Pizza at Bohemian Joe's

I was really happy when a building on Torrence Avenue in Lansing was resurrected as a trendy new eatery. It had long been a well-loved pizzeria and family restaurant called Poplano's. And when the next generation of the family decided to open a restaurant, they planned to modernize it and introduce new menu items that weren't common on the list of Italian dishes that the former restaurant offered.

One thing they did continue with was pizza and it's a bit different than what was served up when it was Popolano's. With a distinctly different crust that's browned and crispy, with different sauce and drizzle options, it's a more elevated and non-traditional pizza pie. Besides the sweet tomato sauce, you can order garlic alfredo, olive oil and bbq sauce. Besides the typical pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, mushroom and onion choices, you can select from ingredients such as jalapeño, pulled pork, bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, pineapple and chopped celery. Buffalo, balsamic and bbq drizzles are available.

Customize your own pizza or choose from one of eight specialty pizzas. I've tried the BBQ chicken and oinker pizzas, as well as my favorite, the pizza margherita which I could eat pretty much every day of my life and never tire of it.

Pizzas don't come in small, medium, large and extra large, but rather in 12" and 16" sizes as well as a 10" gluten free version. Prices are pretty reasonable with a 12" starting at $12.99 and a 16" starting at $17.99. Specialty pizzas are $15.99 for 12" and $21.99 for 16".

So, if you are a diehard Popolano's fan who isn't quite sure that Bo Joe's can win you over in the pizza department, give them a try. Sometimes trying new things can have delicious results. Visit bohemianjoes.com for more on the menu and on specials and upcoming events.