
Roger K.
Went with the grandkids. It is always fun watching the pizza in the oven. Have eaten here about a dozen times. Wonderful European style pizza. Really nice staff and owner.
(5)
Mary B.
Delish, I had the Margherita pizza. We had a reservation, which is highly recommended on the weekends.
(5)
Brian B.
Holy hell... this place is awesome.. I can't believe I've gone as long as I did to eat here... the menu is kinda small but what they have is great!
(5)
Mick B.
This was my first visit to Stop 50, Terri has been here a few times. There is a cute patio seating area outside but since it was hot and sticky, we asked for a table inside. It was interesting being close enough to the kitchen to watch the cooks placing the pizzas into the brick oven. Let me give you a tip that things such as the salad and bread sticks (pizza crust) w/ dipping sauce appetizers that we were served were HUGE. The green salad we ordered to share could easily have served 4 people; I wish there was a half order option as I feel badly sending uneaten food back for no reason. We ordered both of these and they were delish if quite filling. It's not on the online menu but they have recently added Greenbush Brewing Company (Sawyer, MI) micro brewed beer in addition to Bell's (Kalamazoo, MI) and Backroad (LaPorte, IN). I tried the "Retribution" which is a Belgian style Ale brewed with dates, raisins and brown sugar. People at the table near ours seemed upset that they did not have "macro brew" beer such as Budweiser and Miller Lite. Suck it up sunshine (I say) and take the opportunity to try something new. I felt that the star attraction at Stop 50 is the crust that they describe as Naples Style. It seemed to have the right amount of rustic caramelization and flavor for my taste. The pizza we ordered had goat cheese and toppings which tasted fresh and inviting. We asked for a take home container and got one quickly with no problem. We had good service considering the rush of what I can only assume were The Locals trying to get their dinner orders placed before closing time on Sunday night. The crowd of diners rushing in to be seated all of the sudden turned what had started as a tranqul dinner for two into a shouting match to have a conversation over the din. At that point I was wishing and hoping for better acoustics to help with sound management. I made a mental note to try and get here earlier in the evening on our next visit. Overall I feel that Stop 50 is a great place for gourmet pizza at an affordable price and some relaxation. It is certainly worth the short drive off of the highway to enjoy.
(4)
Yuri L.
Wow. Definitely not disappointed. Everything was super fresh! Good beer selection. The s'more dessert was fantastic! The only reason they got a star knocked off is because our server took over 15 minutes to come to our table. The hostess was the one that took care of our drinks.
(4)
Lisa H.
Located just a few miles from New Buffalo Michigan in a small neighborhood town called Michiana Shores,IN. This place used to be a tiny grocery store that they turned into an amazing little restaurant. Pizza is wood fired & pretty good...all fresh ingredients. Service wasn't bad but not outstanding. They also have a small but descent selection of wine & beer. It was very loud sitting inside when it was busy so don't expect a quiet dinner.
(4)
William B.
It turns out you can get pretty far with a really hot oven. I wouldn't have expected much from a little pizza restaurant off the beaten path in Michiana Shores. The service is a little overzealous and some of the topping choices are strange (pistachios? on multiple pizzas?). But they turn out a really nice, simple pizza with the aid of a 900-degree wood-burning oven. (They also use that oven to roast bananas for dessert.) That's really all you need.
(5)
Denise L.
Seriously the best pizza. REAL pizza!! FRESH ingredients. Best salad Simple perfect flavors. Outstanding crust. Crispy charred but still Chewy we are all very lucky to have this gem here. Small well thought out wine and beer list. Amazing gelato. Pistachio ROCKS. Great service. Enjoy!
(5)
Eileen T.
Pizzas (pizzaroni and sausage) were delicious and so was the dessert (biga donut and s'mores)! Bathrooms were SUPER clean! ...Bonus in my book!
(5)
Maria P.
This is a hidden gem. You really have to look for it but well worth it! Great outdoor seating, has the feeling of an Italian trattoria. Pizza and meatballs were excellent and fairly priced!
(4)
Rosanna L.
Not your ordinary bread sticks. You know those long, thick, garlic bread sticks we so often get from pizza joints well you won't find them here. Instead you get these long doughy bread sticks that well essentially is a pizza dough baked and seasoned than sliced into "sticks." These sticks were delicious in my book with a nice crunch to them, quite addicting. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ) However, the sauce tasted like pure tomatoes and I like tomatoes but would of preferred more seasoning. The boyfriend and I couldn't decided what to get the magherita or pizzaroni but luckily our waitress told us we can do half and half, perfect ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ). The magherita was delicious and I love the thickness of the crust. However, some of it was burnt and once you've had a taste of burnt in your mouth it doesn't go away easily. The boyfriend enjoyed his pizzaroni and we both rate this a 3.5 stars. I round it up to 4 because our server was extremely friendly and tentative.
(4)
Chris N.
Great atmosphere in a place tucked into, well, its kinda hard to describe where it is tucked into... Other than the cars lining the building, it would be easy to miss this place. Great variety, outstanding ingredients, unique taste. Have your kids confidently order "a Shaun" and make the owners happy (chesse pizza named after their son). If I had one pizza left to eat in my life, Stop 50 would edge out Traveling Stonebaker. If you are into thick crust, deep dish, tons of toppings kind of pizza, then this is not your place. If you refuse to spend more than $12 for a pizza, head to a chain place. This place rocks!! Well Done Chris!
(5)
Scott B.
We love Stop 50. I almost always try the seasonal pizza and get the fire cracker breadsticks. Chris and his wife are perfect hosts.
(5)
Kelly F.
I am in Michigan City for a family reunion, and I wanted to find a great restaurant for a group of us on Sunday night, so naturally I check Yelp. Thanks to the recommendations of other Yelpers we tried Stop 50 and were not disappointed! Great atmosphere, amazingly friendly and helpful staff, and a killer menu! My husband and I split the quinoa salad and the seasonal pizza, which had prosciutto, asparagus, walnuts, rosemary, mozzarella, and parmesan- yum! Everything was spectacular, and the pizza was arguably the best I have ever had. We are already planning on returning before the week is over!
(5)
bj j.
Great pizza great service (thanks Luke) and charming ambience. Really? This is Indiana?
(5)
Kris R.
this place was ADORABLE. hidden on a residential street, this cute-looking house-restaurant has outdoor seating, a mini parking lot, and the NICEST and most accommodating staff. the restaurant's surrounded by windows, so you get that air-y feel. we came here for lunch on a sunday, had a beer each and split the mushroom pizza with the goat cheese marinara sauce on the side. it was delicious!!! all kinds-a shrooms on that thing, very tasty. all in all, the bill came to cheap dollars and 99 cents. so rad. you all in Michiana have a great little gem in your midst. use it.
(4)
Cheffrey D.
Stop 50 still kicks butt and is seemingly getting better and better as each year goes by. Still the cleanest restaurant in the region, still the friendliest staff and owners, still the same great, naturally leavened pizza. Keep up the great work, we love Stop 50!
(5)
Janis L.
Stop 50! Do not miss this place. Best pizza we have had in a long time. Stayed in vicinity and came across this place. Fresh ingredients, good service and reasonable prices. We are from Indy but would consider driving up there for good pizza. Something called the "Bigga -donut" was scrumptious.
(5)
Tom Z.
The wood-fired pizza is as good as most - how hard could it be? But, the service is abominable!! Went there last fall about an hour before closing time. The place was 1/2 full. Ordered an appetizer and a pizza. The appetizer was served quickly but we waited and waited for the pizza. Remember, these are 12" pizzas with minimal ingredients that cook in about 6 or 7 minutes. The waitress kept coming out saying the pizza should be there soon. After about 45 minutes, I walked up to the pizza oven area and saw the owner making pizzas. I asked him what was going on and he said "we were slammed tonight". "Slammed? The place was 1/2 empty. I asked the waitress for a check and walked out. This place gets rave reviews I guess 'cause it's cool to have wood-fired pizza in the middle of nowhere. They know nothing about service or running a restaurant.
(1)
tracy n.
Adorable place! It's was kind of hidden in what seemed to be a neighborhood but the food was delicious and the place was small and cute and the staff was very friendly. We got the bread sticks and prosciutto pizza and absolutely love them both!
(5)
Nichole C.
A fancy wood-fired pizza joint minutes from the lake house? COUNT ME IN. This restaurant is a gem that I plan on returning to in the near future. The atmosphere is cool (even though it looks like a house in the middle of a neighborhood), the food is good (I'm coming back for you, fancy pizzas!), and they have decent drinks to boot (I even got to try a local brew from the Back Road Brewery. It was "meh" but it was there nonetheless)! We got the breadsticks, a pepperoni pizza, and a sausage pizza. Rosanna was spot-on in her assessment with the sticks. Basically, they are delicious pizza crust sticks with tomato sauce. I'd like them to step the marinara up a bit here, because it just tastes like tomato sauce (sans anything else), but the actual sticks were good. The pizza was pretty good too...I wish I would've gone with the fancier special with proscuitto, but I opted to go for the basics to see how they stack up against competitors. The pepperoni was on top so it was nice and crispy, and the sausage was razor thin slices, which was different, but good. Both pizzas had delicious wood fired crispy and chewiness but had a lot of crust. Next time, I might just ask for something to dip all that crust in rather than getting the sticks as an appetizer. The sauce is a little sweet, but I imagine if I load up the spices next time, it will counteract that. We shall see. Service was awesome, prices were decent, and it's close to home (well, not OUR home, but SOMEONE'S home at least). We will be back.
(4)
Laurence K.
small cute place off the beaten path in indiana, probably one of the best pizza's ive ever had in the midwest. the crust was paper tin and with the 900 degree oven it comes out crispy and delicious, also try the breadsticks
(5)
Michael T.
Great people, friendly service, killer food. Well worth going out of my way while traveling to Chicago (from Cleveland) I'd give Post 50 more than 5 stars but I can't seem to do that on Yelp. Stop in if you're nearby, make it a regular spot if you live close. I know I'll be back, that's for sure!
(5)
Robert A.
Wow great fire oven pizza. Where else can u go and the boss (owner) runs the fire oven. He will personally cook your pizza
(5)
Peter H.
Some of the best and most authentically Neapolitan pizza I've ever had. My fiance' enthusiastically stated that it was the closest approximation of what she'd had in Italy that she'd ever eaten in this country. Location-wise, it's a little out of the way, along route 12 to the east of Michigan City. But it's not rural - you're along a quiet little back-road in the affluent community of Michiana Shores. It's peaceful. The feel of the restaurant inside is minimal and understated, but clean, spacious and with appropriate focus on the wood fired oven that's key to the entire experience. Everything on the menu revolves around that oven. The appetizers, which range from asparagus, to sausage-stuffed peppers, to their fire roasted seasonal vegetables, are all deliciously charred by the oven baking. The razor-thin pizzas are flashed baked in that 900 degree inferno for just a minute and a half, for that wonderfully crisp texture. And the desserts, from caramelized bananas to smores baked in ramekins, all arrive in hot and bubbly fashion. They apparently experimented religously until they could get the perfect wall, air and base temperatures, for crispness of crust and perfect doneness of any topping ingredients. And it works beautifully. Our margherita had the perfect combination of garlicky tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, peppery/citrusy fresh basil, and crackly/chewy bread. The key seems to be love for every pizza they produce. My first time there, I was perhaps ten minutes late for my carry-out order; the chef (owner?) made sure to prop open the box so that the pie wouldn't get soggy. That's 5 star stuff. Highly recommended.
(5)
Sara L.
Stumbled upon this hidden gem while coming back from a trip..thanks to Michael S for bringing us!! Granted I may live in Chicago, but I am a huge fan of thin crust pizza! The menu isn't very extensive as with some other places, but it doesn't need to be here. We ordered the mushroom pizza, prosciutto pizza, margherita pizza and their heirloom tomato pizza. In addition, we also ordered the firecracker goat cheese appetizer and I ordered the pistachio gelato. First lets start with the appetizer, firecracker goat cheese, it was spicy and had the perfect ratio of goat cheese and sauce. Personally, I am a huge fan of the mushroom pizza and prosciutto pizza! The mushroom was full of flavor, the right amount of cheese and olive oil that really brought out the mushrooms. The prosciutto pizza had the perfect amount of meat and other ingredients! Overall, great place to drop by! Too bad it isn't closer to Chicago..womp womp
(4)
Alisa M.
Came here on our way back from warren dunes for dinner. We left the dunes really late and luckily this place is on central time! Service was ok, a little slow, but not bad. All of the food comes out really fast and the staff is very friendly. We ordered: 1. Firecracker- I am not a fan of goat cheese, but this sauce wasn't overpowering. I thought it was really good. We even used the sauce to dip our crusts from the pizza. 2. Margherita - tomato, mozzarella and basil. Nothing special. It was good, but the other pizzas were better. 3. Wild Mushroom - olive oil, garlic, mushroom, oregano and mozzarella. If you like mushrooms, order this one. Soooo good! 4. Prosciutto - prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary. This one was also a winner. The prosciutto adds the perfect amount of saltiness to the pizza. A sure winner. 5. Their daily special.. I can't remember, but it was really good. It had Gorgonzola and some other goodies! I think this one was another winner. 6. Gelato: Pistachio and coffee- these are homemade and excellent. 7. S'mores- a little too rich and sweet for me even though I'm a total chocolate and sweets person. It comes in a bowl with crushed graham crackers on the bottom, layered with marshmallows, and drizzled with chocolate. Tips: 1 pizza can be shared between 2 people. They are pretty large. We had 5 people in our group and had trouble finishing all the pizzas.
(4)
Louise P.
At my mother's recommendation, I visited Stop 50 yesterday while in the area. My husband and I were really pleased with the experience--a cozy ambience and good, fresh food. We made reservations ahead of time (wise on the weekend), but at 8 p.m. we had missed most of the Friday dinner rush. We ate the market salad (excellent, fresh, and certainly big enough for 2), and the sausage and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas are thin and approximately 12-15 inches, so they could easily be split, but we ordered two and left satiated with a few extra slices to bring home. The mushroom pizza was delicious--I was expecting standard white mushrooms, but was pleasantly surprised by the creminis, and possible enoki mushrooms. Lots of variety. Love Neapolitan pizza, so I will certainly be back.
(4)
Karl H.
Great wood fire pizza place in between Michigan City and New Buffalo. Food rocks and the people there are extra friendly. It's a little off the beaten path but definitely worth seeking this place out. Our favorites are the breadsticks, and the pear and gorgonzola pizza (I think this pizza is seasonal though).
(4)
Renee D.
While I really like the look and feel of the restaurant, it is really small. We showed up soon after they opened, I believe on a Thursday, by the time we left it was a full house. Pizza was good, not great, and super thin. I've had wood fired pizza many times, but this was a really thin pizza. When we left Stop 50, my husband and I were still hungry. The kids weren't too excited about the authentic pizza they promote. They definitely prefer a Chicago style pizza.
(3)
Michael L.
I love this place. We found this hidden gem last year and made a point to visit again when we visited Michigan City this past weekend. We were lucky to stop in before they got busy at dinner. My family was able to talk to the owner, Chris, and watch him make the pizzas. You can tell he has a passion for great food and the taste of the food shows it. We started off with the breadsticks and house red sauce. The crisp breadsticks (from the 900 degree oven) were a hit with my seven year old. My wife hates red sauce, but for some reason cannot get enough of the house red sauce here. We had the seasonal roasted veggies...amazingly roasted in the oven as well. I love roasted carrots. For Pizzas, we had the margherita and the seasonal sausage/potato. The margherita, while the simplest of pizzas, was great. The seasonal pizza was great as well. Id love to have some of the sausage to take home!!!! Last, but not least, was the homemade gelato. There are several flavors, but I could eat the pistachio all day. Last year, I had two servings!!!!!
(5)
Darci S.
Stop 50 is just adorable and delicious. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday with three kids in tow and they were so welcoming and friendly. It was dead in there but I could definitely see it being packed at dinner and on the weekends. Way cooler and fancier than you'd expect in a lake house area (its nestled in a residential neighborhood).Cozy interior and the pizza oven is right there for you to watch as they whip up the pizzas. We had the app sampler, definitely a must get, the breadsticks are different but really good, stuffed peppers were amazing and the grilled asparagus, while nothing out of the ordinary, was solid as well. Pizza was great, upscale pizza with thin crispy center and chewy crust. I would definitely go back. My only negative would be that the food was slow to come out despite the fact that we were the only table by the time we ordered.
(5)
Michael S.
After a trip going apple picking GF and I stopped by here thanks to a tip from Derrick T. I'm not a huge fan of crispy thin crust pizza, but this place was very good. We got the prosciutto pizza and the mushroom pizza. Both were very good, but I think I liked the prosciutto the best. Didn't get anything else, but we did see the salads were huge. It's not worth it for me to drive from Chicago just for this place, but it's a definite place I'd go back to if around the area.
(4)
Jimbo B.
Great, cozy little place if you are staying in the resort towns along the Michiana coast. Go for the pizza and the delicious salads and other appetizers made in the wood fired oven. Small, but quality beer and wine selection. Casual and friendly, family run place. Not too expensive. Oh and the pistachio gelato was amazing. I think they make it themselves!
(5)
Abby K.
Definite Top Ten Brick Fired Pizza, Ever! a MUST VISIT if you are near Long Beach, Indiana. The pizzas are fantastic. Filling, but not over-filling. The flavors are refined and delicisous. We ordered the Prosciutto pizza (prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary) -AND- the special, a Pear pizza. Both were great. Also ordered the Local market Salad to share, yum! and Bread sticks, which are crispy and come in a interesting stacked style. The service was ok, but I still give it 5 stars becuase the food and atmosphere makes up for it.
(5)
Tim B.
The food was authentic Italian, felt like we were in Italy, even had momma in the back making fresh dough for our pizza! We liked the wood burning pizza oven and the kids enjoyed watching the chef cook the pizzas! Great service, but could use a few more condiments like fresh ground pepper on salads and offer fresh parmesan on the pizzas when they arrive at the table. Will definitely go back next time we are in Harbor country!
(4)
Granger L.
My wife and I go every time we are in town. Love the seasonal pizza, great beers and family atmosphere. Best around.
(5)
J H.
Went last night. Margharita pizza and sausage pizza. Very good. Had the gelato. Not too bad but not gelato. There wasn't any "pull" to it. Basically just ice cream, but tasted good.
(4)
Bill C.
A bit pricy but a definate treat. Great service, very flavorful food, a bit of the east coast flair in the middle of somewhere MI. Great sauce, crispy crust and fresh flavorful ingredients. We try and go when we visit family in the area. A favorite spot.
(4)
Kristin O.
Good pizza, bad attitude and service
(1)
Leah H.
High quality ingredients! Nice people! Very pleasant inside and out.
(5)
Bridget C.
My favorite place. Love the breadsticks (with wood fired goat cheese!), salad, Proscuttio pizza, and Nutella pizza dessert!
(5)
Heather B.
If you're looking for good, fresh and local Stop 50 is about as good as you're going to find anywhere in this area. Yes, it's busy in the summer (everything good around here is) but if you're fortunate enough to be a year-rounder, you can visit this place before and after the season and truly enjoy the experience. I don't think the prices are expensive - if you really think about how much you spend when you order pizza from a normal pizza place (not a dominos) you're pretty close to this already....and if you prefer $3 pizza deals, well, enjoy all of your processed junk because you're not the right target for Stop 50! We opted to go seasonal for everything - the appetizer, salad and pizza - since we knew we could get the other items on our next visit. That's usually how I order at restaurants that offer seasonal items because everything tastes better in season! And we had a bottle of wine. It was about $60 before tip. If you're going here on the weekend, definitely make a reservation. You're not going to walk out of here feeling so stuffed like you do in 'american style' italian restaurants, but your tastebuds will be satisfied.
(5)
Ben B.
Good pizza in the middle of nowhere. Step one is finding the place, which is a bit of a trick. There isn't a ton of parking, so you'll see cars parked in the grass on an adjacent street. The restaurant isn't very big and there's not a ton of privacy, but we must judge Stop 50 on their food. We ordered the appetizer sampler, which wasn't much to write home about. Some generally dry breadsticks, small peppers with tiny sausage and some sort of zucchini. If you order pizza, it will take close to 50 minutes (hence, Stop 50?), but it's worth the wait. The crust is very thin and usually blackened on the outer edges. But that first bite from the center of the pie is delicious and soft. We had the sausage, and when we finished, I was hungry for more. It's not very filling, but a lot of pizza will leave you feeling bloated. This won't. Be forewarned that our pizza came with an extraordinary amount of basil on top. It didn't bother me, but it might be overdoing it on the spice. For dessert, we tried their $4 s'more. It was eight large toasted (blackened, in some cases) marshmallows on a plate. Four of the marshmallows were in a cup filled with hot Hershey's syrup and graham cracker dust on the bottom. It was nice, but you can get a more enjoyable dessert by driving north a few minutes to Oink's Dutch Treat. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a unique twist on pizza and you don't mind a significant amount of carbon scoring on the outer edges of your food.
(4)
Derrick T.
