Knock-out recipes for award-winning, Philadelphia-style pizzas, wings, shakes, and more, from Down North, the pizzeria owned and operated exclusively by formerly incarcerated people, featuring poignant stories from its employees.
 
Created and launched by Philly born-and-bred entrepreneur Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, the mission of Down North Pizza is to reduce recidivism rates in North Philly and serve up the most insanely delicious food while doing it. 

We the Pizza tells the Down North story about how the restaurant fulfills its mission to educate and support the formerly incarcerated while serving dope food. A testament to survival and second chances, this cookbook offers recipes for the tender, crispy-edged, square-cut, sauce-on-top pies that are Down North’s signature dish; a whole chapter is devoted to vegetarian and vegan pizzas like No Better Love made with four cheeses and the arrabbiata-inspired Norf Sauce, while the meat and seafood pizza chapter features their most popular Roc the Mic pepperoni pie as well as the smoky berbere-brisket Tales of a Hustler and Say Yes, topped with jerk turkey sausage, roasted butternut squash, kale, ricotta, and lemon-honey drizzle. 
 
The 65 recipes for pizzas along with classic and creative wings, fries, lemonades, and shakes are paired with cinematic photography of the pizzas in their natural setting and out in the wilds of Philadelphia, with lots of journalistic-style photography of the Down North crew making dough and slinging pies. At the same time, We the Pizza provides detailed historical information about incarceration in the United States along with empowering stories from Down North’s formerly incarcerated staff. And with exclusive pizza recipes from renowned chef-supporters like Marc Vetri and Marcus Samuelsson, We the Pizza celebrates ingeniously delicious pizza, as well as the power people have to rise above their circumstances—if simply given the chance.

"Poignant stories and 65 insanely delicious recipes for award-winning pizza, wings, and more from Down North, the mission-driven Philadelphia pizzeria owned and operated exclusively by formerly incarcerated people. Philly born-and-bred entrepreneur Muhammad Abdul-Hadi found his true north when he opened Down North Pizza, an award-winning pizza joint that aims to reduce recidivism rates in North Philly. The restaurant was an instant hit, with people lining the blocks on its opening day in 2021 to get their hands on its fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside Detroit-style pies. Untitled Pizza Cookbook tells the Down North story about how the restaurant fulfills its mission to educate, serve dope food, and offer second chances for the formerly incarcerated. We the Pizza features more than 65 recipes for pizza, wings, fries, drinks, and shakes-plus lots of vegan options-from the hands and minds behind the mission. In addition to photos of the craveable food from the restaurant, the book also provides detailed historical information about incarceration in the United States, with profiles of seven employees who share their story and their second-chance experience. It even features exclusive collaborative recipes from high-profile chefs like Marc Vetri and Marcus Samuelsson. Untitled Pizza Cookbook is a testament to the power of all people to rise above their circumstances. Ultimately, it reveals the power of pizza itself"--