Philly’s First Emmy Squared Will Appeal to Pretty Much Everyone

Thick, cheesy Detroit-style pizza, double-patty burgers on pretzel buns, waffle fries smothered in bacon, ranch, and chile pimento cheese — what’s not to like? Brooklyn-born Emmy Squared opens its first Philly location Friday, October 11, with a menu of upgraded American favorites, plus a full bar. The expanding chain joins the already noteworthy lineup of restaurants in the Queen Village neighborhood, setting up in the new Queen boutique hotel at Fifth and Bainbridge.

The majority of the menu is pizza, with classic options like the margarita with burrata and basil and the roni supreme with pepperoni and Calabrian chilies building up to more unusual varieties, like the only-sold-in-Philly Tony Luke Jr. It’s a play on a roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe, roasted garlic, bacon, hot peppers, and provolone.

The burger Emmy Squared is known for, dubbed Le Big Matt, goes for a hefty $19 but has some weight to it, with two grass-fed beef patties, American cheese, pickles, sauce, and a side of waffle fries.

Emmy Squared [official]

Other sandwiches include spicy chicken with salsa and ranch, chicken parm, and fried green tomatoes. Or go for the wedge salad with Nashville-style hot chicken, Alabama-style white sauce, blue cheese, olives, and tomatoes. Like the Tony Luke Jr., the chopped cheese fries pay homage to Philly’s most famous foods with chopped beef and cheese piled on waffle fries.

The restaurant is stylish in a gently Brooklyn way, especially around the bar, with an exposed brick wall, gold light fixtures with Edison bulbs, and green tile, and it’s roomy — there are seats for 92 in the dining room and another 50-plus in the bar area. There’s also a courtyard with outdoor tables.

Emmy Squared [official]

Emmy Squared is from Emily Hyland and chef Matt Hyland, who opened Emily in Brooklyn first before adding Emmy Squared in 2016 (they were a couple; they’re business partners now). After some complications with investors, the Hylands are teamed up with Howard Greenstone and Ken Levitan and continuing to expand the brand, which has locations in New York, Nashville, and now Philly.

Take a look at some pizza glamour shots:

Emmy Squared [official]

Emmy Squared [official]

Emmy Squared

Here are the loaded fries:

Emmy Squared [official]

And say hello to the sandwiches:

Emmy Squared [official]

Emmy Squared [official]

• The 12 Most Anticipated Restaurants in Philadelphia, Fall 2019
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• Detroit-Style Pizza Hit Emmy Squared Eyes Major Expansion in NYC and Beyond [Eater NY]
• Detroit-Style Pizza Is Having a Moment. But Are Its Originators Getting Left Behind? [Eater National]