Hidden pizza place that's highly touted by the food forums, my wife and I made a trip here just to try the pizza. Only to find out it was closed! 6 months later, we made a trip again and sat down to enjoy some great 4 star quality pizza... All the ingredients are fresh, the fire brick oven working overtime, and the service was quick. Sampler- Half order of roasted vegetables, bread sticks, and stuffed peppers - A good way to sample a few different flavors. The roasted vegetables were good, breadsticks were tasty (pizza dough with some seasoning and then sliced up), and the stuffed peppers were flavorful but unfortunately fell apart in any attempt to pick them up. Wild Mushroom pizza - Olive oil, garlic, oregano, wild mushrooms, and mozz - Nice crust, tasty mushrooms, a good combination overall. Verdict: If you're in the area or heading here for other reasons, stop by and give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Barbara B.
Stop 50 is fantastic. As a pizza lover who lived in Italy for a few years and traveled the world regularly, I can say the food here is authentic, fresh and absolutely delicious. Every time. We live within walking distance, and go once or twice a week when we are not in Chicago or traveling, year round. The pizza is perfect: thin (not too thin by any measure), crispy yet chewy crust, flavorful local ingredients, amazing cheese and rich tomato sauce. The herbs are grown right outside! Some of the ingredients change naturally with the seasons, such as the mushrooms and tomatoes. We often order the special, which is always innovative and excellent (not 'tricky'.) We always order the mushroom pizza which here is a white pizza, but we like to add sausage. In season, the soups are delicious and highly satisfying. To start we like to get the sausage-stuffed peppers which are perfectly portioned. And don't miss the homemade gelato in a wide range of flavors. Beyond the food, the service is just what you'd want - warm and friendly, professional without being stuffy, and just the right dose of attentive. With the wood-burning oven and Chris the owner in the house, the ambience is neighborly and cozy. Don't miss it!
(5)
Jay N.
The restaurant is a little difficult to find. Check the address and directions beforehand to ensure you're going the right way. It's the only restaurant in a residential area so there's parking right in front or to the side. Unfortunately, I didn't like how the patio was right next to the gravel parking area. The staff was welcoming and cordial. There were other patrons that came as groups, families, couples, and they do carryout. The artichoke and prosciutto pizza is quite good. It's arranged so you get a little bite at the beginning of your slice as well as to the end. The crust is chewy yet crisp. Their other offerings were pretty good as well. The fresh mozzarella has distinct flavor even after being well cooked. I thought the prices were a little bit high for being in a remote location in Michigan City. I guess the cost of getting good quality ingredients offsets the lower overhead costs. I drove out here specifically for this place, but I'll come back next time if I'm at the outlet mall.
(3)
Doug H.
Wow!! Incredible salad and pizza!! Worth driving all the way from Fort Wayne to eat here again!!
(5)
Shaun H.
Let's start with great food: pizza, firecracker sauce, s'more. All good stuff. Service is good. I'd recommend calling ahead especially on the weekends or there will be a wait. Everything tastes really fresh. Restaurant is clean and a very enjoyable experience for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Shane H.
A small group of four of us went the other night and we were all very impressed. We ordered a couple pizzas and some apps an were all very pleased with our meals. Its a nice a little spot to catch up with friends and enjoy a great meal. They had a nice wine selection as well. If I were to suggest anything it would be to add heat lamps outside for chilly nights. Looking forward to heading there again in the near future.
(5)
Scott H.
I'm from Chicago, but spend a decent amount of time in SW Michigan and have been wanting to try Stop 50 for years after hearing about it over and over on foodie boards and review sites. My wife and I decided to stop here after an early weekend trip to SW MI wine country and found the place mostly empty at noon on a Saturday. We enjoyed the firecracker goat cheese and spicy tomato breadstick appetizer which was wonderful. My wife thought it was a touch too vinegary, but I thought it was spot-on. This along with the margherita pizza made for a very filling and satisfying lunch visit. The fresh basil was wonderful and if I could have cut down just a bit on the sauce, it would have been perfect. The added sauce made the slices just a little too soft for my taste while the crust was light and had a perfect pull and char. All in all a very trendy, yet classic and tidy place that I'd love to enjoy again on an autumn evening. Definitely worth passing the hordes at Redamak's for. :)
(4)
Mara A.
Let's set the mood... Dark, cold night in the middle of the forest of Michigan City. We arrive at Stop 50 Pizza because of great word of mouth from other people who have eaten there. Yes, the pizza was fantastic but that's as far as I'm going. The place is packed, not surprised and they said we can either wait 15min or a table, or just sit outside and when a table opens up, they will move us inside. Fine, sure, no problem, lets sit outside, we're hungry and it will only be for 15min. Now its freezing, in the 30's but we tried to ignore the weather by warming up to some food. We had a great view of inside the restaurant and we see table by table leaving the place, yet we are still sitting outside. why? so we just wait...our apps come then our pizza but wait, were still outside. We ask our waiter if we can go inside seeing as there are over 5 tables open and he says no, sorry. The weather is starting to kick our butts, were shivering and all we want to do is go inside. Finally the owner comes out to see if we are okay and we tell her that we are cold and there are plenty of tables open and question why we are still sitting outside. She exclaims that there are reservations for those tables but they haven't showed up yet. Fine, that's understandable but at this point we have been sitting here for over an hour, didn't you say at the hostess table that the wait would only be 15min, so we would be sitting inside by now anyways. She just assumed since we got our pizza we would just stay outside and that would leave a table open for other guests. We're pissed and we just want to leave, but not before heading to the restroom. My guest came to Stop 50 3 months prior to this night and the bathroom door lock on the ladies room was broken. And look, 3 months later, and its still broken. No sign on the door, nothing, just a broken lock. What, no one thinks this is an issue to get resolved. Of course not, why spend the FIVE DOLLARS to buy a new door handle with lock. At this point, my guest is furious and rips the owner a new one. The owner is incompetent and has no response to any of the valid points that are being thrown at her. And because of this night, we will not return. There are not many options in Michigan City/New Buffalo for good food and because of the horrible service/management/and the way this place is being run, this will soon fall into that category.
(1)
Leah H.
High quality ingredients! Nice people! Very pleasant inside and out.
(5)
Bridget C.
My favorite place. Love the breadsticks (with wood fired goat cheese!), salad, Proscuttio pizza, and Nutella pizza dessert!
(5)
Abby K.
Definite Top Ten Brick Fired Pizza, Ever! a MUST VISIT if you are near Long Beach, Indiana. The pizzas are fantastic. Filling, but not over-filling. The flavors are refined and delicisous. We ordered the Prosciutto pizza (prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary) -AND- the special, a Pear pizza. Both were great. Also ordered the Local market Salad to share, yum! and Bread sticks, which are crispy and come in a interesting stacked style. The service was ok, but I still give it 5 stars becuase the food and atmosphere makes up for it.
(5)
Heather B.
If you're looking for good, fresh and local Stop 50 is about as good as you're going to find anywhere in this area. Yes, it's busy in the summer (everything good around here is) but if you're fortunate enough to be a year-rounder, you can visit this place before and after the season and truly enjoy the experience. I don't think the prices are expensive - if you really think about how much you spend when you order pizza from a normal pizza place (not a dominos) you're pretty close to this already....and if you prefer $3 pizza deals, well, enjoy all of your processed junk because you're not the right target for Stop 50! We opted to go seasonal for everything - the appetizer, salad and pizza - since we knew we could get the other items on our next visit. That's usually how I order at restaurants that offer seasonal items because everything tastes better in season! And we had a bottle of wine. It was about $60 before tip. If you're going here on the weekend, definitely make a reservation. You're not going to walk out of here feeling so stuffed like you do in 'american style' italian restaurants, but your tastebuds will be satisfied.
(5)
Ben B.
Good pizza in the middle of nowhere. Step one is finding the place, which is a bit of a trick. There isn't a ton of parking, so you'll see cars parked in the grass on an adjacent street. The restaurant isn't very big and there's not a ton of privacy, but we must judge Stop 50 on their food. We ordered the appetizer sampler, which wasn't much to write home about. Some generally dry breadsticks, small peppers with tiny sausage and some sort of zucchini. If you order pizza, it will take close to 50 minutes (hence, Stop 50?), but it's worth the wait. The crust is very thin and usually blackened on the outer edges. But that first bite from the center of the pie is delicious and soft. We had the sausage, and when we finished, I was hungry for more. It's not very filling, but a lot of pizza will leave you feeling bloated. This won't. Be forewarned that our pizza came with an extraordinary amount of basil on top. It didn't bother me, but it might be overdoing it on the spice. For dessert, we tried their $4 s'more. It was eight large toasted (blackened, in some cases) marshmallows on a plate. Four of the marshmallows were in a cup filled with hot Hershey's syrup and graham cracker dust on the bottom. It was nice, but you can get a more enjoyable dessert by driving north a few minutes to Oink's Dutch Treat. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a unique twist on pizza and you don't mind a significant amount of carbon scoring on the outer edges of your food.
(4)
Derrick T.
Hidden pizza place that's highly touted by the food forums, my wife and I made a trip here just to try the pizza. Only to find out it was closed! 6 months later, we made a trip again and sat down to enjoy some great 4 star quality pizza... All the ingredients are fresh, the fire brick oven working overtime, and the service was quick. Sampler- Half order of roasted vegetables, bread sticks, and stuffed peppers - A good way to sample a few different flavors. The roasted vegetables were good, breadsticks were tasty (pizza dough with some seasoning and then sliced up), and the stuffed peppers were flavorful but unfortunately fell apart in any attempt to pick them up. Wild Mushroom pizza - Olive oil, garlic, oregano, wild mushrooms, and mozz - Nice crust, tasty mushrooms, a good combination overall. Verdict: If you're in the area or heading here for other reasons, stop by and give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Barbara B.
Stop 50 is fantastic. As a pizza lover who lived in Italy for a few years and traveled the world regularly, I can say the food here is authentic, fresh and absolutely delicious. Every time. We live within walking distance, and go once or twice a week when we are not in Chicago or traveling, year round. The pizza is perfect: thin (not too thin by any measure), crispy yet chewy crust, flavorful local ingredients, amazing cheese and rich tomato sauce. The herbs are grown right outside! Some of the ingredients change naturally with the seasons, such as the mushrooms and tomatoes. We often order the special, which is always innovative and excellent (not 'tricky'.) We always order the mushroom pizza which here is a white pizza, but we like to add sausage. In season, the soups are delicious and highly satisfying. To start we like to get the sausage-stuffed peppers which are perfectly portioned. And don't miss the homemade gelato in a wide range of flavors. Beyond the food, the service is just what you'd want - warm and friendly, professional without being stuffy, and just the right dose of attentive. With the wood-burning oven and Chris the owner in the house, the ambience is neighborly and cozy. Don't miss it!
(5)
Jay N.
The restaurant is a little difficult to find. Check the address and directions beforehand to ensure you're going the right way. It's the only restaurant in a residential area so there's parking right in front or to the side. Unfortunately, I didn't like how the patio was right next to the gravel parking area. The staff was welcoming and cordial. There were other patrons that came as groups, families, couples, and they do carryout. The artichoke and prosciutto pizza is quite good. It's arranged so you get a little bite at the beginning of your slice as well as to the end. The crust is chewy yet crisp. Their other offerings were pretty good as well. The fresh mozzarella has distinct flavor even after being well cooked. I thought the prices were a little bit high for being in a remote location in Michigan City. I guess the cost of getting good quality ingredients offsets the lower overhead costs. I drove out here specifically for this place, but I'll come back next time if I'm at the outlet mall.
(3)
Doug H.
Wow!! Incredible salad and pizza!! Worth driving all the way from Fort Wayne to eat here again!!
(5)
Shaun H.
Let's start with great food: pizza, firecracker sauce, s'more. All good stuff. Service is good. I'd recommend calling ahead especially on the weekends or there will be a wait. Everything tastes really fresh. Restaurant is clean and a very enjoyable experience for lunch or dinner.
(5)
Shane H.
A small group of four of us went the other night and we were all very impressed. We ordered a couple pizzas and some apps an were all very pleased with our meals. Its a nice a little spot to catch up with friends and enjoy a great meal. They had a nice wine selection as well. If I were to suggest anything it would be to add heat lamps outside for chilly nights. Looking forward to heading there again in the near future.
(5)
Bill C.
A bit pricy but a definate treat. Great service, very flavorful food, a bit of the east coast flair in the middle of somewhere MI. Great sauce, crispy crust and fresh flavorful ingredients. We try and go when we visit family in the area. A favorite spot.
(4)
Kristin O.
Good pizza, bad attitude and service
(1)
Tim B.
The food was authentic Italian, felt like we were in Italy, even had momma in the back making fresh dough for our pizza! We liked the wood burning pizza oven and the kids enjoyed watching the chef cook the pizzas! Great service, but could use a few more condiments like fresh ground pepper on salads and offer fresh parmesan on the pizzas when they arrive at the table. Will definitely go back next time we are in Harbor country!
(4)
Granger L.
My wife and I go every time we are in town. Love the seasonal pizza, great beers and family atmosphere. Best around.
(5)
J H.
Went last night. Margharita pizza and sausage pizza. Very good. Had the gelato. Not too bad but not gelato. There wasn't any "pull" to it. Basically just ice cream, but tasted good.
(4)
Scott H.
I'm from Chicago, but spend a decent amount of time in SW Michigan and have been wanting to try Stop 50 for years after hearing about it over and over on foodie boards and review sites. My wife and I decided to stop here after an early weekend trip to SW MI wine country and found the place mostly empty at noon on a Saturday. We enjoyed the firecracker goat cheese and spicy tomato breadstick appetizer which was wonderful. My wife thought it was a touch too vinegary, but I thought it was spot-on. This along with the margherita pizza made for a very filling and satisfying lunch visit. The fresh basil was wonderful and if I could have cut down just a bit on the sauce, it would have been perfect. The added sauce made the slices just a little too soft for my taste while the crust was light and had a perfect pull and char. All in all a very trendy, yet classic and tidy place that I'd love to enjoy again on an autumn evening. Definitely worth passing the hordes at Redamak's for. :)
(4)
John H.
Been here twice now, and will be back. Great pizza, and outstanding salads (big enough for 2 or 3) that are fresh as can be. We love to go on a nice summer evening and sit outside. Inside can get VERY noisy. Reservations are definitely recommended. Parking can be tough when they're busy, but I've always manged to find a spot either in their lot...or down the street a bit. Prices are on the high-side for what you get in terms of quantity (size of pizza and they're not very generous with the amount of toppings), but in terms of flavor, I suppose the price is worth it. We've always had great service.
(4)
Mara A.
Let's set the mood... Dark, cold night in the middle of the forest of Michigan City. We arrive at Stop 50 Pizza because of great word of mouth from other people who have eaten there. Yes, the pizza was fantastic but that's as far as I'm going. The place is packed, not surprised and they said we can either wait 15min or a table, or just sit outside and when a table opens up, they will move us inside. Fine, sure, no problem, lets sit outside, we're hungry and it will only be for 15min. Now its freezing, in the 30's but we tried to ignore the weather by warming up to some food. We had a great view of inside the restaurant and we see table by table leaving the place, yet we are still sitting outside. why? so we just wait...our apps come then our pizza but wait, were still outside. We ask our waiter if we can go inside seeing as there are over 5 tables open and he says no, sorry. The weather is starting to kick our butts, were shivering and all we want to do is go inside. Finally the owner comes out to see if we are okay and we tell her that we are cold and there are plenty of tables open and question why we are still sitting outside. She exclaims that there are reservations for those tables but they haven't showed up yet. Fine, that's understandable but at this point we have been sitting here for over an hour, didn't you say at the hostess table that the wait would only be 15min, so we would be sitting inside by now anyways. She just assumed since we got our pizza we would just stay outside and that would leave a table open for other guests. We're pissed and we just want to leave, but not before heading to the restroom. My guest came to Stop 50 3 months prior to this night and the bathroom door lock on the ladies room was broken. And look, 3 months later, and its still broken. No sign on the door, nothing, just a broken lock. What, no one thinks this is an issue to get resolved. Of course not, why spend the FIVE DOLLARS to buy a new door handle with lock. At this point, my guest is furious and rips the owner a new one. The owner is incompetent and has no response to any of the valid points that are being thrown at her. And because of this night, we will not return. There are not many options in Michigan City/New Buffalo for good food and because of the horrible service/management/and the way this place is being run, this will soon fall into that category.
(1)
Chris K.
Average pizza at best. Light toppings, some slices had no cheese, others had no sauce. Appetizers were way over priced as was the pizza. We laughed at some of the food that came to our table. Bad service as well. Biggest disappointment eating out in 5 + years. They can get away with it with the summer crowds. They told me how many times they had been reviewed. I guess they think the hungry hound review will get them by. Do not waste your your time or money on the chance a few of their pizzas might be good that night. The manager was no help in resolving our issues.
(1)
Dan G.
What, good pizza in the MC? Did I bring it with me from Chicago? I can't believe it has taken me so long to go to stop 50. This was some seriously good pizza. They cook them in their wood fired brick oven and they come out slightly charred, just the way pizza is meant to be. We brought the units over for lunch today. We had a couple sausage pies, a veggie and a caprese salad. The sausage was very tasty and had fresh oregano. The veggie had red peppers, red onion, zucchini and lots of fresh basil. The salad had both red and green tomatoes and a great balsamic vinegar dressing. These pizzas were very good thin crust. We could have used some crushed red pepper flakes, which were not available. We had lunch last week at the pizza Mecca otherwise known as Lombardi's, so we're kind of picky when it comes to our pizza. Stop 50 is far and away the best in town. The setting is really nice inside and kind of loft style. There is also outdoor seating as well. Service was prompt and helpful and we had a great lunch. We will definitely be back and get some takeout too.
(4)
Sherry P.
Don't bother. Room temp, rubbery pizza with REALLY minimal toppings. . Grumpy waiter. So not worth the trip.
(1)
Bob B.
Call me silly, but when I drop $50 on salad, bread sticks and pizza I expect to leave full. Instead the salad was a plate of weeds. The bread sticks were a pizza crust that was over cooked and chopped into bits. And the pizza, although tasty was about a 10" pizza not the 12-14" the claimed it would be. My son said it best with the line "they call it stop 50 because it cost $50 to stop there". All I can say is drive ten more minutes into Michigan City and go to Roma's pizza on Franklin, it was well worth it and we actually had left overs and only spent $30.
(1)
John J.
Really, really, really good pizza! Cool atmosphere too!
(5)
Ermelinda C.
Great Pizza. This place is definitely worth the drive! Spacca Napoli might have some competition ;-)
(4)
Todd T.
My wife and I when there for lunch a Saturday. Not to many people where there and it was nice a quite. We had the bread sticks and they where real good. We also had a margherita pizza. It was very good too. I went to look at the oven and I think I talked to a owner was more than happy to talk about it. We'll be going back again.
(4)
Erik B.
all of their pizzas are AMAZING! If you want hundreds of toppings to choose from, don't come here; they have amazing flavor combinations, some including nuts, that work amazingly well together when blasted from the heat and flames from their wildfire pizza oven. Our [party of 3] service was exceptional! Be sure to ask for some oil and vinegar to dip the crust in, if the waiter does not bring it with the first pizza. Quite an expansive beer collection, local brews too; there's definitely a beer that caters to each palate.
(4)
aj b.
I would give Stop 50 more stars, but NOT after today's experience. Their pizza is usually pretty good, love the fresh ingredients, love their selection of beers. We brought our friends to Stop 50 and it was nothing like we told them it would be. We waited for our food close to 45 minutes and when pizzas came, one of them was BURNED! We asked the waitress what happened and she told us that she worked at Stop 50 since the day they opened and the pizza should be just like that ( mind you, we ordered 2 pizza Margherita and one of them was fine and the other was BURNED. It was actually black, tasted like burned dough, very bitter. Waitress told us that that her name was Laura or Laurie ( didn't pay attention) and that the next time we come, we should ask for another server. She was RUDE, had bad attitude. I mean gee... they are some pills you can take for PMS, or whatever condition you have, but hey, when I see a burned pizza, I don't want to eat it. Needless to say, we didn't tip her and that was the first time EVER I didn't leave a tip. We did talk to the owner and seems like he didn't care what we had to say. BAD BUSINESS! Seriously, how hard is to apologize to you customer who comes to your place at least 4-5 times during the summer. I'v seen attitude like this before and business didn't last. I do wish them the best, they do make a really decent pizza when they don't burn it. Bottom line, after $50+ for 2 pizzas and some beer, we left unhappy. Shouldn't be like that. Should it? I don't recommend this place due to bad service and inconsistent food.
(2)
Kenneth C.
After finishing up some blueberry picking, I had developed quite an appetite. I opened up Yelp with the pedestrian goal of finding lunch for the family. Only a few options popped up including Stop 50. 4 stars- promising. Pizza. That should work. We quickly drove to Michiana Shores and nearly missed the place. Upon parking we noted some fresh herbs growing outside (very promising) and then an LTHForum review/award nomination. Quite promising. We were quickly greeted and brought inside. My oldest daughter who is not noted for "change" and for whom the platonic ideal of pizza is Bertucci's looked around the place with a smile. Our ordering strategy was our standard for somewhat expensive pizza places: 3 kids share a half pepperoni/half plain while my wife and I go for a special. While waiting we noted the wood fired oven (pleasing warmth) and staff and owner clearly dedicated to their craft. The pizza, while small and pricey, was excellent...We had the snap pea/prosciutto special. The addition of fresh (emphasize fresh) snap peas to basil combined with high quality prosciutto was a brilliant combination. The crust was delicious with a perfect balance between a chewy inside and crisp outside. While I wouldn't have minded having a larger pie, the pizza itself was tasty. My own dreams of New Haven pizza soon melted away... A few other points. They carry local beers and we were introduced to Sunspot from Greenbush brewery. It was a nice pairing to our meal. The wild rasberry sorbet was quite good and the smores dessert had perfectly toasted marshmellows. The restaurant itself nicely combines an older wood beamed roof with a crisp/clean modern decor. Summary: great pizza, great restaurant, great staff and owner who clearly are invested in their work. While the price is high and size small, it's otherwise hard to find a fault.
