Affectionately dubbed “jet fuel” by its owners, the handcrafted sauce at Jet’s Pizza is out of this world

By Patricia Nugent

While Jet’s Pizza serves up the types of deep-dish pizzas made famous in Chicago, as well as a tasty New York-style hand-tossed pizza, the men behind the local pizzerias here in town hail from Detroit.

Owners Sean McEvoy and Mike Vlasak moved to Northeast Ohio 11 years ago to open a pizza store in Middleburg Heights. Now, a decade later, they have four locations: the original store in Middleburg Heights, two in Parma and one in Westlake.

Sean, a former Goodyear tire salesman, and Mike, who owned a mortgage company, are personable and passionate, which is reflected in every detail of the business—from short delivery times to letting the pizza sauce marinate overnight.

“Our staff comes in two hours before we open every day to prepare the dough and pizza sauce by hand,” says Sean.

“We are known for the ‘crunch,’ which we affectionately call our deep-dish pizza,” says Mike. “We also make a hand-tossed round and thin crust for those who prefer less dough, and a gluten-free option for those with dietary restrictions.”

For a flavor boost, you can add Turbo Crust to any pizza, which is made with butter, garlic and Romano cheese, or have other flavors like Cajun, poppy seed and sesame seed sprinkled on the crust.

“Our sauce is a traditional, authentic Italian recipe, so it is not too sweet, not too spicy, but just perfect,” comments Sean, noting the recipe is from the founder’s great grandmother.

“We make the sauce with fresh herbs and let it marinate for 24 hours,” adds Mike. “We call it our jet fuel.”

One of the best-selling pizzas on the menu is the 8 Corner Pizza, which is made with two small square pizzas cooked next to each other resulting in eight slices that are all corner pieces, so you get to savor the signature crispy crust.

“Our Buffalo Ranch Chicken and Philly Cheese Steak specialty pizzas offer that something different,” says Mike.

“And for those with a hearty appetite, the Jet 10 is the way to go. It’s topped with cheese, pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, hamburger, bacon, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives.”

Also on the menu are sandwiches, chicken wings and freshly prepared salads.

“Most people think of ordering pizza for dinner, but we also specialize in lunch,” says Sean, noting the stores offers pepperoni pizza by the slice and a daily lunch special. “We also have a tasty selection of sandwiches.”

Made with pizza dough and topped with butter and Romano cheese baked into a crunchy, golden crust, Jetzees come stuffed with ham and cheese, tuna, chicken parmesan, meatballs or veggies.

A pickup and delivery pizzeria, Jet’s Pizza delivers to a four-mile radius around each store. And you can find the pizza in local schools, as it is served on the lunch menu at Parma High School and in Westlake schools, as well as at high school sporting events around town.

“All four of our pizzerias are involved in their respective communities through participation in schools and athletics,” says Mike. “We are proud to be part of the community where we work and give back to those who have supported us over the past decade.”

Jet’s Pizza is located at 5344 Pearl Road (440-888-2100) and 7878 Broadview Road (216-328-1900) in Parma. Additional locations are at 7554 Pearl Road in Middleburg Heights (440-243-7802) and 25947 Detroit Road in Westlake (440-892-1200). Store hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, noon to 10 p.m. Visit JetsPizza.com to order online or for more information.