Hell Cat ($24.99) features double pepperoni, romano cheese, crushed red pepper and crack oil. (Karen Chaney/Community Impact)
When Shane Lambert, David Kazarian, Jay Clark and Robert Weschler opened KillA Pie in Prosper in 2021, it wasn’t the entrepreneurial quartet’s first restaurant concept to launch. However, it was their first time to serve Detroit-style pizza so they called on industry experts—Shawn Randazzo and Peter Reinhardt—for guidance in this multi-step process.
“Detroit-style [pizza dough] has a higher hydration. It has to ferment for 48 hours cold then it undergoes a second fermentation process in the pan,” Lambert said. “Detroit-style pizza is square and tall. The crust is made from caramelized Wisconsin brick cheese.”
On the menu
Lambert said that since the restaurant opened, the menu has grown well beyond pizza. Today, roughly half of the offerings are pizzas, while the other half includes a mix of pasta, roasted chicken, burgers and wings.
Their top selling pizza is The Hell Cat.
“It's basically a super duper pepperoni,” Lambert said. “It has double everything and what we call ‘crack oil,’ which is an extra virgin olive oil that has Romano, parmesan cheese and red pepper infused together.”
A non-pizza crowd pleaser are The Imposters, which is an appetizer that Lambert describes as being similar to a kolachi stuffed with Syracuse sausage, mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
Their wings are also fan favorites. Top selling wing flavors are classic hot, Italian, Texas hot honey and bulgogi—which features a Korean flavor profile.
Wings ($11/ 6; $16/12) come in a variety of flavors including Bulgogi pictured here. (Karen Chaney/Community Impact)
“I challenge anybody to find a meatier, crispier, fresher, better wing anywhere,” Lambert said. “I don't think it's possible.”
Looking for a libation?
KillA Pie offers a full bar program including draft and bottle beers, a full array of liquors, craft cocktails and more.
“The pineapple bomb is absolutely our signature drink,” Lambert said. “It has infused vodka, cinnamon, real vanilla beans and fresh pineapple—not pineapple syrup.”
Their blood orange margarita, featuring exotic tequila, blood orange bitters and agave lime juice, also draws a lot of attention.
The backstory
Prior to opening KillA Pie, Lambert developed a friendship with Randazzo, founder of Detroit Style Pizza Company in Detroit.
“He and I developed a friendship over the phone and he walked me through a lot of the authentic steps and ways of executing Detroit style pizza,” Lambert said.
The restaurateurs, who also own TruFire in Frisco, worked with Reinhardt—a multiple James Beard award winning author and host of the podcast Pizza Quest—to develop the dough recipe and processes.
“He flew out here and we spent a lot of money and time developing the dough with Peter Reinhardt,” Lambert said. “The dough process is a three day thing.”
Quote of note
Lambert credits being confident in the product served at KillA Pie and watching staff members develop a variety of skills as being his favorite elements of restaurant ownership.
“I've seen how the restaurant business can be really good for developing people—somebody who's maybe shy or insecure—you watch them really blossom, gain independence, leadership and communication skills,” Lambert said. “It's fun watching somebody come in one way and leave, or become, more confident.”