(5)
Eric B.
Fantastic. Just like the pizza I had in northern Italy, maybe even better
(5)
Tobin B.
If you are looking for traditional pizza then this is not your place. However, if you are looking for a treat this pizza offers something special. The portions are small but I can tell you the taste is well worth it!
(4)
Gail H.
Short,but sweet. Very,very good. You'll love it. Be prepared to wait. It is a labor of love for the owner.
(4)
Bob D.
This is an excellent Pizza! Don't bother with Mapquest they will send you on a wild goose chase down a gravel road just West of the tracks. Follow the Michianna signs and presto great Pizza. This year I have been coast to coast trying each regions best Pizza's. While 50 Stop does not establish themselves as a Pizza Mecca, they are serious about the product. I am a traditionalist at heart, I want my pie to be burnt on the edges (not bitter burnt) bubbles in the crust from a long fermentation. I would like the toppings to compliment the dough not dominate it. I desire a piece shaped like a triangle that droops, but doesn't drop. And I expect the ingredients to be of good to great quality. 50 Stop achieved all these things. The Pizza Marguerita was well balanced, a nice chewy crust, fresh mozzarella, and big Genovese Basil leaves. It was all quite harmonious. We shared the sampler as an appetizer. The roasted asparagus was amazing perfectly cooked with a little snap left in it. Looked and tasted like local, but didn't ask. Zucchimi and yellow squash were deliscious as well, bread sticks were ok. The marinara to dip into was exactly what I make at home. A simple no fuss preperation of good quality tomatoes from Italy (yes I can tell) garlic and EVOO, not cooked too long. The only negative were the stuffed peppers, these need work boys. The pepper was very bitter due to its rawness, and the smear of sausage was lost. This preperation needs some more thought. (I'd be happy to offer up some suggestions) This was my only negative . The wine and beer list was small, but the Double Hearted Ale (I think that's what it was called) was fantastic. Considering my food experiences in this part of the country this pizza is at the top, really 4 1/2 stars but yelp won't allow it. Thanks Dan G. for the heads up or I would have ended up eating some desperation meal on the edge of a steel mill somewhere.
(4)
Jacob R.
I've never written on Yelp before, but I had to after my family's experience at Stop 50. They have decent food that is overpriced. We spent $93 on 3 small thin pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers, & 2 orders of ice cream. We ordered sauce to dip our crusts in and the waitress brought a small, I mean small, dish of cold marinara sauce. We didn't think too much of it until the bill came and we we're charged $3 for the sauce. I know this post probably seems snobby and petty, but we're not snobs. We thought after spending over $90 on a meal (that didn't fill us up) plus drinks that $3 for a small dish of cold marinara sauce left a bad taste in our mouths. My mother in law spoke with the owner about being charged for the sauce and he just kept on saying to her "well, we only use fresh ingredients", as if that justified charging the $3. He eventually offered to refund the $3, but my mother in law declined, telling him it was just the principle behind the whole thing. Bottom line: decent food, overpriced, didn't fill you up, owner who doesn't want to maintain a client base. The customer is always right, don't defend yourself by repeating that you only use fresh ingredients, over a $3 dish of cold marinara sauce.
(2)
Erika D.
This is one of my favorite places...ever. The mere thought of sitting on the outdoor patio, enjoying the quiet while drinking their fabulous sangria has gotten me through more than one horrible Midwestern winter's day. We live quite a drive from Stop 50, but we try to ride out there a few times a summer...it's a must because it's THAT good. We went there this past Saturday, for the first time this summer, and we weren't disappointed. We started with the sampler which is an assortment of seasonal veggies, thin pita strips with a delicious tomato dipping sauce and peppers stuffed with sausage. The peppers are NOT for the faint of heart...so spicy! My lips were burning after one bite. I'm kind of a puss, though, so take that for what it's worth. We also had the sausage pizza...the pizza is awesome. I can't really think of another word to describe it. The crust is thin and crispy without being hard. Everything is fresh, even the seasonings are grown outside, I'm told. And get the sangria!!! You won't be sorry. I really can't say enough about Stop 50. The food, the ambiance...I even love the fact that the owner comes out and asks how everything was. You don't find that much anymore...you feel like family there.
(5)
Joe H.
It would be a little better if the hairs and tables matched the environment. Also my wife and me did not like being able to see the prep room. The pizzas were very good and the sampler appetizer was as well. We had the prosciutto pizza and it was VERY good. We will 100% be going back.
(4)
chicago b.
Perfection! The pizza, appetizers and beer were phenomenal. My boyfriend and I have had a lot of pizza, but the pizza at Stop 50 is at the top of our list. We started with Backroad (local IN) beers, which were tasty. They also have Bells and wine available. Our appetizer was absolutely heaven--the Firecracker. The Firecracker is goat cheese baked in spicy marinara sauce. You use pieces of Parmesan pizza crust to sop up the cheesy goodness. If I'm being honest, I would have licked the bowl, if it wasn't so hot from the oven. Next we ordered two pizzas. We ordered the Asparagus and Prosciutto and the Morel and Smoked Mozzerella pizzas. Both were specials on the menu. The Morel and Smoke Mozzerella pizza was pricey at $30. We felt guilty about ordering such a pricey pizza, but then we thought "when in Michiana, do as the Michianans do". And we didn't regret it. Both pizzas were simply perfection. With a tasty crust, and fresh ingredients, and amazing cheese, every bite was pleasure. Stop 50 makes us want to move to Indiana, or at least drive 2 hours to visit again soon.
(5)
Erika D.
This is one of my favorite places...ever. The mere thought of sitting on the outdoor patio, enjoying the quiet while drinking their fabulous sangria has gotten me through more than one horrible Midwestern winter's day. We live quite a drive from Stop 50, but we try to ride out there a few times a summer...it's a must because it's THAT good. We went there this past Saturday, for the first time this summer, and we weren't disappointed. We started with the sampler which is an assortment of seasonal veggies, thin pita strips with a delicious tomato dipping sauce and peppers stuffed with sausage. The peppers are NOT for the faint of heart...so spicy! My lips were burning after one bite. I'm kind of a puss, though, so take that for what it's worth. We also had the sausage pizza...the pizza is awesome. I can't really think of another word to describe it. The crust is thin and crispy without being hard. Everything is fresh, even the seasonings are grown outside, I'm told. And get the sangria!!! You won't be sorry. I really can't say enough about Stop 50. The food, the ambiance...I even love the fact that the owner comes out and asks how everything was. You don't find that much anymore...you feel like family there.
(5)
Joe H.
It would be a little better if the hairs and tables matched the environment. Also my wife and me did not like being able to see the prep room. The pizzas were very good and the sampler appetizer was as well. We had the prosciutto pizza and it was VERY good. We will 100% be going back.
(4)
chicago b.
Perfection! The pizza, appetizers and beer were phenomenal. My boyfriend and I have had a lot of pizza, but the pizza at Stop 50 is at the top of our list. We started with Backroad (local IN) beers, which were tasty. They also have Bells and wine available. Our appetizer was absolutely heaven--the Firecracker. The Firecracker is goat cheese baked in spicy marinara sauce. You use pieces of Parmesan pizza crust to sop up the cheesy goodness. If I'm being honest, I would have licked the bowl, if it wasn't so hot from the oven. Next we ordered two pizzas. We ordered the Asparagus and Prosciutto and the Morel and Smoked Mozzerella pizzas. Both were specials on the menu. The Morel and Smoke Mozzerella pizza was pricey at $30. We felt guilty about ordering such a pricey pizza, but then we thought "when in Michiana, do as the Michianans do". And we didn't regret it. Both pizzas were simply perfection. With a tasty crust, and fresh ingredients, and amazing cheese, every bite was pleasure. Stop 50 makes us want to move to Indiana, or at least drive 2 hours to visit again soon.
(5)
Darkling S.
Another birthday weekend with me and my feline companion Grigori - spent at Tryon Farm Guesthouse. so Saturday evening i'm planning to sty in and watch DVDs after a full day of antiquing and dining from Saugatuck back to the farm ... and i decide to try this place. it looks like an old drive-in from the outside, but inside it is quite comfortable and that brick oven really makes a statement. of course, when i called to order "carry out" she said it'll be ready in 5 minutes. not what one is used to hearing from a pizza place! but this place isn't the ordinary pizza shop. i drove over and when i arrived arrived the check out clerk told me that it would be ready in a flash - since they place these prepared paper-thin pies in the oven for 90 seconds and voila - Naples pizza. i chose the prosciutto with pistachios - to die for. they are 12" but so thin and so good that i ate the entire pizza with my glass of red. btw, the guy handling the oven wore a tee that read Air 70 degrees Water 80 degrees Oven 900 degrees ... this is a must visit when you're anywhere near the beach or Michigan City!
(5)
Leo Z.
Being from the NYC area, I am really picky when it comes to pizza in the Chicago area. I do not like the abomination of a pizza that is called deep dish and very few places give New York or Neapolitan style pizza any justice around here. Stop 50, however, is the exception. It's pizza is amazing, the slices nice and thin, the crust crispy and the cheese melts right in your mouth. The pizza and many other things on the menu are made in a brick oven, just like pizza should be. Ingredients used for everything are seasonal, local and fresh. Aside from the amazing pizza, the appetizers are wonderful as well. The bread-sticks are thin and come with a really nice and spicy tomato dipping sauce. The sausage stuffed Italian peppers are done just right and when I was there, the seasonal vegetable, asparagus was honestly the best I have ever had. If you still have room for dessert after all this, I highly recommend the smores, which look and taste great. Stop 50 is totally off the beaten track, but is a local gem that is worth a trip from Chicago or farther any day.
(5)
Carrie H.
I love good pizza but come on-- Over priced and over hyped- buyer beware. $14-$16 for at best an oblong smaller than 12 inch pizza that is so thin you will still be hungry after you eat it. And last week during 90 degree day- no AC on in restaurant- it was cooler outside in the sweltering heat than inside with wood burning pizza ovens going full tilt and yet management was trying to seat people inside the inferno- crazy.
(1)
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Address :500 S El Portal
Michiana Shores, IN, 46360
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
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Jennifer G.
This is my only 5 star review currently!!!! I love Stop 50. It is about an hour & some change from chicago but worth the trip. There is no concept here - it is just a wood burning oven and simple great ingredients. The firecracker goat cheese is to die for. The margherita pizza is unbelievable. I have been to numerous other wood fired pizza places but this one is the best. They do have a website and be aware that this is in a seasonal area in Michiana Shores so their hours vary.
(5)Louis K.
This place is incredible. I was looking for a place near the Michigan City outlet mall, and this place showed up on Yelp. It did not disappoint. First, I want to mention the cleanliness. Straws are removed before giving drink refills, and childrens' toys (and high chairs) are wiped down with Clorox. Both are rare in this industry, and I love it (not the rare part, the cleaning part). Now, to the food. The Caprese salad (special) was excellent, a portion large enough to share. Not filling, it was a great appetizer (unlike most appetizers that just fill you up). The breadsticks are also fantastic. They use the same dough for the breadsticks and pizza, so you can get a pretty good idea if you'll like the pizza. The breadsticks come topped with shredded cheese (mozzarella?) - easy to shake off and still gives some flavor. The pizza was also awesome. Very thin crust, made right in front of you, it was very tasty. Not too much cheese, the pizzas are nice and light (so you won't feel sick afterwards). There are plenty of toppings (depending on the pizza you order), and they look beautiful. All of those items are only to prepare you for the desserts. Everything (that I know of) is homemade, and it is out of this world. The chocolate cake is excellent, a classic. Not especially unique, but quite tasty. The Beach Banana was very sweet (in a good way). Baked in honey and cinnamon, the banana is just, well, just try it. And the S'More is my favorite. Very rich, but very tasty, this s'more is enough to share. Personally, I recommend ordering 2 desserts and sharing them. You won't be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE
(5)Kent V.
My Wife and I had a wonderful evening dinner there. The place is located a bit out of the way (well, at least for us) but nothing a good GPS can't overcome. We ordered the stuffed peppers with sausage for an appetizer. It was delicious, but a bit too spicy for me. My wife found it to be fine. We ordered the Mushroom pizza (if I'm remembering the menu name correctly) and it was wonderful. The flavors all work together in a terrific way. The crust was just out of this world. Be advised though - this is what I consider a gourmet, thin crust wood-fired pizza cafe. So don't come expecting traditional pizza or large selection. The pizza is *very* thin and the toppings are there for flavor, not quantity. Also it is a smaller location without a waiting area to speak of, so either make a reservation or time your arrival appropriately.
(4)Malissa A.
Worth the drive for good pizza...would recommend reservations on the weekend! We enjoyed the goat cheese dip we started with and giver the prosciutto pizza two thumbs up...not something you are going to find everyday.
(4)Sika G.
Do yourself one favor and make whatever detour possible to eat dinner here! The pizzas and the rest of the menu is delicious, I haven't had a bad dish yet! The food is fresh, the service is friendly, and the prices are a bit high but not unreasonable.
(5)Agnes F.
seriously good pizza bf and i stopped by after a weekend wedding in MI we had the special asparagus and prosciutto pizza as well as the parmigiano, red onion, pistachios and rosemary pizza both were phenomenal and if we weren't as hung over, we would have tried their desserts as well definitely worthy of a road trip for the food!
(5)Sam L.
I adore stop 50. Been going since they opened a few years back. The pizza has always been good but in the past couple of years the restaurant has transformed and earned its place in greatnessland. The thin crust pizza is divine and the server really know their stuff. Try the firecracker appitizer or the stuffed peppers. Actually dont pick one. Get both! Both are excellent.
(5)Ryan D.
Best pizza I've ever had! I don't even LIKE pizza that much and I was completely amazed by Stop 50. The margherita pizza is phenomenal. The appetizer sampler is a must have - yummy breadsticks, stuffed peppers and roasted veggies. Staff is super nice and really service oriented. They obviously care about customers and seem really committed to making awesome pizza!
(5)Jeanne S.
We stopped here on the way thru to northern michigan because of the great reviews. OMG, best pizza ever! We had the prociutto pizza, so flavorful, and a really great crust. A must stop if you are in the area. We sat out on their patio. A very cute and quaint place. Service was great and friendly.
(5)Jeff H.
First and foremost, the food here was amazing! This was our first visit to Stop 50 so we relied on the recommendations of many Yelpers and started our early evening dinner with an order of the Firecracker Goat Cheese. This simply consists of 1" wide cuts of their pizza dough tossed into the wood burning oven along w/ a cup of melted goat cheese and some sort of phenomenally spicy marinara type of sauce. Again, by the black rings around the top of the cheese you could tell this had also just come straight from the pizza oven. Now for the one negative comment that is preventing me from giving Stop 50 a Five-Star raving review. As I mentioned we got there fairly early in the evening...around 5-5:30 I'd say. We did not have reservations (Friday evening) so they asked if we were OK with sitting at a table outside; which we were. The outside dining area consists of 10-15 tables scattered about in a fairly narrow area next to the building and separated by the parking lot by a 6 ft wooden fence. At the time we were sat there were 2-3 empty tables still available. As our waiter took our drink order (tea for my wife and a Three Floyds Gumballhead for me) we also ordered the aforementioned Firecracker as our appetizer. ~30-35 minutes go by, the empty tables are now full, and we still hadn't gotten our appetizer. In fact, the newly filled tables had already gotten their appetizers (Firecracker Cheese, of course) and still nothing for us. We are not ones to complain, but I had to get up, go into the restaurant to find our waiter and politely ask if he had remembered to place our appetizer order. He said he did, but I could tell by the puzzled look he had forgotten, or had taken it (most likely) to another table. Amazingly our appetizer showed up within 3 minutes of my asking. The troubling part was that there was no visit by a manager, or an offer by the waiter to either offer it up for free or comp a drink, nothing. After that ordeal, the rest of dinner went smoothly. We ordered the amazing Prosciutto, Pistachio, and Rosemary pizza. It was everything we had hoped it'd be. No grease whatsoever. I can honestly say it's the first time I've left a pizza place full, but not feeling bad about eating it! We'll definitely be back; hopefully with a better beginning than our first trip.
(4)Michelle W.
The crust was phenomenal. Simultaneously crisp, chewy and thin. The toppings were balanced nicely. Friendly & attentive staff & owner, lovely beer selection and great setting (we sat outdoors). Just wish it was closer to Chicago!
(5)David O.
Great service, atmosphere and food! Try the firecracker appetizer and the prosciutto pizza; you can't go wrong.
(5)Nicole S.
Love this place! Have been here twice in the last few weeks. It is somewhat small until weather allows them to open outside seating, but we got in fairly quickly. We've had my 3 year with us both times and they were great with her. We all got different pizzas and shared. I still like the simple cheese ones the best...wonderful sauce, crust and cheese...who needs more? If you're just there for apps, get the breadsticks...either with the red sauce, or the goat cheese in red sauce. Yum! My hubby loved the beer selection too...local and hard to find ones I guess, which makes him happy.
(5)kevin t.
Excellent thin crust pizza and we're from Chicago. One of my favorite rites of summer is sitting outside Stop 50 eating a delicious margherita pizza with it's chewy crust and drinking their red house wine ($5) while enjoying the aroma of their herb garden.
(5)Maria S.
Excellent pizza!
(5)carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. I went to this place on the day they opened a few years ago. Yes I got lost, and yes it is really in the middle of nowhere. Actually nestled in the subdivision of Michiana Shores. I do not think they were expecting so many people that first day. It was packed. It took a little while to get our food. The stuffed peppers were great. The pizza was a little under cooked. Recently I was in the area and thought I would give this place another chance. I figured since they were still open they must have gotten it together. I am glad I did. The spicy tomato and goat cheese appetizer was a great start. You could taste the firewood grilled goodness. And this time the pizza was much better and fully cooked. I am a big fan of wood burning ovens. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because they need to put just a little more ingredients on the pizza. Other than that if I am in the area I will go back. OH , by no means does this compare to the original Napolitan Pizza which I hope to find soon on the north side of Chicago
(4)Thomas A.
Talk about out of the way - but definitely worth hitting the google maps and firing up your gps to find this gem. This pizzeria has a wonderful array of personal size pizzas - OK they're a bit too much for one person - but order one for each and take home the leftovers. We had a small group and sampled the mushroom (awesome, but a bit salty); prosciutto with pistachios (sounds weird, but loved it); margherita (basil from their onsite herb boxes..mmmmm); and sausage (tasty). All of the staff were enthusiastic and charming. Wine was inexpensive - plus they even had a couple half off bottles - outrageous! While you're there walk over to the oven and chat up the pizza chef - he's probably the owner. They have a nice outside area for the warm weather that wraps around the building. Enjoy!
(4)Renee K.
Amazing! We started out with the homemade meatballs and breadsticks. Both were extremely tasty and light. We then had had margarita and pizzaroni pizzas. Again...extremely tasty and light. We also had a mixed green salad which was very fresh with the right amount of cheese and dressing on it. Everything was so good that we took home an order of meatballs, breadsticks, and 2 margarita pizzas. Not sure if they will make it back the 1.5 hour ride to the O'Hare area! Highly recommend this place!
(5)Jenn H.
We visited this place on a Saturday evening for dinner. It was a great night for sitting outside on the deck. Beautiful setting with their fresh herbs growing alongside the deck. Friendly hostess who went through the menu with us as it was our first time. As a group of four, we shared the firecracker breadsticks and the garden salad which were both fresh tasting and excellent. Then we got two pizzas. These are excellent pizzas and reasonably priced.
(5)Glenn W.
First let me state that I understand napoletana pizza is not the same as most in the US are used to and this review is not just that the pizza is different. Thoughts: 1) I called Saturday night and asked about the gluten free option to ensure there were no stray ingredients that I couldn't have. All good. 2) Didn't make it Saturday but did Sunday. 3) I ordered a GF pizza only to be told they were out of GF. Not optimal. 4) Waitress suggested that they could do it "skillet style" which she described as putting all the ingredients into a skillet and then turning it over onto a plate. I was dubious but it was that or go somewhere else... 5) Pizza prices were $13-16 for a single size offering of 12-14" 6) I drink iced tea. I finished the first glass and didn't see the waitress for about 10 minutes. Again not optimal. 7) My bowl of pizza arrives. There is some sausage, a very small amount of mozzarella in the bowl, a small amount of sauce, and some pink watery substance sloshing around the bottom of the bowl. 8) Everything in the bowl was at best luke warm. That's it. Not cold but just luke warm. With the watery substance swishing around the bottom and it being that temperature it was totally unappealing. Unappetizing. Near disgusting is another way to describe it. 9) Along comes the other two pizzas. 10) One is a cheese pizza. How do you mess that up? You use very little, unseasoned tomato sauce with very little mozzarella. Then you have all sorts of old pizza and burned crust parts stuck to bottom of the pizza. 11) When the waitress finally comes back by, not to ask how everything is but to finally check on our drinks, I tell her the bowl is cold and frankly not appetizing. I had to actually request that she take it away as she had no intention of doing so. 12) No "I'm sorry that it isn't what you wanted." "I'm sorry we didn't have the GF." "Can I get you something else?" Nothing. Not a word. I'll leave it an even dozen. I don't write negative reviews lightly but I was thoroughly disappointed. I will never be back. This was my experience. Maybe you have different ones and that's OK. I just found it to be far from what I expect of a restaurant.
(1)Jenna O.
I love wood fired pizza and Stop 50 doesn't disappoint. They have interesting combinations as well as classics. The beer selection is local and pleasing. And we enjoyed their basic salad as well, while waiting for our pizza. The pizzas can be shared by two hungry people, but probably not three, unless you also order sides like their sausage stuffed peppers or meatballs. I would personally just order as many varieties of pizza as the table accommodates though as I love their crust so. Definitely call ahead for a reservation though.
(5)Roger K.
Went with the grandkids. It is always fun watching the pizza in the oven. Have eaten here about a dozen times. Wonderful European style pizza. Really nice staff and owner.
(5)Mary B.
Delish, I had the Margherita pizza. We had a reservation, which is highly recommended on the weekends.
(5)Brian B.
Holy hell... this place is awesome.. I can't believe I've gone as long as I did to eat here... the menu is kinda small but what they have is great!
(5)Mick B.
This was my first visit to Stop 50, Terri has been here a few times. There is a cute patio seating area outside but since it was hot and sticky, we asked for a table inside. It was interesting being close enough to the kitchen to watch the cooks placing the pizzas into the brick oven. Let me give you a tip that things such as the salad and bread sticks (pizza crust) w/ dipping sauce appetizers that we were served were HUGE. The green salad we ordered to share could easily have served 4 people; I wish there was a half order option as I feel badly sending uneaten food back for no reason. We ordered both of these and they were delish if quite filling. It's not on the online menu but they have recently added Greenbush Brewing Company (Sawyer, MI) micro brewed beer in addition to Bell's (Kalamazoo, MI) and Backroad (LaPorte, IN). I tried the "Retribution" which is a Belgian style Ale brewed with dates, raisins and brown sugar. People at the table near ours seemed upset that they did not have "macro brew" beer such as Budweiser and Miller Lite. Suck it up sunshine (I say) and take the opportunity to try something new. I felt that the star attraction at Stop 50 is the crust that they describe as Naples Style. It seemed to have the right amount of rustic caramelization and flavor for my taste. The pizza we ordered had goat cheese and toppings which tasted fresh and inviting. We asked for a take home container and got one quickly with no problem. We had good service considering the rush of what I can only assume were The Locals trying to get their dinner orders placed before closing time on Sunday night. The crowd of diners rushing in to be seated all of the sudden turned what had started as a tranqul dinner for two into a shouting match to have a conversation over the din. At that point I was wishing and hoping for better acoustics to help with sound management. I made a mental note to try and get here earlier in the evening on our next visit. Overall I feel that Stop 50 is a great place for gourmet pizza at an affordable price and some relaxation. It is certainly worth the short drive off of the highway to enjoy.
(4)Yuri L.
Wow. Definitely not disappointed. Everything was super fresh! Good beer selection. The s'more dessert was fantastic! The only reason they got a star knocked off is because our server took over 15 minutes to come to our table. The hostess was the one that took care of our drinks.
(4)Lisa H.
Located just a few miles from New Buffalo Michigan in a small neighborhood town called Michiana Shores,IN. This place used to be a tiny grocery store that they turned into an amazing little restaurant. Pizza is wood fired & pretty good...all fresh ingredients. Service wasn't bad but not outstanding. They also have a small but descent selection of wine & beer. It was very loud sitting inside when it was busy so don't expect a quiet dinner.
(4)William B.
It turns out you can get pretty far with a really hot oven. I wouldn't have expected much from a little pizza restaurant off the beaten path in Michiana Shores. The service is a little overzealous and some of the topping choices are strange (pistachios? on multiple pizzas?). But they turn out a really nice, simple pizza with the aid of a 900-degree wood-burning oven. (They also use that oven to roast bananas for dessert.) That's really all you need.
(5)brent r s.
Late September the wood fired oven sounded great. We found this spot on our way back from a weekend in michigan. Goat cheese firecracker was a fun dipping sauce with olive oil garlic sticks. Tasty! Fresh green beans for an appetizer was also fresh and delicious. *** pizza was delicious too but could not have been any slower. It took over an HOUR for three small pizzas. Perhaps the kitchen was overburdened or understaffed. Although the toppings were fresh and the crust was just right ... The tardiness overshadowed the meal. Would we return? Maybe.
(3)Sean T.
Amazing all the way around, the prices won't kill you and the food is pleasurable. A definite must come back and visit for the lady and I! As far as the meat lovers, there aren't a whole lot of options however everything is fresh and handmade + you cannot go wrong with wood fired Save room for dessert!
(5)Denise L.
Seriously the best pizza. REAL pizza!! FRESH ingredients. Best salad Simple perfect flavors. Outstanding crust. Crispy charred but still Chewy we are all very lucky to have this gem here. Small well thought out wine and beer list. Amazing gelato. Pistachio ROCKS. Great service. Enjoy!
(5)Eileen T.
Pizzas (pizzaroni and sausage) were delicious and so was the dessert (biga donut and s'mores)! Bathrooms were SUPER clean! ...Bonus in my book!
(5)Maria P.
This is a hidden gem. You really have to look for it but well worth it! Great outdoor seating, has the feeling of an Italian trattoria. Pizza and meatballs were excellent and fairly priced!
(4)Rosanna L.
Not your ordinary bread sticks. You know those long, thick, garlic bread sticks we so often get from pizza joints well you won't find them here. Instead you get these long doughy bread sticks that well essentially is a pizza dough baked and seasoned than sliced into "sticks." These sticks were delicious in my book with a nice crunch to them, quite addicting. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ) However, the sauce tasted like pure tomatoes and I like tomatoes but would of preferred more seasoning. The boyfriend and I couldn't decided what to get the magherita or pizzaroni but luckily our waitress told us we can do half and half, perfect ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ). The magherita was delicious and I love the thickness of the crust. However, some of it was burnt and once you've had a taste of burnt in your mouth it doesn't go away easily. The boyfriend enjoyed his pizzaroni and we both rate this a 3.5 stars. I round it up to 4 because our server was extremely friendly and tentative.
(4)Chris N.
Great atmosphere in a place tucked into, well, its kinda hard to describe where it is tucked into... Other than the cars lining the building, it would be easy to miss this place. Great variety, outstanding ingredients, unique taste. Have your kids confidently order "a Shaun" and make the owners happy (chesse pizza named after their son). If I had one pizza left to eat in my life, Stop 50 would edge out Traveling Stonebaker. If you are into thick crust, deep dish, tons of toppings kind of pizza, then this is not your place. If you refuse to spend more than $12 for a pizza, head to a chain place. This place rocks!! Well Done Chris!
(5)Scott B.
We love Stop 50. I almost always try the seasonal pizza and get the fire cracker breadsticks. Chris and his wife are perfect hosts.
(5)Kelly F.
I am in Michigan City for a family reunion, and I wanted to find a great restaurant for a group of us on Sunday night, so naturally I check Yelp. Thanks to the recommendations of other Yelpers we tried Stop 50 and were not disappointed! Great atmosphere, amazingly friendly and helpful staff, and a killer menu! My husband and I split the quinoa salad and the seasonal pizza, which had prosciutto, asparagus, walnuts, rosemary, mozzarella, and parmesan- yum! Everything was spectacular, and the pizza was arguably the best I have ever had. We are already planning on returning before the week is over!
(5)bj j.
Great pizza great service (thanks Luke) and charming ambience. Really? This is Indiana?
(5)Kris R.
this place was ADORABLE. hidden on a residential street, this cute-looking house-restaurant has outdoor seating, a mini parking lot, and the NICEST and most accommodating staff. the restaurant's surrounded by windows, so you get that air-y feel. we came here for lunch on a sunday, had a beer each and split the mushroom pizza with the goat cheese marinara sauce on the side. it was delicious!!! all kinds-a shrooms on that thing, very tasty. all in all, the bill came to cheap dollars and 99 cents. so rad. you all in Michiana have a great little gem in your midst. use it.
(4)Cheffrey D.
Stop 50 still kicks butt and is seemingly getting better and better as each year goes by. Still the cleanest restaurant in the region, still the friendliest staff and owners, still the same great, naturally leavened pizza. Keep up the great work, we love Stop 50!
(5)Janis L.
Stop 50! Do not miss this place. Best pizza we have had in a long time. Stayed in vicinity and came across this place. Fresh ingredients, good service and reasonable prices. We are from Indy but would consider driving up there for good pizza. Something called the "Bigga -donut" was scrumptious.
(5)Tom Z.
The wood-fired pizza is as good as most - how hard could it be? But, the service is abominable!! Went there last fall about an hour before closing time. The place was 1/2 full. Ordered an appetizer and a pizza. The appetizer was served quickly but we waited and waited for the pizza. Remember, these are 12" pizzas with minimal ingredients that cook in about 6 or 7 minutes. The waitress kept coming out saying the pizza should be there soon. After about 45 minutes, I walked up to the pizza oven area and saw the owner making pizzas. I asked him what was going on and he said "we were slammed tonight". "Slammed? The place was 1/2 empty. I asked the waitress for a check and walked out. This place gets rave reviews I guess 'cause it's cool to have wood-fired pizza in the middle of nowhere. They know nothing about service or running a restaurant.
(1)tracy n.
Adorable place! It's was kind of hidden in what seemed to be a neighborhood but the food was delicious and the place was small and cute and the staff was very friendly. We got the bread sticks and prosciutto pizza and absolutely love them both!
(5)Nichole C.
A fancy wood-fired pizza joint minutes from the lake house? COUNT ME IN. This restaurant is a gem that I plan on returning to in the near future. The atmosphere is cool (even though it looks like a house in the middle of a neighborhood), the food is good (I'm coming back for you, fancy pizzas!), and they have decent drinks to boot (I even got to try a local brew from the Back Road Brewery. It was "meh" but it was there nonetheless)! We got the breadsticks, a pepperoni pizza, and a sausage pizza. Rosanna was spot-on in her assessment with the sticks. Basically, they are delicious pizza crust sticks with tomato sauce. I'd like them to step the marinara up a bit here, because it just tastes like tomato sauce (sans anything else), but the actual sticks were good. The pizza was pretty good too...I wish I would've gone with the fancier special with proscuitto, but I opted to go for the basics to see how they stack up against competitors. The pepperoni was on top so it was nice and crispy, and the sausage was razor thin slices, which was different, but good. Both pizzas had delicious wood fired crispy and chewiness but had a lot of crust. Next time, I might just ask for something to dip all that crust in rather than getting the sticks as an appetizer. The sauce is a little sweet, but I imagine if I load up the spices next time, it will counteract that. We shall see. Service was awesome, prices were decent, and it's close to home (well, not OUR home, but SOMEONE'S home at least). We will be back.
(4)Laurence K.
small cute place off the beaten path in indiana, probably one of the best pizza's ive ever had in the midwest. the crust was paper tin and with the 900 degree oven it comes out crispy and delicious, also try the breadsticks
(5)Michael T.
Great people, friendly service, killer food. Well worth going out of my way while traveling to Chicago (from Cleveland) I'd give Post 50 more than 5 stars but I can't seem to do that on Yelp. Stop in if you're nearby, make it a regular spot if you live close. I know I'll be back, that's for sure!
(5)Robert A.
Wow great fire oven pizza. Where else can u go and the boss (owner) runs the fire oven. He will personally cook your pizza
(5)Peter H.
Some of the best and most authentically Neapolitan pizza I've ever had. My fiance' enthusiastically stated that it was the closest approximation of what she'd had in Italy that she'd ever eaten in this country. Location-wise, it's a little out of the way, along route 12 to the east of Michigan City. But it's not rural - you're along a quiet little back-road in the affluent community of Michiana Shores. It's peaceful. The feel of the restaurant inside is minimal and understated, but clean, spacious and with appropriate focus on the wood fired oven that's key to the entire experience. Everything on the menu revolves around that oven. The appetizers, which range from asparagus, to sausage-stuffed peppers, to their fire roasted seasonal vegetables, are all deliciously charred by the oven baking. The razor-thin pizzas are flashed baked in that 900 degree inferno for just a minute and a half, for that wonderfully crisp texture. And the desserts, from caramelized bananas to smores baked in ramekins, all arrive in hot and bubbly fashion. They apparently experimented religously until they could get the perfect wall, air and base temperatures, for crispness of crust and perfect doneness of any topping ingredients. And it works beautifully. Our margherita had the perfect combination of garlicky tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, peppery/citrusy fresh basil, and crackly/chewy bread. The key seems to be love for every pizza they produce. My first time there, I was perhaps ten minutes late for my carry-out order; the chef (owner?) made sure to prop open the box so that the pie wouldn't get soggy. That's 5 star stuff. Highly recommended.
(5)Sara L.
Stumbled upon this hidden gem while coming back from a trip..thanks to Michael S for bringing us!! Granted I may live in Chicago, but I am a huge fan of thin crust pizza! The menu isn't very extensive as with some other places, but it doesn't need to be here. We ordered the mushroom pizza, prosciutto pizza, margherita pizza and their heirloom tomato pizza. In addition, we also ordered the firecracker goat cheese appetizer and I ordered the pistachio gelato. First lets start with the appetizer, firecracker goat cheese, it was spicy and had the perfect ratio of goat cheese and sauce. Personally, I am a huge fan of the mushroom pizza and prosciutto pizza! The mushroom was full of flavor, the right amount of cheese and olive oil that really brought out the mushrooms. The prosciutto pizza had the perfect amount of meat and other ingredients! Overall, great place to drop by! Too bad it isn't closer to Chicago..womp womp
(4)Alisa M.
Came here on our way back from warren dunes for dinner. We left the dunes really late and luckily this place is on central time! Service was ok, a little slow, but not bad. All of the food comes out really fast and the staff is very friendly. We ordered: 1. Firecracker- I am not a fan of goat cheese, but this sauce wasn't overpowering. I thought it was really good. We even used the sauce to dip our crusts from the pizza. 2. Margherita - tomato, mozzarella and basil. Nothing special. It was good, but the other pizzas were better. 3. Wild Mushroom - olive oil, garlic, mushroom, oregano and mozzarella. If you like mushrooms, order this one. Soooo good! 4. Prosciutto - prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary. This one was also a winner. The prosciutto adds the perfect amount of saltiness to the pizza. A sure winner. 5. Their daily special.. I can't remember, but it was really good. It had Gorgonzola and some other goodies! I think this one was another winner. 6. Gelato: Pistachio and coffee- these are homemade and excellent. 7. S'mores- a little too rich and sweet for me even though I'm a total chocolate and sweets person. It comes in a bowl with crushed graham crackers on the bottom, layered with marshmallows, and drizzled with chocolate. Tips: 1 pizza can be shared between 2 people. They are pretty large. We had 5 people in our group and had trouble finishing all the pizzas.
(4)Louise P.
At my mother's recommendation, I visited Stop 50 yesterday while in the area. My husband and I were really pleased with the experience--a cozy ambience and good, fresh food. We made reservations ahead of time (wise on the weekend), but at 8 p.m. we had missed most of the Friday dinner rush. We ate the market salad (excellent, fresh, and certainly big enough for 2), and the sausage and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas are thin and approximately 12-15 inches, so they could easily be split, but we ordered two and left satiated with a few extra slices to bring home. The mushroom pizza was delicious--I was expecting standard white mushrooms, but was pleasantly surprised by the creminis, and possible enoki mushrooms. Lots of variety. Love Neapolitan pizza, so I will certainly be back.
(4)Karl H.
Great wood fire pizza place in between Michigan City and New Buffalo. Food rocks and the people there are extra friendly. It's a little off the beaten path but definitely worth seeking this place out. Our favorites are the breadsticks, and the pear and gorgonzola pizza (I think this pizza is seasonal though).
(4)Renee D.
While I really like the look and feel of the restaurant, it is really small. We showed up soon after they opened, I believe on a Thursday, by the time we left it was a full house. Pizza was good, not great, and super thin. I've had wood fired pizza many times, but this was a really thin pizza. When we left Stop 50, my husband and I were still hungry. The kids weren't too excited about the authentic pizza they promote. They definitely prefer a Chicago style pizza.
(3)Michael L.
I love this place. We found this hidden gem last year and made a point to visit again when we visited Michigan City this past weekend. We were lucky to stop in before they got busy at dinner. My family was able to talk to the owner, Chris, and watch him make the pizzas. You can tell he has a passion for great food and the taste of the food shows it. We started off with the breadsticks and house red sauce. The crisp breadsticks (from the 900 degree oven) were a hit with my seven year old. My wife hates red sauce, but for some reason cannot get enough of the house red sauce here. We had the seasonal roasted veggies...amazingly roasted in the oven as well. I love roasted carrots. For Pizzas, we had the margherita and the seasonal sausage/potato. The margherita, while the simplest of pizzas, was great. The seasonal pizza was great as well. Id love to have some of the sausage to take home!!!! Last, but not least, was the homemade gelato. There are several flavors, but I could eat the pistachio all day. Last year, I had two servings!!!!!
(5)Darci S.
Stop 50 is just adorable and delicious. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday with three kids in tow and they were so welcoming and friendly. It was dead in there but I could definitely see it being packed at dinner and on the weekends. Way cooler and fancier than you'd expect in a lake house area (its nestled in a residential neighborhood).Cozy interior and the pizza oven is right there for you to watch as they whip up the pizzas. We had the app sampler, definitely a must get, the breadsticks are different but really good, stuffed peppers were amazing and the grilled asparagus, while nothing out of the ordinary, was solid as well. Pizza was great, upscale pizza with thin crispy center and chewy crust. I would definitely go back. My only negative would be that the food was slow to come out despite the fact that we were the only table by the time we ordered.
(5)Michael S.
After a trip going apple picking GF and I stopped by here thanks to a tip from Derrick T. I'm not a huge fan of crispy thin crust pizza, but this place was very good. We got the prosciutto pizza and the mushroom pizza. Both were very good, but I think I liked the prosciutto the best. Didn't get anything else, but we did see the salads were huge. It's not worth it for me to drive from Chicago just for this place, but it's a definite place I'd go back to if around the area.
(4)Jimbo B.
Great, cozy little place if you are staying in the resort towns along the Michiana coast. Go for the pizza and the delicious salads and other appetizers made in the wood fired oven. Small, but quality beer and wine selection. Casual and friendly, family run place. Not too expensive. Oh and the pistachio gelato was amazing. I think they make it themselves!
(5)Darkling S.
Another birthday weekend with me and my feline companion Grigori - spent at Tryon Farm Guesthouse. so Saturday evening i'm planning to sty in and watch DVDs after a full day of antiquing and dining from Saugatuck back to the farm ... and i decide to try this place. it looks like an old drive-in from the outside, but inside it is quite comfortable and that brick oven really makes a statement. of course, when i called to order "carry out" she said it'll be ready in 5 minutes. not what one is used to hearing from a pizza place! but this place isn't the ordinary pizza shop. i drove over and when i arrived arrived the check out clerk told me that it would be ready in a flash - since they place these prepared paper-thin pies in the oven for 90 seconds and voila - Naples pizza. i chose the prosciutto with pistachios - to die for. they are 12" but so thin and so good that i ate the entire pizza with my glass of red. btw, the guy handling the oven wore a tee that read Air 70 degrees Water 80 degrees Oven 900 degrees ... this is a must visit when you're anywhere near the beach or Michigan City!
(5)Leo Z.
Being from the NYC area, I am really picky when it comes to pizza in the Chicago area. I do not like the abomination of a pizza that is called deep dish and very few places give New York or Neapolitan style pizza any justice around here. Stop 50, however, is the exception. It's pizza is amazing, the slices nice and thin, the crust crispy and the cheese melts right in your mouth. The pizza and many other things on the menu are made in a brick oven, just like pizza should be. Ingredients used for everything are seasonal, local and fresh. Aside from the amazing pizza, the appetizers are wonderful as well. The bread-sticks are thin and come with a really nice and spicy tomato dipping sauce. The sausage stuffed Italian peppers are done just right and when I was there, the seasonal vegetable, asparagus was honestly the best I have ever had. If you still have room for dessert after all this, I highly recommend the smores, which look and taste great. Stop 50 is totally off the beaten track, but is a local gem that is worth a trip from Chicago or farther any day.
(5)Carrie H.
I love good pizza but come on-- Over priced and over hyped- buyer beware. $14-$16 for at best an oblong smaller than 12 inch pizza that is so thin you will still be hungry after you eat it. And last week during 90 degree day- no AC on in restaurant- it was cooler outside in the sweltering heat than inside with wood burning pizza ovens going full tilt and yet management was trying to seat people inside the inferno- crazy.
(1)JANET D.
This is a wonderful place for wood fired, artisan pizza. All the ingredients are fresh, the food is prepared with love and care- if this restaurant was in Chicago, the wait would be 2 hours, a la Great Lakes. Only open March-November, and hours mirror the resort lifestyle- but it is memorable and wonderful. My standard order: featured salad (caprese), prosciutto and pistachio pizza, s'more desert or home made gelato or sorbet. Heaven. Tell Chris and Christy I sent you, and you owe me.
(5)Joey S.
Absolutely awesome food! It's kind of in a secluded location and has weird hours, but that's what makes it awesome... and of course the pizza is great too. Of the two times I've been there the staff has been genuinely nice and very helpful and made for a awesome experience. One waitress I had throughly explained all the ingredients and everything that goes along with the pizza/food, truly amazing. What's also great is that the only use local or natural ingredients and have a nice selection of local beers (Bell's and Backroad, no crappy Miller Lite or Bud Lite) and imported Italian beers . I could go on and on about this place! Just go check it out for yourself it's definitely worth the drive.
(5)Kevin C.
Wonderful atmosphere, great food, and family feel. If you're in the area this is a must. Save room for the Smores.
(5)Gertrude s.
Sorry, this pizza is not worth the drive. First it is seriously over priced. $12.00 and up for a personal size pizza? And then $8.00 for the salad? And in Michiana Shores? Do they think they are on Michigan Avenue? This is seriously a bad value. I had the mushroom pizza and could taste the fresh herbs and the cheese, but it was unmemorable, except for the price. They are definitely catering to the wealthy Harbor Country summer vacationers.
(2)Meg O.
If Spacca Napoli and the Heartland Cafe had a love child, the result would be Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria. Excellent pizza with very Italian traditional toppings and a delectably charred crust. What I love most about this place though is its dedication to local and seasonal. In the spring, definitely order the roasted asparagus; it's divinity on a plate. If I didn't have yellow squash coming out of my ears, I would have ordered the seasonal roasted veggie platter. I'm hoping to get out here later in the fall so I can feast on the eggplant and zucchini. One of my favorite pizzas is the wild mushroom, which has this perfect brown butter sage finish. The sausage is also great too. The smores dessert--8 marshmallows, lots of chocolate, and and graham cracker crust for only $4--is a sweet finish must. Wash it all down with local Michigan beers, like Bells. The waitstaff is super friendly and even downright bubbly at times. They love it if you're from Chicago and have read about them on LTH (or Yelp:). They nearly burst with happiness when you tell them that you just had to stop here on your way to a wedding in Kalamazoo, or on your way back home from blueberry picking. It's hard to find off of Route 12, so keep your eyes peeled for the left over the railroad tracks. It's also not open in January, and other non-tourist friendly times of year.
(5)jeremy s.
I'm a big fan of this little gem of a pizzeria. Located off the beaten path, Stop 50 can be a little tricky to find the first time. Still, it's well worth the hunt. They dish up fantastic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Last time I was in I had a Rosemary/Prosciutto/Garlic/Motz/Olive oil pizza. Also tried the sampler of appetizers that came with breadsticks, grilled cucumber and stuffed peppers. All so very good. They have a great beer and wine selection featuring local brewers and regional wines. It you're looking for cheap pizza take out this is not the place for you. A couple drinks, appetizer and pizza came out to about $40.
(4)Steve J.
Very good pizza, although I did not find the "wild mushroom" pizza as good as other yelp reviews suggest. Service was fantastic. Our 4 year old had a good time here (very child friendly). However, get a reservation!
(4)David T.
This place is a regional treasure for those who know what Naples-style pizza is all about. Nothing in Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan can touch this place. Sure the pies cost a bit more and weigh a bit less than utility pizza from typical outliets. This place is not typical. We went with a group of 10. Every pizza of the 6 we tried was flawless. Special favorites included the margarita, the sausage, and the prosciutto with pistachios. Firecracker appetizers gets lots of praise here, but I was not a huge fan--it was merely good, while everything else was marvelous, including fire-roasted seasonal asparagus. Excellent gelato and espresso followed.
(5)Ruth P.
My family which consisted of 3 children between the ages of 3-13 and my husband and I decided to stop here for lunch on our much needed vacation. Because I saw the reviews on Yelp, I was extremely certain that this would be a great place to stop. We love wood fired pizza so we were extremely excited. Because we had the 3 kids with us we decided to make sure were arrived as soon as they opened to beat the rush. One reviewer mentioned that a reservation would be recommended. Beat the rush we did, we were the first ones in the resturant. Being that we had absolutly no one in front of us, I would assume that our order woudn't have taken long to create. Close to an hour later, our food arrived. You can imagine how restless the kids were getting. I will absolutly agree with the person who posted before me that the food was extremely overpriced for what you got. I have been to Pizzaria Bianco and this pizza didn't even come close. Not even in the same spectrum of pizza. To be quite honest, I would have been just as happy going to pizza hut. None of us were impressed. We ended up spending $60 for lunch for the 5 of us. Not worth the stop in my opinion. I wont be returning. But in order not to leave a completely bad review, the place was very clean, nicely appointed. The staff was nice but seemed overwhelmed with 5 tables to serve. Ok well that isn't completely positive but the previous review set my expectations quite high and I left disappointed.
(2)Kenneth C.
After finishing up some blueberry picking, I had developed quite an appetite. I opened up Yelp with the pedestrian goal of finding lunch for the family. Only a few options popped up including Stop 50. 4 stars- promising. Pizza. That should work. We quickly drove to Michiana Shores and nearly missed the place. Upon parking we noted some fresh herbs growing outside (very promising) and then an LTHForum review/award nomination. Quite promising. We were quickly greeted and brought inside. My oldest daughter who is not noted for "change" and for whom the platonic ideal of pizza is Bertucci's looked around the place with a smile. Our ordering strategy was our standard for somewhat expensive pizza places: 3 kids share a half pepperoni/half plain while my wife and I go for a special. While waiting we noted the wood fired oven (pleasing warmth) and staff and owner clearly dedicated to their craft. The pizza, while small and pricey, was excellent...We had the snap pea/prosciutto special. The addition of fresh (emphasize fresh) snap peas to basil combined with high quality prosciutto was a brilliant combination. The crust was delicious with a perfect balance between a chewy inside and crisp outside. While I wouldn't have minded having a larger pie, the pizza itself was tasty. My own dreams of New Haven pizza soon melted away... A few other points. They carry local beers and we were introduced to Sunspot from Greenbush brewery. It was a nice pairing to our meal. The wild rasberry sorbet was quite good and the smores dessert had perfectly toasted marshmellows. The restaurant itself nicely combines an older wood beamed roof with a crisp/clean modern decor. Summary: great pizza, great restaurant, great staff and owner who clearly are invested in their work. While the price is high and size small, it's otherwise hard to find a fault.
(5)Eric B.
Fantastic. Just like the pizza I had in northern Italy, maybe even better
(5)Tobin B.
If you are looking for traditional pizza then this is not your place. However, if you are looking for a treat this pizza offers something special. The portions are small but I can tell you the taste is well worth it!
(4)Gail H.
Short,but sweet. Very,very good. You'll love it. Be prepared to wait. It is a labor of love for the owner.
(4)Bob D.
This is an excellent Pizza! Don't bother with Mapquest they will send you on a wild goose chase down a gravel road just West of the tracks. Follow the Michianna signs and presto great Pizza. This year I have been coast to coast trying each regions best Pizza's. While 50 Stop does not establish themselves as a Pizza Mecca, they are serious about the product. I am a traditionalist at heart, I want my pie to be burnt on the edges (not bitter burnt) bubbles in the crust from a long fermentation. I would like the toppings to compliment the dough not dominate it. I desire a piece shaped like a triangle that droops, but doesn't drop. And I expect the ingredients to be of good to great quality. 50 Stop achieved all these things. The Pizza Marguerita was well balanced, a nice chewy crust, fresh mozzarella, and big Genovese Basil leaves. It was all quite harmonious. We shared the sampler as an appetizer. The roasted asparagus was amazing perfectly cooked with a little snap left in it. Looked and tasted like local, but didn't ask. Zucchimi and yellow squash were deliscious as well, bread sticks were ok. The marinara to dip into was exactly what I make at home. A simple no fuss preperation of good quality tomatoes from Italy (yes I can tell) garlic and EVOO, not cooked too long. The only negative were the stuffed peppers, these need work boys. The pepper was very bitter due to its rawness, and the smear of sausage was lost. This preperation needs some more thought. (I'd be happy to offer up some suggestions) This was my only negative . The wine and beer list was small, but the Double Hearted Ale (I think that's what it was called) was fantastic. Considering my food experiences in this part of the country this pizza is at the top, really 4 1/2 stars but yelp won't allow it. Thanks Dan G. for the heads up or I would have ended up eating some desperation meal on the edge of a steel mill somewhere.
(4)Jacob R.
I've never written on Yelp before, but I had to after my family's experience at Stop 50. They have decent food that is overpriced. We spent $93 on 3 small thin pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers, & 2 orders of ice cream. We ordered sauce to dip our crusts in and the waitress brought a small, I mean small, dish of cold marinara sauce. We didn't think too much of it until the bill came and we we're charged $3 for the sauce. I know this post probably seems snobby and petty, but we're not snobs. We thought after spending over $90 on a meal (that didn't fill us up) plus drinks that $3 for a small dish of cold marinara sauce left a bad taste in our mouths. My mother in law spoke with the owner about being charged for the sauce and he just kept on saying to her "well, we only use fresh ingredients", as if that justified charging the $3. He eventually offered to refund the $3, but my mother in law declined, telling him it was just the principle behind the whole thing. Bottom line: decent food, overpriced, didn't fill you up, owner who doesn't want to maintain a client base. The customer is always right, don't defend yourself by repeating that you only use fresh ingredients, over a $3 dish of cold marinara sauce.
(2)Chris K.
Average pizza at best. Light toppings, some slices had no cheese, others had no sauce. Appetizers were way over priced as was the pizza. We laughed at some of the food that came to our table. Bad service as well. Biggest disappointment eating out in 5 + years. They can get away with it with the summer crowds. They told me how many times they had been reviewed. I guess they think the hungry hound review will get them by. Do not waste your your time or money on the chance a few of their pizzas might be good that night. The manager was no help in resolving our issues.
(1)Dan G.
What, good pizza in the MC? Did I bring it with me from Chicago? I can't believe it has taken me so long to go to stop 50. This was some seriously good pizza. They cook them in their wood fired brick oven and they come out slightly charred, just the way pizza is meant to be. We brought the units over for lunch today. We had a couple sausage pies, a veggie and a caprese salad. The sausage was very tasty and had fresh oregano. The veggie had red peppers, red onion, zucchini and lots of fresh basil. The salad had both red and green tomatoes and a great balsamic vinegar dressing. These pizzas were very good thin crust. We could have used some crushed red pepper flakes, which were not available. We had lunch last week at the pizza Mecca otherwise known as Lombardi's, so we're kind of picky when it comes to our pizza. Stop 50 is far and away the best in town. The setting is really nice inside and kind of loft style. There is also outdoor seating as well. Service was prompt and helpful and we had a great lunch. We will definitely be back and get some takeout too.
(4)Sherry P.
Don't bother. Room temp, rubbery pizza with REALLY minimal toppings. . Grumpy waiter. So not worth the trip.
(1)Bob B.
Call me silly, but when I drop $50 on salad, bread sticks and pizza I expect to leave full. Instead the salad was a plate of weeds. The bread sticks were a pizza crust that was over cooked and chopped into bits. And the pizza, although tasty was about a 10" pizza not the 12-14" the claimed it would be. My son said it best with the line "they call it stop 50 because it cost $50 to stop there". All I can say is drive ten more minutes into Michigan City and go to Roma's pizza on Franklin, it was well worth it and we actually had left overs and only spent $30.
(1)John J.
Really, really, really good pizza! Cool atmosphere too!
(5)Ermelinda C.
Great Pizza. This place is definitely worth the drive! Spacca Napoli might have some competition ;-)
(4)Todd T.
My wife and I when there for lunch a Saturday. Not to many people where there and it was nice a quite. We had the bread sticks and they where real good. We also had a margherita pizza. It was very good too. I went to look at the oven and I think I talked to a owner was more than happy to talk about it. We'll be going back again.
(4)Erik B.
all of their pizzas are AMAZING! If you want hundreds of toppings to choose from, don't come here; they have amazing flavor combinations, some including nuts, that work amazingly well together when blasted from the heat and flames from their wildfire pizza oven. Our [party of 3] service was exceptional! Be sure to ask for some oil and vinegar to dip the crust in, if the waiter does not bring it with the first pizza. Quite an expansive beer collection, local brews too; there's definitely a beer that caters to each palate.
(4)John H.
Been here twice now, and will be back. Great pizza, and outstanding salads (big enough for 2 or 3) that are fresh as can be. We love to go on a nice summer evening and sit outside. Inside can get VERY noisy. Reservations are definitely recommended. Parking can be tough when they're busy, but I've always manged to find a spot either in their lot...or down the street a bit. Prices are on the high-side for what you get in terms of quantity (size of pizza and they're not very generous with the amount of toppings), but in terms of flavor, I suppose the price is worth it. We've always had great service.
(4)aj b.
I would give Stop 50 more stars, but NOT after today's experience. Their pizza is usually pretty good, love the fresh ingredients, love their selection of beers. We brought our friends to Stop 50 and it was nothing like we told them it would be. We waited for our food close to 45 minutes and when pizzas came, one of them was BURNED! We asked the waitress what happened and she told us that she worked at Stop 50 since the day they opened and the pizza should be just like that ( mind you, we ordered 2 pizza Margherita and one of them was fine and the other was BURNED. It was actually black, tasted like burned dough, very bitter. Waitress told us that that her name was Laura or Laurie ( didn't pay attention) and that the next time we come, we should ask for another server. She was RUDE, had bad attitude. I mean gee... they are some pills you can take for PMS, or whatever condition you have, but hey, when I see a burned pizza, I don't want to eat it. Needless to say, we didn't tip her and that was the first time EVER I didn't leave a tip. We did talk to the owner and seems like he didn't care what we had to say. BAD BUSINESS! Seriously, how hard is to apologize to you customer who comes to your place at least 4-5 times during the summer. I'v seen attitude like this before and business didn't last. I do wish them the best, they do make a really decent pizza when they don't burn it. Bottom line, after $50+ for 2 pizzas and some beer, we left unhappy. Shouldn't be like that. Should it? I don't recommend this place due to bad service and inconsistent food.
(2)Meg O.
If Spacca Napoli and the Heartland Cafe had a love child, the result would be Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria. Excellent pizza with very Italian traditional toppings and a delectably charred crust. What I love most about this place though is its dedication to local and seasonal. In the spring, definitely order the roasted asparagus; it's divinity on a plate. If I didn't have yellow squash coming out of my ears, I would have ordered the seasonal roasted veggie platter. I'm hoping to get out here later in the fall so I can feast on the eggplant and zucchini. One of my favorite pizzas is the wild mushroom, which has this perfect brown butter sage finish. The sausage is also great too. The smores dessert--8 marshmallows, lots of chocolate, and and graham cracker crust for only $4--is a sweet finish must. Wash it all down with local Michigan beers, like Bells. The waitstaff is super friendly and even downright bubbly at times. They love it if you're from Chicago and have read about them on LTH (or Yelp:). They nearly burst with happiness when you tell them that you just had to stop here on your way to a wedding in Kalamazoo, or on your way back home from blueberry picking. It's hard to find off of Route 12, so keep your eyes peeled for the left over the railroad tracks. It's also not open in January, and other non-tourist friendly times of year.
(5)jeremy s.
I'm a big fan of this little gem of a pizzeria. Located off the beaten path, Stop 50 can be a little tricky to find the first time. Still, it's well worth the hunt. They dish up fantastic Neapolitan style wood fired pizza. Last time I was in I had a Rosemary/Prosciutto/Garlic/Motz/Olive oil pizza. Also tried the sampler of appetizers that came with breadsticks, grilled cucumber and stuffed peppers. All so very good. They have a great beer and wine selection featuring local brewers and regional wines. It you're looking for cheap pizza take out this is not the place for you. A couple drinks, appetizer and pizza came out to about $40.
(4)Steve J.
Very good pizza, although I did not find the "wild mushroom" pizza as good as other yelp reviews suggest. Service was fantastic. Our 4 year old had a good time here (very child friendly). However, get a reservation!
(4)David T.
This place is a regional treasure for those who know what Naples-style pizza is all about. Nothing in Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan can touch this place. Sure the pies cost a bit more and weigh a bit less than utility pizza from typical outliets. This place is not typical. We went with a group of 10. Every pizza of the 6 we tried was flawless. Special favorites included the margarita, the sausage, and the prosciutto with pistachios. Firecracker appetizers gets lots of praise here, but I was not a huge fan--it was merely good, while everything else was marvelous, including fire-roasted seasonal asparagus. Excellent gelato and espresso followed.
(5)Ruth P.
My family which consisted of 3 children between the ages of 3-13 and my husband and I decided to stop here for lunch on our much needed vacation. Because I saw the reviews on Yelp, I was extremely certain that this would be a great place to stop. We love wood fired pizza so we were extremely excited. Because we had the 3 kids with us we decided to make sure were arrived as soon as they opened to beat the rush. One reviewer mentioned that a reservation would be recommended. Beat the rush we did, we were the first ones in the resturant. Being that we had absolutly no one in front of us, I would assume that our order woudn't have taken long to create. Close to an hour later, our food arrived. You can imagine how restless the kids were getting. I will absolutly agree with the person who posted before me that the food was extremely overpriced for what you got. I have been to Pizzaria Bianco and this pizza didn't even come close. Not even in the same spectrum of pizza. To be quite honest, I would have been just as happy going to pizza hut. None of us were impressed. We ended up spending $60 for lunch for the 5 of us. Not worth the stop in my opinion. I wont be returning. But in order not to leave a completely bad review, the place was very clean, nicely appointed. The staff was nice but seemed overwhelmed with 5 tables to serve. Ok well that isn't completely positive but the previous review set my expectations quite high and I left disappointed.
(2)Jennifer G.
This is my only 5 star review currently!!!! I love Stop 50. It is about an hour & some change from chicago but worth the trip. There is no concept here - it is just a wood burning oven and simple great ingredients. The firecracker goat cheese is to die for. The margherita pizza is unbelievable. I have been to numerous other wood fired pizza places but this one is the best. They do have a website and be aware that this is in a seasonal area in Michiana Shores so their hours vary.
(5)Louis K.
This place is incredible. I was looking for a place near the Michigan City outlet mall, and this place showed up on Yelp. It did not disappoint. First, I want to mention the cleanliness. Straws are removed before giving drink refills, and childrens' toys (and high chairs) are wiped down with Clorox. Both are rare in this industry, and I love it (not the rare part, the cleaning part). Now, to the food. The Caprese salad (special) was excellent, a portion large enough to share. Not filling, it was a great appetizer (unlike most appetizers that just fill you up). The breadsticks are also fantastic. They use the same dough for the breadsticks and pizza, so you can get a pretty good idea if you'll like the pizza. The breadsticks come topped with shredded cheese (mozzarella?) - easy to shake off and still gives some flavor. The pizza was also awesome. Very thin crust, made right in front of you, it was very tasty. Not too much cheese, the pizzas are nice and light (so you won't feel sick afterwards). There are plenty of toppings (depending on the pizza you order), and they look beautiful. All of those items are only to prepare you for the desserts. Everything (that I know of) is homemade, and it is out of this world. The chocolate cake is excellent, a classic. Not especially unique, but quite tasty. The Beach Banana was very sweet (in a good way). Baked in honey and cinnamon, the banana is just, well, just try it. And the S'More is my favorite. Very rich, but very tasty, this s'more is enough to share. Personally, I recommend ordering 2 desserts and sharing them. You won't be disappointed. THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE
(5)Kent V.
My Wife and I had a wonderful evening dinner there. The place is located a bit out of the way (well, at least for us) but nothing a good GPS can't overcome. We ordered the stuffed peppers with sausage for an appetizer. It was delicious, but a bit too spicy for me. My wife found it to be fine. We ordered the Mushroom pizza (if I'm remembering the menu name correctly) and it was wonderful. The flavors all work together in a terrific way. The crust was just out of this world. Be advised though - this is what I consider a gourmet, thin crust wood-fired pizza cafe. So don't come expecting traditional pizza or large selection. The pizza is *very* thin and the toppings are there for flavor, not quantity. Also it is a smaller location without a waiting area to speak of, so either make a reservation or time your arrival appropriately.
(4)Malissa A.
Worth the drive for good pizza...would recommend reservations on the weekend! We enjoyed the goat cheese dip we started with and giver the prosciutto pizza two thumbs up...not something you are going to find everyday.
(4)Sika G.
Do yourself one favor and make whatever detour possible to eat dinner here! The pizzas and the rest of the menu is delicious, I haven't had a bad dish yet! The food is fresh, the service is friendly, and the prices are a bit high but not unreasonable.
(5)Agnes F.
seriously good pizza bf and i stopped by after a weekend wedding in MI we had the special asparagus and prosciutto pizza as well as the parmigiano, red onion, pistachios and rosemary pizza both were phenomenal and if we weren't as hung over, we would have tried their desserts as well definitely worthy of a road trip for the food!
(5)Sam L.
I adore stop 50. Been going since they opened a few years back. The pizza has always been good but in the past couple of years the restaurant has transformed and earned its place in greatnessland. The thin crust pizza is divine and the server really know their stuff. Try the firecracker appitizer or the stuffed peppers. Actually dont pick one. Get both! Both are excellent.
(5)Ryan D.
Best pizza I've ever had! I don't even LIKE pizza that much and I was completely amazed by Stop 50. The margherita pizza is phenomenal. The appetizer sampler is a must have - yummy breadsticks, stuffed peppers and roasted veggies. Staff is super nice and really service oriented. They obviously care about customers and seem really committed to making awesome pizza!
(5)Jeanne S.
We stopped here on the way thru to northern michigan because of the great reviews. OMG, best pizza ever! We had the prociutto pizza, so flavorful, and a really great crust. A must stop if you are in the area. We sat out on their patio. A very cute and quaint place. Service was great and friendly.
(5)Jeff H.
First and foremost, the food here was amazing! This was our first visit to Stop 50 so we relied on the recommendations of many Yelpers and started our early evening dinner with an order of the Firecracker Goat Cheese. This simply consists of 1" wide cuts of their pizza dough tossed into the wood burning oven along w/ a cup of melted goat cheese and some sort of phenomenally spicy marinara type of sauce. Again, by the black rings around the top of the cheese you could tell this had also just come straight from the pizza oven. Now for the one negative comment that is preventing me from giving Stop 50 a Five-Star raving review. As I mentioned we got there fairly early in the evening...around 5-5:30 I'd say. We did not have reservations (Friday evening) so they asked if we were OK with sitting at a table outside; which we were. The outside dining area consists of 10-15 tables scattered about in a fairly narrow area next to the building and separated by the parking lot by a 6 ft wooden fence. At the time we were sat there were 2-3 empty tables still available. As our waiter took our drink order (tea for my wife and a Three Floyds Gumballhead for me) we also ordered the aforementioned Firecracker as our appetizer. ~30-35 minutes go by, the empty tables are now full, and we still hadn't gotten our appetizer. In fact, the newly filled tables had already gotten their appetizers (Firecracker Cheese, of course) and still nothing for us. We are not ones to complain, but I had to get up, go into the restaurant to find our waiter and politely ask if he had remembered to place our appetizer order. He said he did, but I could tell by the puzzled look he had forgotten, or had taken it (most likely) to another table. Amazingly our appetizer showed up within 3 minutes of my asking. The troubling part was that there was no visit by a manager, or an offer by the waiter to either offer it up for free or comp a drink, nothing. After that ordeal, the rest of dinner went smoothly. We ordered the amazing Prosciutto, Pistachio, and Rosemary pizza. It was everything we had hoped it'd be. No grease whatsoever. I can honestly say it's the first time I've left a pizza place full, but not feeling bad about eating it! We'll definitely be back; hopefully with a better beginning than our first trip.
(4)Michelle W.
The crust was phenomenal. Simultaneously crisp, chewy and thin. The toppings were balanced nicely. Friendly & attentive staff & owner, lovely beer selection and great setting (we sat outdoors). Just wish it was closer to Chicago!
(5)David O.
Great service, atmosphere and food! Try the firecracker appetizer and the prosciutto pizza; you can't go wrong.
(5)Nicole S.
Love this place! Have been here twice in the last few weeks. It is somewhat small until weather allows them to open outside seating, but we got in fairly quickly. We've had my 3 year with us both times and they were great with her. We all got different pizzas and shared. I still like the simple cheese ones the best...wonderful sauce, crust and cheese...who needs more? If you're just there for apps, get the breadsticks...either with the red sauce, or the goat cheese in red sauce. Yum! My hubby loved the beer selection too...local and hard to find ones I guess, which makes him happy.
(5)kevin t.
Excellent thin crust pizza and we're from Chicago. One of my favorite rites of summer is sitting outside Stop 50 eating a delicious margherita pizza with it's chewy crust and drinking their red house wine ($5) while enjoying the aroma of their herb garden.
(5)Maria S.
Excellent pizza!
(5)carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. I went to this place on the day they opened a few years ago. Yes I got lost, and yes it is really in the middle of nowhere. Actually nestled in the subdivision of Michiana Shores. I do not think they were expecting so many people that first day. It was packed. It took a little while to get our food. The stuffed peppers were great. The pizza was a little under cooked. Recently I was in the area and thought I would give this place another chance. I figured since they were still open they must have gotten it together. I am glad I did. The spicy tomato and goat cheese appetizer was a great start. You could taste the firewood grilled goodness. And this time the pizza was much better and fully cooked. I am a big fan of wood burning ovens. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because they need to put just a little more ingredients on the pizza. Other than that if I am in the area I will go back. OH , by no means does this compare to the original Napolitan Pizza which I hope to find soon on the north side of Chicago
(4)Thomas A.
Talk about out of the way - but definitely worth hitting the google maps and firing up your gps to find this gem. This pizzeria has a wonderful array of personal size pizzas - OK they're a bit too much for one person - but order one for each and take home the leftovers. We had a small group and sampled the mushroom (awesome, but a bit salty); prosciutto with pistachios (sounds weird, but loved it); margherita (basil from their onsite herb boxes..mmmmm); and sausage (tasty). All of the staff were enthusiastic and charming. Wine was inexpensive - plus they even had a couple half off bottles - outrageous! While you're there walk over to the oven and chat up the pizza chef - he's probably the owner. They have a nice outside area for the warm weather that wraps around the building. Enjoy!
(4)JANET D.
This is a wonderful place for wood fired, artisan pizza. All the ingredients are fresh, the food is prepared with love and care- if this restaurant was in Chicago, the wait would be 2 hours, a la Great Lakes. Only open March-November, and hours mirror the resort lifestyle- but it is memorable and wonderful. My standard order: featured salad (caprese), prosciutto and pistachio pizza, s'more desert or home made gelato or sorbet. Heaven. Tell Chris and Christy I sent you, and you owe me.
(5)Joey S.
Absolutely awesome food! It's kind of in a secluded location and has weird hours, but that's what makes it awesome... and of course the pizza is great too. Of the two times I've been there the staff has been genuinely nice and very helpful and made for a awesome experience. One waitress I had throughly explained all the ingredients and everything that goes along with the pizza/food, truly amazing. What's also great is that the only use local or natural ingredients and have a nice selection of local beers (Bell's and Backroad, no crappy Miller Lite or Bud Lite) and imported Italian beers . I could go on and on about this place! Just go check it out for yourself it's definitely worth the drive.
(5)Kevin C.
Wonderful atmosphere, great food, and family feel. If you're in the area this is a must. Save room for the Smores.
(5)Gertrude s.
Sorry, this pizza is not worth the drive. First it is seriously over priced. $12.00 and up for a personal size pizza? And then $8.00 for the salad? And in Michiana Shores? Do they think they are on Michigan Avenue? This is seriously a bad value. I had the mushroom pizza and could taste the fresh herbs and the cheese, but it was unmemorable, except for the price. They are definitely catering to the wealthy Harbor Country summer vacationers.
(2)Renee K.
Amazing! We started out with the homemade meatballs and breadsticks. Both were extremely tasty and light. We then had had margarita and pizzaroni pizzas. Again...extremely tasty and light. We also had a mixed green salad which was very fresh with the right amount of cheese and dressing on it. Everything was so good that we took home an order of meatballs, breadsticks, and 2 margarita pizzas. Not sure if they will make it back the 1.5 hour ride to the O'Hare area! Highly recommend this place!
(5)brent r s.
Late September the wood fired oven sounded great. We found this spot on our way back from a weekend in michigan. Goat cheese firecracker was a fun dipping sauce with olive oil garlic sticks. Tasty! Fresh green beans for an appetizer was also fresh and delicious. *** pizza was delicious too but could not have been any slower. It took over an HOUR for three small pizzas. Perhaps the kitchen was overburdened or understaffed. Although the toppings were fresh and the crust was just right ... The tardiness overshadowed the meal. Would we return? Maybe.
(3)Sean T.
Amazing all the way around, the prices won't kill you and the food is pleasurable. A definite must come back and visit for the lady and I! As far as the meat lovers, there aren't a whole lot of options however everything is fresh and handmade + you cannot go wrong with wood fired Save room for dessert!
(5)Jenn H.
We visited this place on a Saturday evening for dinner. It was a great night for sitting outside on the deck. Beautiful setting with their fresh herbs growing alongside the deck. Friendly hostess who went through the menu with us as it was our first time. As a group of four, we shared the firecracker breadsticks and the garden salad which were both fresh tasting and excellent. Then we got two pizzas. These are excellent pizzas and reasonably priced.
(5)Glenn W.
First let me state that I understand napoletana pizza is not the same as most in the US are used to and this review is not just that the pizza is different. Thoughts: 1) I called Saturday night and asked about the gluten free option to ensure there were no stray ingredients that I couldn't have. All good. 2) Didn't make it Saturday but did Sunday. 3) I ordered a GF pizza only to be told they were out of GF. Not optimal. 4) Waitress suggested that they could do it "skillet style" which she described as putting all the ingredients into a skillet and then turning it over onto a plate. I was dubious but it was that or go somewhere else... 5) Pizza prices were $13-16 for a single size offering of 12-14" 6) I drink iced tea. I finished the first glass and didn't see the waitress for about 10 minutes. Again not optimal. 7) My bowl of pizza arrives. There is some sausage, a very small amount of mozzarella in the bowl, a small amount of sauce, and some pink watery substance sloshing around the bottom of the bowl. 8) Everything in the bowl was at best luke warm. That's it. Not cold but just luke warm. With the watery substance swishing around the bottom and it being that temperature it was totally unappealing. Unappetizing. Near disgusting is another way to describe it. 9) Along comes the other two pizzas. 10) One is a cheese pizza. How do you mess that up? You use very little, unseasoned tomato sauce with very little mozzarella. Then you have all sorts of old pizza and burned crust parts stuck to bottom of the pizza. 11) When the waitress finally comes back by, not to ask how everything is but to finally check on our drinks, I tell her the bowl is cold and frankly not appetizing. I had to actually request that she take it away as she had no intention of doing so. 12) No "I'm sorry that it isn't what you wanted." "I'm sorry we didn't have the GF." "Can I get you something else?" Nothing. Not a word. I'll leave it an even dozen. I don't write negative reviews lightly but I was thoroughly disappointed. I will never be back. This was my experience. Maybe you have different ones and that's OK. I just found it to be far from what I expect of a restaurant.
(1)Jenna O.
I love wood fired pizza and Stop 50 doesn't disappoint. They have interesting combinations as well as classics. The beer selection is local and pleasing. And we enjoyed their basic salad as well, while waiting for our pizza. The pizzas can be shared by two hungry people, but probably not three, unless you also order sides like their sausage stuffed peppers or meatballs. I would personally just order as many varieties of pizza as the table accommodates though as I love their crust so. Definitely call ahead for a reservation though.
(5)Roger K.
Went with the grandkids. It is always fun watching the pizza in the oven. Have eaten here about a dozen times. Wonderful European style pizza. Really nice staff and owner.
(5)Mary B.
Delish, I had the Margherita pizza. We had a reservation, which is highly recommended on the weekends.
(5)Brian B.
Holy hell... this place is awesome.. I can't believe I've gone as long as I did to eat here... the menu is kinda small but what they have is great!
(5)Mick B.
This was my first visit to Stop 50, Terri has been here a few times. There is a cute patio seating area outside but since it was hot and sticky, we asked for a table inside. It was interesting being close enough to the kitchen to watch the cooks placing the pizzas into the brick oven. Let me give you a tip that things such as the salad and bread sticks (pizza crust) w/ dipping sauce appetizers that we were served were HUGE. The green salad we ordered to share could easily have served 4 people; I wish there was a half order option as I feel badly sending uneaten food back for no reason. We ordered both of these and they were delish if quite filling. It's not on the online menu but they have recently added Greenbush Brewing Company (Sawyer, MI) micro brewed beer in addition to Bell's (Kalamazoo, MI) and Backroad (LaPorte, IN). I tried the "Retribution" which is a Belgian style Ale brewed with dates, raisins and brown sugar. People at the table near ours seemed upset that they did not have "macro brew" beer such as Budweiser and Miller Lite. Suck it up sunshine (I say) and take the opportunity to try something new. I felt that the star attraction at Stop 50 is the crust that they describe as Naples Style. It seemed to have the right amount of rustic caramelization and flavor for my taste. The pizza we ordered had goat cheese and toppings which tasted fresh and inviting. We asked for a take home container and got one quickly with no problem. We had good service considering the rush of what I can only assume were The Locals trying to get their dinner orders placed before closing time on Sunday night. The crowd of diners rushing in to be seated all of the sudden turned what had started as a tranqul dinner for two into a shouting match to have a conversation over the din. At that point I was wishing and hoping for better acoustics to help with sound management. I made a mental note to try and get here earlier in the evening on our next visit. Overall I feel that Stop 50 is a great place for gourmet pizza at an affordable price and some relaxation. It is certainly worth the short drive off of the highway to enjoy.
(4)Yuri L.
Wow. Definitely not disappointed. Everything was super fresh! Good beer selection. The s'more dessert was fantastic! The only reason they got a star knocked off is because our server took over 15 minutes to come to our table. The hostess was the one that took care of our drinks.
(4)Lisa H.
Located just a few miles from New Buffalo Michigan in a small neighborhood town called Michiana Shores,IN. This place used to be a tiny grocery store that they turned into an amazing little restaurant. Pizza is wood fired & pretty good...all fresh ingredients. Service wasn't bad but not outstanding. They also have a small but descent selection of wine & beer. It was very loud sitting inside when it was busy so don't expect a quiet dinner.
(4)William B.
It turns out you can get pretty far with a really hot oven. I wouldn't have expected much from a little pizza restaurant off the beaten path in Michiana Shores. The service is a little overzealous and some of the topping choices are strange (pistachios? on multiple pizzas?). But they turn out a really nice, simple pizza with the aid of a 900-degree wood-burning oven. (They also use that oven to roast bananas for dessert.) That's really all you need.
(5)Denise L.
Seriously the best pizza. REAL pizza!! FRESH ingredients. Best salad Simple perfect flavors. Outstanding crust. Crispy charred but still Chewy we are all very lucky to have this gem here. Small well thought out wine and beer list. Amazing gelato. Pistachio ROCKS. Great service. Enjoy!
(5)Eileen T.
Pizzas (pizzaroni and sausage) were delicious and so was the dessert (biga donut and s'mores)! Bathrooms were SUPER clean! ...Bonus in my book!
(5)Maria P.
This is a hidden gem. You really have to look for it but well worth it! Great outdoor seating, has the feeling of an Italian trattoria. Pizza and meatballs were excellent and fairly priced!
(4)Rosanna L.
Not your ordinary bread sticks. You know those long, thick, garlic bread sticks we so often get from pizza joints well you won't find them here. Instead you get these long doughy bread sticks that well essentially is a pizza dough baked and seasoned than sliced into "sticks." These sticks were delicious in my book with a nice crunch to them, quite addicting. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ) However, the sauce tasted like pure tomatoes and I like tomatoes but would of preferred more seasoning. The boyfriend and I couldn't decided what to get the magherita or pizzaroni but luckily our waitress told us we can do half and half, perfect ( yelp.com/biz_photos/stop… ). The magherita was delicious and I love the thickness of the crust. However, some of it was burnt and once you've had a taste of burnt in your mouth it doesn't go away easily. The boyfriend enjoyed his pizzaroni and we both rate this a 3.5 stars. I round it up to 4 because our server was extremely friendly and tentative.
(4)Chris N.
Great atmosphere in a place tucked into, well, its kinda hard to describe where it is tucked into... Other than the cars lining the building, it would be easy to miss this place. Great variety, outstanding ingredients, unique taste. Have your kids confidently order "a Shaun" and make the owners happy (chesse pizza named after their son). If I had one pizza left to eat in my life, Stop 50 would edge out Traveling Stonebaker. If you are into thick crust, deep dish, tons of toppings kind of pizza, then this is not your place. If you refuse to spend more than $12 for a pizza, head to a chain place. This place rocks!! Well Done Chris!
(5)Scott B.
We love Stop 50. I almost always try the seasonal pizza and get the fire cracker breadsticks. Chris and his wife are perfect hosts.
(5)Kelly F.
I am in Michigan City for a family reunion, and I wanted to find a great restaurant for a group of us on Sunday night, so naturally I check Yelp. Thanks to the recommendations of other Yelpers we tried Stop 50 and were not disappointed! Great atmosphere, amazingly friendly and helpful staff, and a killer menu! My husband and I split the quinoa salad and the seasonal pizza, which had prosciutto, asparagus, walnuts, rosemary, mozzarella, and parmesan- yum! Everything was spectacular, and the pizza was arguably the best I have ever had. We are already planning on returning before the week is over!
(5)bj j.
Great pizza great service (thanks Luke) and charming ambience. Really? This is Indiana?
(5)Kris R.
this place was ADORABLE. hidden on a residential street, this cute-looking house-restaurant has outdoor seating, a mini parking lot, and the NICEST and most accommodating staff. the restaurant's surrounded by windows, so you get that air-y feel. we came here for lunch on a sunday, had a beer each and split the mushroom pizza with the goat cheese marinara sauce on the side. it was delicious!!! all kinds-a shrooms on that thing, very tasty. all in all, the bill came to cheap dollars and 99 cents. so rad. you all in Michiana have a great little gem in your midst. use it.
(4)Cheffrey D.
Stop 50 still kicks butt and is seemingly getting better and better as each year goes by. Still the cleanest restaurant in the region, still the friendliest staff and owners, still the same great, naturally leavened pizza. Keep up the great work, we love Stop 50!
(5)Janis L.
Stop 50! Do not miss this place. Best pizza we have had in a long time. Stayed in vicinity and came across this place. Fresh ingredients, good service and reasonable prices. We are from Indy but would consider driving up there for good pizza. Something called the "Bigga -donut" was scrumptious.
(5)Tom Z.
The wood-fired pizza is as good as most - how hard could it be? But, the service is abominable!! Went there last fall about an hour before closing time. The place was 1/2 full. Ordered an appetizer and a pizza. The appetizer was served quickly but we waited and waited for the pizza. Remember, these are 12" pizzas with minimal ingredients that cook in about 6 or 7 minutes. The waitress kept coming out saying the pizza should be there soon. After about 45 minutes, I walked up to the pizza oven area and saw the owner making pizzas. I asked him what was going on and he said "we were slammed tonight". "Slammed? The place was 1/2 empty. I asked the waitress for a check and walked out. This place gets rave reviews I guess 'cause it's cool to have wood-fired pizza in the middle of nowhere. They know nothing about service or running a restaurant.
(1)tracy n.
Adorable place! It's was kind of hidden in what seemed to be a neighborhood but the food was delicious and the place was small and cute and the staff was very friendly. We got the bread sticks and prosciutto pizza and absolutely love them both!
(5)Nichole C.
A fancy wood-fired pizza joint minutes from the lake house? COUNT ME IN. This restaurant is a gem that I plan on returning to in the near future. The atmosphere is cool (even though it looks like a house in the middle of a neighborhood), the food is good (I'm coming back for you, fancy pizzas!), and they have decent drinks to boot (I even got to try a local brew from the Back Road Brewery. It was "meh" but it was there nonetheless)! We got the breadsticks, a pepperoni pizza, and a sausage pizza. Rosanna was spot-on in her assessment with the sticks. Basically, they are delicious pizza crust sticks with tomato sauce. I'd like them to step the marinara up a bit here, because it just tastes like tomato sauce (sans anything else), but the actual sticks were good. The pizza was pretty good too...I wish I would've gone with the fancier special with proscuitto, but I opted to go for the basics to see how they stack up against competitors. The pepperoni was on top so it was nice and crispy, and the sausage was razor thin slices, which was different, but good. Both pizzas had delicious wood fired crispy and chewiness but had a lot of crust. Next time, I might just ask for something to dip all that crust in rather than getting the sticks as an appetizer. The sauce is a little sweet, but I imagine if I load up the spices next time, it will counteract that. We shall see. Service was awesome, prices were decent, and it's close to home (well, not OUR home, but SOMEONE'S home at least). We will be back.
(4)Laurence K.
small cute place off the beaten path in indiana, probably one of the best pizza's ive ever had in the midwest. the crust was paper tin and with the 900 degree oven it comes out crispy and delicious, also try the breadsticks
(5)Michael T.
Great people, friendly service, killer food. Well worth going out of my way while traveling to Chicago (from Cleveland) I'd give Post 50 more than 5 stars but I can't seem to do that on Yelp. Stop in if you're nearby, make it a regular spot if you live close. I know I'll be back, that's for sure!
(5)Robert A.
Wow great fire oven pizza. Where else can u go and the boss (owner) runs the fire oven. He will personally cook your pizza
(5)Peter H.
Some of the best and most authentically Neapolitan pizza I've ever had. My fiance' enthusiastically stated that it was the closest approximation of what she'd had in Italy that she'd ever eaten in this country. Location-wise, it's a little out of the way, along route 12 to the east of Michigan City. But it's not rural - you're along a quiet little back-road in the affluent community of Michiana Shores. It's peaceful. The feel of the restaurant inside is minimal and understated, but clean, spacious and with appropriate focus on the wood fired oven that's key to the entire experience. Everything on the menu revolves around that oven. The appetizers, which range from asparagus, to sausage-stuffed peppers, to their fire roasted seasonal vegetables, are all deliciously charred by the oven baking. The razor-thin pizzas are flashed baked in that 900 degree inferno for just a minute and a half, for that wonderfully crisp texture. And the desserts, from caramelized bananas to smores baked in ramekins, all arrive in hot and bubbly fashion. They apparently experimented religously until they could get the perfect wall, air and base temperatures, for crispness of crust and perfect doneness of any topping ingredients. And it works beautifully. Our margherita had the perfect combination of garlicky tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, peppery/citrusy fresh basil, and crackly/chewy bread. The key seems to be love for every pizza they produce. My first time there, I was perhaps ten minutes late for my carry-out order; the chef (owner?) made sure to prop open the box so that the pie wouldn't get soggy. That's 5 star stuff. Highly recommended.
(5)Sara L.
Stumbled upon this hidden gem while coming back from a trip..thanks to Michael S for bringing us!! Granted I may live in Chicago, but I am a huge fan of thin crust pizza! The menu isn't very extensive as with some other places, but it doesn't need to be here. We ordered the mushroom pizza, prosciutto pizza, margherita pizza and their heirloom tomato pizza. In addition, we also ordered the firecracker goat cheese appetizer and I ordered the pistachio gelato. First lets start with the appetizer, firecracker goat cheese, it was spicy and had the perfect ratio of goat cheese and sauce. Personally, I am a huge fan of the mushroom pizza and prosciutto pizza! The mushroom was full of flavor, the right amount of cheese and olive oil that really brought out the mushrooms. The prosciutto pizza had the perfect amount of meat and other ingredients! Overall, great place to drop by! Too bad it isn't closer to Chicago..womp womp
(4)Alisa M.
Came here on our way back from warren dunes for dinner. We left the dunes really late and luckily this place is on central time! Service was ok, a little slow, but not bad. All of the food comes out really fast and the staff is very friendly. We ordered: 1. Firecracker- I am not a fan of goat cheese, but this sauce wasn't overpowering. I thought it was really good. We even used the sauce to dip our crusts from the pizza. 2. Margherita - tomato, mozzarella and basil. Nothing special. It was good, but the other pizzas were better. 3. Wild Mushroom - olive oil, garlic, mushroom, oregano and mozzarella. If you like mushrooms, order this one. Soooo good! 4. Prosciutto - prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary. This one was also a winner. The prosciutto adds the perfect amount of saltiness to the pizza. A sure winner. 5. Their daily special.. I can't remember, but it was really good. It had Gorgonzola and some other goodies! I think this one was another winner. 6. Gelato: Pistachio and coffee- these are homemade and excellent. 7. S'mores- a little too rich and sweet for me even though I'm a total chocolate and sweets person. It comes in a bowl with crushed graham crackers on the bottom, layered with marshmallows, and drizzled with chocolate. Tips: 1 pizza can be shared between 2 people. They are pretty large. We had 5 people in our group and had trouble finishing all the pizzas.
(4)Louise P.
At my mother's recommendation, I visited Stop 50 yesterday while in the area. My husband and I were really pleased with the experience--a cozy ambience and good, fresh food. We made reservations ahead of time (wise on the weekend), but at 8 p.m. we had missed most of the Friday dinner rush. We ate the market salad (excellent, fresh, and certainly big enough for 2), and the sausage and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas are thin and approximately 12-15 inches, so they could easily be split, but we ordered two and left satiated with a few extra slices to bring home. The mushroom pizza was delicious--I was expecting standard white mushrooms, but was pleasantly surprised by the creminis, and possible enoki mushrooms. Lots of variety. Love Neapolitan pizza, so I will certainly be back.
(4)Karl H.
Great wood fire pizza place in between Michigan City and New Buffalo. Food rocks and the people there are extra friendly. It's a little off the beaten path but definitely worth seeking this place out. Our favorites are the breadsticks, and the pear and gorgonzola pizza (I think this pizza is seasonal though).
(4)Renee D.
While I really like the look and feel of the restaurant, it is really small. We showed up soon after they opened, I believe on a Thursday, by the time we left it was a full house. Pizza was good, not great, and super thin. I've had wood fired pizza many times, but this was a really thin pizza. When we left Stop 50, my husband and I were still hungry. The kids weren't too excited about the authentic pizza they promote. They definitely prefer a Chicago style pizza.
(3)Michael L.
I love this place. We found this hidden gem last year and made a point to visit again when we visited Michigan City this past weekend. We were lucky to stop in before they got busy at dinner. My family was able to talk to the owner, Chris, and watch him make the pizzas. You can tell he has a passion for great food and the taste of the food shows it. We started off with the breadsticks and house red sauce. The crisp breadsticks (from the 900 degree oven) were a hit with my seven year old. My wife hates red sauce, but for some reason cannot get enough of the house red sauce here. We had the seasonal roasted veggies...amazingly roasted in the oven as well. I love roasted carrots. For Pizzas, we had the margherita and the seasonal sausage/potato. The margherita, while the simplest of pizzas, was great. The seasonal pizza was great as well. Id love to have some of the sausage to take home!!!! Last, but not least, was the homemade gelato. There are several flavors, but I could eat the pistachio all day. Last year, I had two servings!!!!!
(5)Darci S.
Stop 50 is just adorable and delicious. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday with three kids in tow and they were so welcoming and friendly. It was dead in there but I could definitely see it being packed at dinner and on the weekends. Way cooler and fancier than you'd expect in a lake house area (its nestled in a residential neighborhood).Cozy interior and the pizza oven is right there for you to watch as they whip up the pizzas. We had the app sampler, definitely a must get, the breadsticks are different but really good, stuffed peppers were amazing and the grilled asparagus, while nothing out of the ordinary, was solid as well. Pizza was great, upscale pizza with thin crispy center and chewy crust. I would definitely go back. My only negative would be that the food was slow to come out despite the fact that we were the only table by the time we ordered.
(5)Michael S.
After a trip going apple picking GF and I stopped by here thanks to a tip from Derrick T. I'm not a huge fan of crispy thin crust pizza, but this place was very good. We got the prosciutto pizza and the mushroom pizza. Both were very good, but I think I liked the prosciutto the best. Didn't get anything else, but we did see the salads were huge. It's not worth it for me to drive from Chicago just for this place, but it's a definite place I'd go back to if around the area.
(4)Jimbo B.
Great, cozy little place if you are staying in the resort towns along the Michiana coast. Go for the pizza and the delicious salads and other appetizers made in the wood fired oven. Small, but quality beer and wine selection. Casual and friendly, family run place. Not too expensive. Oh and the pistachio gelato was amazing. I think they make it themselves!
(5)Abby K.
Definite Top Ten Brick Fired Pizza, Ever! a MUST VISIT if you are near Long Beach, Indiana. The pizzas are fantastic. Filling, but not over-filling. The flavors are refined and delicisous. We ordered the Prosciutto pizza (prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary) -AND- the special, a Pear pizza. Both were great. Also ordered the Local market Salad to share, yum! and Bread sticks, which are crispy and come in a interesting stacked style. The service was ok, but I still give it 5 stars becuase the food and atmosphere makes up for it.
(5)Tim B.
The food was authentic Italian, felt like we were in Italy, even had momma in the back making fresh dough for our pizza! We liked the wood burning pizza oven and the kids enjoyed watching the chef cook the pizzas! Great service, but could use a few more condiments like fresh ground pepper on salads and offer fresh parmesan on the pizzas when they arrive at the table. Will definitely go back next time we are in Harbor country!
(4)Granger L.
My wife and I go every time we are in town. Love the seasonal pizza, great beers and family atmosphere. Best around.
(5)J H.
Went last night. Margharita pizza and sausage pizza. Very good. Had the gelato. Not too bad but not gelato. There wasn't any "pull" to it. Basically just ice cream, but tasted good.
(4)Bill C.
A bit pricy but a definate treat. Great service, very flavorful food, a bit of the east coast flair in the middle of somewhere MI. Great sauce, crispy crust and fresh flavorful ingredients. We try and go when we visit family in the area. A favorite spot.
(4)Kristin O.
Good pizza, bad attitude and service
(1)Leah H.
High quality ingredients! Nice people! Very pleasant inside and out.
(5)Bridget C.
My favorite place. Love the breadsticks (with wood fired goat cheese!), salad, Proscuttio pizza, and Nutella pizza dessert!
(5)Heather B.
If you're looking for good, fresh and local Stop 50 is about as good as you're going to find anywhere in this area. Yes, it's busy in the summer (everything good around here is) but if you're fortunate enough to be a year-rounder, you can visit this place before and after the season and truly enjoy the experience. I don't think the prices are expensive - if you really think about how much you spend when you order pizza from a normal pizza place (not a dominos) you're pretty close to this already....and if you prefer $3 pizza deals, well, enjoy all of your processed junk because you're not the right target for Stop 50! We opted to go seasonal for everything - the appetizer, salad and pizza - since we knew we could get the other items on our next visit. That's usually how I order at restaurants that offer seasonal items because everything tastes better in season! And we had a bottle of wine. It was about $60 before tip. If you're going here on the weekend, definitely make a reservation. You're not going to walk out of here feeling so stuffed like you do in 'american style' italian restaurants, but your tastebuds will be satisfied.
(5)Ben B.
Good pizza in the middle of nowhere. Step one is finding the place, which is a bit of a trick. There isn't a ton of parking, so you'll see cars parked in the grass on an adjacent street. The restaurant isn't very big and there's not a ton of privacy, but we must judge Stop 50 on their food. We ordered the appetizer sampler, which wasn't much to write home about. Some generally dry breadsticks, small peppers with tiny sausage and some sort of zucchini. If you order pizza, it will take close to 50 minutes (hence, Stop 50?), but it's worth the wait. The crust is very thin and usually blackened on the outer edges. But that first bite from the center of the pie is delicious and soft. We had the sausage, and when we finished, I was hungry for more. It's not very filling, but a lot of pizza will leave you feeling bloated. This won't. Be forewarned that our pizza came with an extraordinary amount of basil on top. It didn't bother me, but it might be overdoing it on the spice. For dessert, we tried their $4 s'more. It was eight large toasted (blackened, in some cases) marshmallows on a plate. Four of the marshmallows were in a cup filled with hot Hershey's syrup and graham cracker dust on the bottom. It was nice, but you can get a more enjoyable dessert by driving north a few minutes to Oink's Dutch Treat. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a unique twist on pizza and you don't mind a significant amount of carbon scoring on the outer edges of your food.
(4)Derrick T.
Hidden pizza place that's highly touted by the food forums, my wife and I made a trip here just to try the pizza. Only to find out it was closed! 6 months later, we made a trip again and sat down to enjoy some great 4 star quality pizza... All the ingredients are fresh, the fire brick oven working overtime, and the service was quick. Sampler- Half order of roasted vegetables, bread sticks, and stuffed peppers - A good way to sample a few different flavors. The roasted vegetables were good, breadsticks were tasty (pizza dough with some seasoning and then sliced up), and the stuffed peppers were flavorful but unfortunately fell apart in any attempt to pick them up. Wild Mushroom pizza - Olive oil, garlic, oregano, wild mushrooms, and mozz - Nice crust, tasty mushrooms, a good combination overall. Verdict: If you're in the area or heading here for other reasons, stop by and give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Barbara B.
Stop 50 is fantastic. As a pizza lover who lived in Italy for a few years and traveled the world regularly, I can say the food here is authentic, fresh and absolutely delicious. Every time. We live within walking distance, and go once or twice a week when we are not in Chicago or traveling, year round. The pizza is perfect: thin (not too thin by any measure), crispy yet chewy crust, flavorful local ingredients, amazing cheese and rich tomato sauce. The herbs are grown right outside! Some of the ingredients change naturally with the seasons, such as the mushrooms and tomatoes. We often order the special, which is always innovative and excellent (not 'tricky'.) We always order the mushroom pizza which here is a white pizza, but we like to add sausage. In season, the soups are delicious and highly satisfying. To start we like to get the sausage-stuffed peppers which are perfectly portioned. And don't miss the homemade gelato in a wide range of flavors. Beyond the food, the service is just what you'd want - warm and friendly, professional without being stuffy, and just the right dose of attentive. With the wood-burning oven and Chris the owner in the house, the ambience is neighborly and cozy. Don't miss it!
(5)Jay N.
The restaurant is a little difficult to find. Check the address and directions beforehand to ensure you're going the right way. It's the only restaurant in a residential area so there's parking right in front or to the side. Unfortunately, I didn't like how the patio was right next to the gravel parking area. The staff was welcoming and cordial. There were other patrons that came as groups, families, couples, and they do carryout. The artichoke and prosciutto pizza is quite good. It's arranged so you get a little bite at the beginning of your slice as well as to the end. The crust is chewy yet crisp. Their other offerings were pretty good as well. The fresh mozzarella has distinct flavor even after being well cooked. I thought the prices were a little bit high for being in a remote location in Michigan City. I guess the cost of getting good quality ingredients offsets the lower overhead costs. I drove out here specifically for this place, but I'll come back next time if I'm at the outlet mall.
(3)Doug H.
Wow!! Incredible salad and pizza!! Worth driving all the way from Fort Wayne to eat here again!!
(5)Shaun H.
Let's start with great food: pizza, firecracker sauce, s'more. All good stuff. Service is good. I'd recommend calling ahead especially on the weekends or there will be a wait. Everything tastes really fresh. Restaurant is clean and a very enjoyable experience for lunch or dinner.
(5)Shane H.
A small group of four of us went the other night and we were all very impressed. We ordered a couple pizzas and some apps an were all very pleased with our meals. Its a nice a little spot to catch up with friends and enjoy a great meal. They had a nice wine selection as well. If I were to suggest anything it would be to add heat lamps outside for chilly nights. Looking forward to heading there again in the near future.
(5)Scott H.
I'm from Chicago, but spend a decent amount of time in SW Michigan and have been wanting to try Stop 50 for years after hearing about it over and over on foodie boards and review sites. My wife and I decided to stop here after an early weekend trip to SW MI wine country and found the place mostly empty at noon on a Saturday. We enjoyed the firecracker goat cheese and spicy tomato breadstick appetizer which was wonderful. My wife thought it was a touch too vinegary, but I thought it was spot-on. This along with the margherita pizza made for a very filling and satisfying lunch visit. The fresh basil was wonderful and if I could have cut down just a bit on the sauce, it would have been perfect. The added sauce made the slices just a little too soft for my taste while the crust was light and had a perfect pull and char. All in all a very trendy, yet classic and tidy place that I'd love to enjoy again on an autumn evening. Definitely worth passing the hordes at Redamak's for. :)
(4)Mara A.
Let's set the mood... Dark, cold night in the middle of the forest of Michigan City. We arrive at Stop 50 Pizza because of great word of mouth from other people who have eaten there. Yes, the pizza was fantastic but that's as far as I'm going. The place is packed, not surprised and they said we can either wait 15min or a table, or just sit outside and when a table opens up, they will move us inside. Fine, sure, no problem, lets sit outside, we're hungry and it will only be for 15min. Now its freezing, in the 30's but we tried to ignore the weather by warming up to some food. We had a great view of inside the restaurant and we see table by table leaving the place, yet we are still sitting outside. why? so we just wait...our apps come then our pizza but wait, were still outside. We ask our waiter if we can go inside seeing as there are over 5 tables open and he says no, sorry. The weather is starting to kick our butts, were shivering and all we want to do is go inside. Finally the owner comes out to see if we are okay and we tell her that we are cold and there are plenty of tables open and question why we are still sitting outside. She exclaims that there are reservations for those tables but they haven't showed up yet. Fine, that's understandable but at this point we have been sitting here for over an hour, didn't you say at the hostess table that the wait would only be 15min, so we would be sitting inside by now anyways. She just assumed since we got our pizza we would just stay outside and that would leave a table open for other guests. We're pissed and we just want to leave, but not before heading to the restroom. My guest came to Stop 50 3 months prior to this night and the bathroom door lock on the ladies room was broken. And look, 3 months later, and its still broken. No sign on the door, nothing, just a broken lock. What, no one thinks this is an issue to get resolved. Of course not, why spend the FIVE DOLLARS to buy a new door handle with lock. At this point, my guest is furious and rips the owner a new one. The owner is incompetent and has no response to any of the valid points that are being thrown at her. And because of this night, we will not return. There are not many options in Michigan City/New Buffalo for good food and because of the horrible service/management/and the way this place is being run, this will soon fall into that category.
(1)Leah H.
High quality ingredients! Nice people! Very pleasant inside and out.
(5)Bridget C.
My favorite place. Love the breadsticks (with wood fired goat cheese!), salad, Proscuttio pizza, and Nutella pizza dessert!
(5)Abby K.
Definite Top Ten Brick Fired Pizza, Ever! a MUST VISIT if you are near Long Beach, Indiana. The pizzas are fantastic. Filling, but not over-filling. The flavors are refined and delicisous. We ordered the Prosciutto pizza (prosciutto, pistachios, mozzarella & rosemary) -AND- the special, a Pear pizza. Both were great. Also ordered the Local market Salad to share, yum! and Bread sticks, which are crispy and come in a interesting stacked style. The service was ok, but I still give it 5 stars becuase the food and atmosphere makes up for it.
(5)Heather B.
If you're looking for good, fresh and local Stop 50 is about as good as you're going to find anywhere in this area. Yes, it's busy in the summer (everything good around here is) but if you're fortunate enough to be a year-rounder, you can visit this place before and after the season and truly enjoy the experience. I don't think the prices are expensive - if you really think about how much you spend when you order pizza from a normal pizza place (not a dominos) you're pretty close to this already....and if you prefer $3 pizza deals, well, enjoy all of your processed junk because you're not the right target for Stop 50! We opted to go seasonal for everything - the appetizer, salad and pizza - since we knew we could get the other items on our next visit. That's usually how I order at restaurants that offer seasonal items because everything tastes better in season! And we had a bottle of wine. It was about $60 before tip. If you're going here on the weekend, definitely make a reservation. You're not going to walk out of here feeling so stuffed like you do in 'american style' italian restaurants, but your tastebuds will be satisfied.
(5)Ben B.
Good pizza in the middle of nowhere. Step one is finding the place, which is a bit of a trick. There isn't a ton of parking, so you'll see cars parked in the grass on an adjacent street. The restaurant isn't very big and there's not a ton of privacy, but we must judge Stop 50 on their food. We ordered the appetizer sampler, which wasn't much to write home about. Some generally dry breadsticks, small peppers with tiny sausage and some sort of zucchini. If you order pizza, it will take close to 50 minutes (hence, Stop 50?), but it's worth the wait. The crust is very thin and usually blackened on the outer edges. But that first bite from the center of the pie is delicious and soft. We had the sausage, and when we finished, I was hungry for more. It's not very filling, but a lot of pizza will leave you feeling bloated. This won't. Be forewarned that our pizza came with an extraordinary amount of basil on top. It didn't bother me, but it might be overdoing it on the spice. For dessert, we tried their $4 s'more. It was eight large toasted (blackened, in some cases) marshmallows on a plate. Four of the marshmallows were in a cup filled with hot Hershey's syrup and graham cracker dust on the bottom. It was nice, but you can get a more enjoyable dessert by driving north a few minutes to Oink's Dutch Treat. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a unique twist on pizza and you don't mind a significant amount of carbon scoring on the outer edges of your food.
(4)Derrick T.
Hidden pizza place that's highly touted by the food forums, my wife and I made a trip here just to try the pizza. Only to find out it was closed! 6 months later, we made a trip again and sat down to enjoy some great 4 star quality pizza... All the ingredients are fresh, the fire brick oven working overtime, and the service was quick. Sampler- Half order of roasted vegetables, bread sticks, and stuffed peppers - A good way to sample a few different flavors. The roasted vegetables were good, breadsticks were tasty (pizza dough with some seasoning and then sliced up), and the stuffed peppers were flavorful but unfortunately fell apart in any attempt to pick them up. Wild Mushroom pizza - Olive oil, garlic, oregano, wild mushrooms, and mozz - Nice crust, tasty mushrooms, a good combination overall. Verdict: If you're in the area or heading here for other reasons, stop by and give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Barbara B.
Stop 50 is fantastic. As a pizza lover who lived in Italy for a few years and traveled the world regularly, I can say the food here is authentic, fresh and absolutely delicious. Every time. We live within walking distance, and go once or twice a week when we are not in Chicago or traveling, year round. The pizza is perfect: thin (not too thin by any measure), crispy yet chewy crust, flavorful local ingredients, amazing cheese and rich tomato sauce. The herbs are grown right outside! Some of the ingredients change naturally with the seasons, such as the mushrooms and tomatoes. We often order the special, which is always innovative and excellent (not 'tricky'.) We always order the mushroom pizza which here is a white pizza, but we like to add sausage. In season, the soups are delicious and highly satisfying. To start we like to get the sausage-stuffed peppers which are perfectly portioned. And don't miss the homemade gelato in a wide range of flavors. Beyond the food, the service is just what you'd want - warm and friendly, professional without being stuffy, and just the right dose of attentive. With the wood-burning oven and Chris the owner in the house, the ambience is neighborly and cozy. Don't miss it!
(5)Jay N.
The restaurant is a little difficult to find. Check the address and directions beforehand to ensure you're going the right way. It's the only restaurant in a residential area so there's parking right in front or to the side. Unfortunately, I didn't like how the patio was right next to the gravel parking area. The staff was welcoming and cordial. There were other patrons that came as groups, families, couples, and they do carryout. The artichoke and prosciutto pizza is quite good. It's arranged so you get a little bite at the beginning of your slice as well as to the end. The crust is chewy yet crisp. Their other offerings were pretty good as well. The fresh mozzarella has distinct flavor even after being well cooked. I thought the prices were a little bit high for being in a remote location in Michigan City. I guess the cost of getting good quality ingredients offsets the lower overhead costs. I drove out here specifically for this place, but I'll come back next time if I'm at the outlet mall.
(3)Doug H.
Wow!! Incredible salad and pizza!! Worth driving all the way from Fort Wayne to eat here again!!
(5)Shaun H.
Let's start with great food: pizza, firecracker sauce, s'more. All good stuff. Service is good. I'd recommend calling ahead especially on the weekends or there will be a wait. Everything tastes really fresh. Restaurant is clean and a very enjoyable experience for lunch or dinner.
(5)Shane H.
A small group of four of us went the other night and we were all very impressed. We ordered a couple pizzas and some apps an were all very pleased with our meals. Its a nice a little spot to catch up with friends and enjoy a great meal. They had a nice wine selection as well. If I were to suggest anything it would be to add heat lamps outside for chilly nights. Looking forward to heading there again in the near future.
(5)Bill C.
A bit pricy but a definate treat. Great service, very flavorful food, a bit of the east coast flair in the middle of somewhere MI. Great sauce, crispy crust and fresh flavorful ingredients. We try and go when we visit family in the area. A favorite spot.
(4)Kristin O.
Good pizza, bad attitude and service
(1)Tim B.
The food was authentic Italian, felt like we were in Italy, even had momma in the back making fresh dough for our pizza! We liked the wood burning pizza oven and the kids enjoyed watching the chef cook the pizzas! Great service, but could use a few more condiments like fresh ground pepper on salads and offer fresh parmesan on the pizzas when they arrive at the table. Will definitely go back next time we are in Harbor country!
(4)Granger L.
My wife and I go every time we are in town. Love the seasonal pizza, great beers and family atmosphere. Best around.
(5)J H.
Went last night. Margharita pizza and sausage pizza. Very good. Had the gelato. Not too bad but not gelato. There wasn't any "pull" to it. Basically just ice cream, but tasted good.
(4)Scott H.
I'm from Chicago, but spend a decent amount of time in SW Michigan and have been wanting to try Stop 50 for years after hearing about it over and over on foodie boards and review sites. My wife and I decided to stop here after an early weekend trip to SW MI wine country and found the place mostly empty at noon on a Saturday. We enjoyed the firecracker goat cheese and spicy tomato breadstick appetizer which was wonderful. My wife thought it was a touch too vinegary, but I thought it was spot-on. This along with the margherita pizza made for a very filling and satisfying lunch visit. The fresh basil was wonderful and if I could have cut down just a bit on the sauce, it would have been perfect. The added sauce made the slices just a little too soft for my taste while the crust was light and had a perfect pull and char. All in all a very trendy, yet classic and tidy place that I'd love to enjoy again on an autumn evening. Definitely worth passing the hordes at Redamak's for. :)
(4)John H.
Been here twice now, and will be back. Great pizza, and outstanding salads (big enough for 2 or 3) that are fresh as can be. We love to go on a nice summer evening and sit outside. Inside can get VERY noisy. Reservations are definitely recommended. Parking can be tough when they're busy, but I've always manged to find a spot either in their lot...or down the street a bit. Prices are on the high-side for what you get in terms of quantity (size of pizza and they're not very generous with the amount of toppings), but in terms of flavor, I suppose the price is worth it. We've always had great service.
(4)Mara A.
Let's set the mood... Dark, cold night in the middle of the forest of Michigan City. We arrive at Stop 50 Pizza because of great word of mouth from other people who have eaten there. Yes, the pizza was fantastic but that's as far as I'm going. The place is packed, not surprised and they said we can either wait 15min or a table, or just sit outside and when a table opens up, they will move us inside. Fine, sure, no problem, lets sit outside, we're hungry and it will only be for 15min. Now its freezing, in the 30's but we tried to ignore the weather by warming up to some food. We had a great view of inside the restaurant and we see table by table leaving the place, yet we are still sitting outside. why? so we just wait...our apps come then our pizza but wait, were still outside. We ask our waiter if we can go inside seeing as there are over 5 tables open and he says no, sorry. The weather is starting to kick our butts, were shivering and all we want to do is go inside. Finally the owner comes out to see if we are okay and we tell her that we are cold and there are plenty of tables open and question why we are still sitting outside. She exclaims that there are reservations for those tables but they haven't showed up yet. Fine, that's understandable but at this point we have been sitting here for over an hour, didn't you say at the hostess table that the wait would only be 15min, so we would be sitting inside by now anyways. She just assumed since we got our pizza we would just stay outside and that would leave a table open for other guests. We're pissed and we just want to leave, but not before heading to the restroom. My guest came to Stop 50 3 months prior to this night and the bathroom door lock on the ladies room was broken. And look, 3 months later, and its still broken. No sign on the door, nothing, just a broken lock. What, no one thinks this is an issue to get resolved. Of course not, why spend the FIVE DOLLARS to buy a new door handle with lock. At this point, my guest is furious and rips the owner a new one. The owner is incompetent and has no response to any of the valid points that are being thrown at her. And because of this night, we will not return. There are not many options in Michigan City/New Buffalo for good food and because of the horrible service/management/and the way this place is being run, this will soon fall into that category.
(1)Chris K.
Average pizza at best. Light toppings, some slices had no cheese, others had no sauce. Appetizers were way over priced as was the pizza. We laughed at some of the food that came to our table. Bad service as well. Biggest disappointment eating out in 5 + years. They can get away with it with the summer crowds. They told me how many times they had been reviewed. I guess they think the hungry hound review will get them by. Do not waste your your time or money on the chance a few of their pizzas might be good that night. The manager was no help in resolving our issues.
(1)Dan G.
What, good pizza in the MC? Did I bring it with me from Chicago? I can't believe it has taken me so long to go to stop 50. This was some seriously good pizza. They cook them in their wood fired brick oven and they come out slightly charred, just the way pizza is meant to be. We brought the units over for lunch today. We had a couple sausage pies, a veggie and a caprese salad. The sausage was very tasty and had fresh oregano. The veggie had red peppers, red onion, zucchini and lots of fresh basil. The salad had both red and green tomatoes and a great balsamic vinegar dressing. These pizzas were very good thin crust. We could have used some crushed red pepper flakes, which were not available. We had lunch last week at the pizza Mecca otherwise known as Lombardi's, so we're kind of picky when it comes to our pizza. Stop 50 is far and away the best in town. The setting is really nice inside and kind of loft style. There is also outdoor seating as well. Service was prompt and helpful and we had a great lunch. We will definitely be back and get some takeout too.
(4)Sherry P.
Don't bother. Room temp, rubbery pizza with REALLY minimal toppings. . Grumpy waiter. So not worth the trip.
(1)Bob B.
Call me silly, but when I drop $50 on salad, bread sticks and pizza I expect to leave full. Instead the salad was a plate of weeds. The bread sticks were a pizza crust that was over cooked and chopped into bits. And the pizza, although tasty was about a 10" pizza not the 12-14" the claimed it would be. My son said it best with the line "they call it stop 50 because it cost $50 to stop there". All I can say is drive ten more minutes into Michigan City and go to Roma's pizza on Franklin, it was well worth it and we actually had left overs and only spent $30.
(1)John J.
Really, really, really good pizza! Cool atmosphere too!
(5)Ermelinda C.
Great Pizza. This place is definitely worth the drive! Spacca Napoli might have some competition ;-)
(4)Todd T.
My wife and I when there for lunch a Saturday. Not to many people where there and it was nice a quite. We had the bread sticks and they where real good. We also had a margherita pizza. It was very good too. I went to look at the oven and I think I talked to a owner was more than happy to talk about it. We'll be going back again.
(4)Erik B.
all of their pizzas are AMAZING! If you want hundreds of toppings to choose from, don't come here; they have amazing flavor combinations, some including nuts, that work amazingly well together when blasted from the heat and flames from their wildfire pizza oven. Our [party of 3] service was exceptional! Be sure to ask for some oil and vinegar to dip the crust in, if the waiter does not bring it with the first pizza. Quite an expansive beer collection, local brews too; there's definitely a beer that caters to each palate.
(4)aj b.
I would give Stop 50 more stars, but NOT after today's experience. Their pizza is usually pretty good, love the fresh ingredients, love their selection of beers. We brought our friends to Stop 50 and it was nothing like we told them it would be. We waited for our food close to 45 minutes and when pizzas came, one of them was BURNED! We asked the waitress what happened and she told us that she worked at Stop 50 since the day they opened and the pizza should be just like that ( mind you, we ordered 2 pizza Margherita and one of them was fine and the other was BURNED. It was actually black, tasted like burned dough, very bitter. Waitress told us that that her name was Laura or Laurie ( didn't pay attention) and that the next time we come, we should ask for another server. She was RUDE, had bad attitude. I mean gee... they are some pills you can take for PMS, or whatever condition you have, but hey, when I see a burned pizza, I don't want to eat it. Needless to say, we didn't tip her and that was the first time EVER I didn't leave a tip. We did talk to the owner and seems like he didn't care what we had to say. BAD BUSINESS! Seriously, how hard is to apologize to you customer who comes to your place at least 4-5 times during the summer. I'v seen attitude like this before and business didn't last. I do wish them the best, they do make a really decent pizza when they don't burn it. Bottom line, after $50+ for 2 pizzas and some beer, we left unhappy. Shouldn't be like that. Should it? I don't recommend this place due to bad service and inconsistent food.
(2)Kenneth C.
After finishing up some blueberry picking, I had developed quite an appetite. I opened up Yelp with the pedestrian goal of finding lunch for the family. Only a few options popped up including Stop 50. 4 stars- promising. Pizza. That should work. We quickly drove to Michiana Shores and nearly missed the place. Upon parking we noted some fresh herbs growing outside (very promising) and then an LTHForum review/award nomination. Quite promising. We were quickly greeted and brought inside. My oldest daughter who is not noted for "change" and for whom the platonic ideal of pizza is Bertucci's looked around the place with a smile. Our ordering strategy was our standard for somewhat expensive pizza places: 3 kids share a half pepperoni/half plain while my wife and I go for a special. While waiting we noted the wood fired oven (pleasing warmth) and staff and owner clearly dedicated to their craft. The pizza, while small and pricey, was excellent...We had the snap pea/prosciutto special. The addition of fresh (emphasize fresh) snap peas to basil combined with high quality prosciutto was a brilliant combination. The crust was delicious with a perfect balance between a chewy inside and crisp outside. While I wouldn't have minded having a larger pie, the pizza itself was tasty. My own dreams of New Haven pizza soon melted away... A few other points. They carry local beers and we were introduced to Sunspot from Greenbush brewery. It was a nice pairing to our meal. The wild rasberry sorbet was quite good and the smores dessert had perfectly toasted marshmellows. The restaurant itself nicely combines an older wood beamed roof with a crisp/clean modern decor. Summary: great pizza, great restaurant, great staff and owner who clearly are invested in their work. While the price is high and size small, it's otherwise hard to find a fault.
(5)Eric B.
Fantastic. Just like the pizza I had in northern Italy, maybe even better
(5)Tobin B.
If you are looking for traditional pizza then this is not your place. However, if you are looking for a treat this pizza offers something special. The portions are small but I can tell you the taste is well worth it!
(4)Gail H.
Short,but sweet. Very,very good. You'll love it. Be prepared to wait. It is a labor of love for the owner.
(4)Bob D.
This is an excellent Pizza! Don't bother with Mapquest they will send you on a wild goose chase down a gravel road just West of the tracks. Follow the Michianna signs and presto great Pizza. This year I have been coast to coast trying each regions best Pizza's. While 50 Stop does not establish themselves as a Pizza Mecca, they are serious about the product. I am a traditionalist at heart, I want my pie to be burnt on the edges (not bitter burnt) bubbles in the crust from a long fermentation. I would like the toppings to compliment the dough not dominate it. I desire a piece shaped like a triangle that droops, but doesn't drop. And I expect the ingredients to be of good to great quality. 50 Stop achieved all these things. The Pizza Marguerita was well balanced, a nice chewy crust, fresh mozzarella, and big Genovese Basil leaves. It was all quite harmonious. We shared the sampler as an appetizer. The roasted asparagus was amazing perfectly cooked with a little snap left in it. Looked and tasted like local, but didn't ask. Zucchimi and yellow squash were deliscious as well, bread sticks were ok. The marinara to dip into was exactly what I make at home. A simple no fuss preperation of good quality tomatoes from Italy (yes I can tell) garlic and EVOO, not cooked too long. The only negative were the stuffed peppers, these need work boys. The pepper was very bitter due to its rawness, and the smear of sausage was lost. This preperation needs some more thought. (I'd be happy to offer up some suggestions) This was my only negative . The wine and beer list was small, but the Double Hearted Ale (I think that's what it was called) was fantastic. Considering my food experiences in this part of the country this pizza is at the top, really 4 1/2 stars but yelp won't allow it. Thanks Dan G. for the heads up or I would have ended up eating some desperation meal on the edge of a steel mill somewhere.
(4)Jacob R.
I've never written on Yelp before, but I had to after my family's experience at Stop 50. They have decent food that is overpriced. We spent $93 on 3 small thin pizzas, 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers, & 2 orders of ice cream. We ordered sauce to dip our crusts in and the waitress brought a small, I mean small, dish of cold marinara sauce. We didn't think too much of it until the bill came and we we're charged $3 for the sauce. I know this post probably seems snobby and petty, but we're not snobs. We thought after spending over $90 on a meal (that didn't fill us up) plus drinks that $3 for a small dish of cold marinara sauce left a bad taste in our mouths. My mother in law spoke with the owner about being charged for the sauce and he just kept on saying to her "well, we only use fresh ingredients", as if that justified charging the $3. He eventually offered to refund the $3, but my mother in law declined, telling him it was just the principle behind the whole thing. Bottom line: decent food, overpriced, didn't fill you up, owner who doesn't want to maintain a client base. The customer is always right, don't defend yourself by repeating that you only use fresh ingredients, over a $3 dish of cold marinara sauce.
(2)Erika D.
This is one of my favorite places...ever. The mere thought of sitting on the outdoor patio, enjoying the quiet while drinking their fabulous sangria has gotten me through more than one horrible Midwestern winter's day. We live quite a drive from Stop 50, but we try to ride out there a few times a summer...it's a must because it's THAT good. We went there this past Saturday, for the first time this summer, and we weren't disappointed. We started with the sampler which is an assortment of seasonal veggies, thin pita strips with a delicious tomato dipping sauce and peppers stuffed with sausage. The peppers are NOT for the faint of heart...so spicy! My lips were burning after one bite. I'm kind of a puss, though, so take that for what it's worth. We also had the sausage pizza...the pizza is awesome. I can't really think of another word to describe it. The crust is thin and crispy without being hard. Everything is fresh, even the seasonings are grown outside, I'm told. And get the sangria!!! You won't be sorry. I really can't say enough about Stop 50. The food, the ambiance...I even love the fact that the owner comes out and asks how everything was. You don't find that much anymore...you feel like family there.
(5)Joe H.
It would be a little better if the hairs and tables matched the environment. Also my wife and me did not like being able to see the prep room. The pizzas were very good and the sampler appetizer was as well. We had the prosciutto pizza and it was VERY good. We will 100% be going back.
(4)chicago b.
Perfection! The pizza, appetizers and beer were phenomenal. My boyfriend and I have had a lot of pizza, but the pizza at Stop 50 is at the top of our list. We started with Backroad (local IN) beers, which were tasty. They also have Bells and wine available. Our appetizer was absolutely heaven--the Firecracker. The Firecracker is goat cheese baked in spicy marinara sauce. You use pieces of Parmesan pizza crust to sop up the cheesy goodness. If I'm being honest, I would have licked the bowl, if it wasn't so hot from the oven. Next we ordered two pizzas. We ordered the Asparagus and Prosciutto and the Morel and Smoked Mozzerella pizzas. Both were specials on the menu. The Morel and Smoke Mozzerella pizza was pricey at $30. We felt guilty about ordering such a pricey pizza, but then we thought "when in Michiana, do as the Michianans do". And we didn't regret it. Both pizzas were simply perfection. With a tasty crust, and fresh ingredients, and amazing cheese, every bite was pleasure. Stop 50 makes us want to move to Indiana, or at least drive 2 hours to visit again soon.
(5)Erika D.
This is one of my favorite places...ever. The mere thought of sitting on the outdoor patio, enjoying the quiet while drinking their fabulous sangria has gotten me through more than one horrible Midwestern winter's day. We live quite a drive from Stop 50, but we try to ride out there a few times a summer...it's a must because it's THAT good. We went there this past Saturday, for the first time this summer, and we weren't disappointed. We started with the sampler which is an assortment of seasonal veggies, thin pita strips with a delicious tomato dipping sauce and peppers stuffed with sausage. The peppers are NOT for the faint of heart...so spicy! My lips were burning after one bite. I'm kind of a puss, though, so take that for what it's worth. We also had the sausage pizza...the pizza is awesome. I can't really think of another word to describe it. The crust is thin and crispy without being hard. Everything is fresh, even the seasonings are grown outside, I'm told. And get the sangria!!! You won't be sorry. I really can't say enough about Stop 50. The food, the ambiance...I even love the fact that the owner comes out and asks how everything was. You don't find that much anymore...you feel like family there.
(5)Joe H.
It would be a little better if the hairs and tables matched the environment. Also my wife and me did not like being able to see the prep room. The pizzas were very good and the sampler appetizer was as well. We had the prosciutto pizza and it was VERY good. We will 100% be going back.
(4)chicago b.
Perfection! The pizza, appetizers and beer were phenomenal. My boyfriend and I have had a lot of pizza, but the pizza at Stop 50 is at the top of our list. We started with Backroad (local IN) beers, which were tasty. They also have Bells and wine available. Our appetizer was absolutely heaven--the Firecracker. The Firecracker is goat cheese baked in spicy marinara sauce. You use pieces of Parmesan pizza crust to sop up the cheesy goodness. If I'm being honest, I would have licked the bowl, if it wasn't so hot from the oven. Next we ordered two pizzas. We ordered the Asparagus and Prosciutto and the Morel and Smoked Mozzerella pizzas. Both were specials on the menu. The Morel and Smoke Mozzerella pizza was pricey at $30. We felt guilty about ordering such a pricey pizza, but then we thought "when in Michiana, do as the Michianans do". And we didn't regret it. Both pizzas were simply perfection. With a tasty crust, and fresh ingredients, and amazing cheese, every bite was pleasure. Stop 50 makes us want to move to Indiana, or at least drive 2 hours to visit again soon.
(5)Darkling S.
Another birthday weekend with me and my feline companion Grigori - spent at Tryon Farm Guesthouse. so Saturday evening i'm planning to sty in and watch DVDs after a full day of antiquing and dining from Saugatuck back to the farm ... and i decide to try this place. it looks like an old drive-in from the outside, but inside it is quite comfortable and that brick oven really makes a statement. of course, when i called to order "carry out" she said it'll be ready in 5 minutes. not what one is used to hearing from a pizza place! but this place isn't the ordinary pizza shop. i drove over and when i arrived arrived the check out clerk told me that it would be ready in a flash - since they place these prepared paper-thin pies in the oven for 90 seconds and voila - Naples pizza. i chose the prosciutto with pistachios - to die for. they are 12" but so thin and so good that i ate the entire pizza with my glass of red. btw, the guy handling the oven wore a tee that read Air 70 degrees Water 80 degrees Oven 900 degrees ... this is a must visit when you're anywhere near the beach or Michigan City!
(5)Leo Z.
Being from the NYC area, I am really picky when it comes to pizza in the Chicago area. I do not like the abomination of a pizza that is called deep dish and very few places give New York or Neapolitan style pizza any justice around here. Stop 50, however, is the exception. It's pizza is amazing, the slices nice and thin, the crust crispy and the cheese melts right in your mouth. The pizza and many other things on the menu are made in a brick oven, just like pizza should be. Ingredients used for everything are seasonal, local and fresh. Aside from the amazing pizza, the appetizers are wonderful as well. The bread-sticks are thin and come with a really nice and spicy tomato dipping sauce. The sausage stuffed Italian peppers are done just right and when I was there, the seasonal vegetable, asparagus was honestly the best I have ever had. If you still have room for dessert after all this, I highly recommend the smores, which look and taste great. Stop 50 is totally off the beaten track, but is a local gem that is worth a trip from Chicago or farther any day.
(5)Carrie H.
I love good pizza but come on-- Over priced and over hyped- buyer beware. $14-$16 for at best an oblong smaller than 12 inch pizza that is so thin you will still be hungry after you eat it. And last week during 90 degree day- no AC on in restaurant- it was cooler outside in the sweltering heat than inside with wood burning pizza ovens going full tilt and yet management was trying to seat people inside the inferno- crazy.
(1)