Taste The 518: Pizza By Plu 🍕 is the best dam pizza you can't get

Happy Tuesday, Capital Region! Today, we’re introducing you to Brian Plu, who makes these incredible Detroit-style pizzas. But they’re also incredibly hard to get 🫠 

We also wanted to share this awesome feedback from Albany resident Lauren W.: “Always makes my Tuesdays and Thursdays [to get your newsletter]. You guys really are helping to fill the void on independent news and happenings in our Capital area.” 

Thanks for being a loyal reader, Lauren!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Pizza By Plu is really, really hard to get—but so worth it 🍕 

Brian Plu makes some of the very best pizza in the Capital Region—but this is likely your first time hearing that name.

There’s no brick-and-mortar store. No employees. No website. It’s just Brian.

To get your grubby hands on one of his delicious Detroit-style pies, you need to follow an unconventional but very specific process. Here’s how it works:

• At noon sharp on Sundays, Brian makes a post on his Facebook page with a SignUpGenius link for each day's drop. He sells out in minutes—11 minutes is the current record!

• At noon on the day of each drop, Brian will send an email to the lucky few with the secret drop-off location, which happens at exactly 4:30-5:30 pm on each specific day.

Late getting to the drop-off? Too bad, you’re not getting your pizza.

“People say the process is crazy, but the pizza’s worth it,” Brian tells us in his first public interview. Judging from the comments on his 10K strong Facebook page, thousands of people agree.

Last year, Pizza By Plu was voted the 3rd best pizza by the Times Union, shocking many local pizza lovers. Who the heck is this guy?

Brian is largely self taught: “I went to school for economics, but I was always a restaurant guy—25 years in the industry, front of house, bartender, server.” During Covid, he started experimenting with pizza making because, like us, he has a hard time finding excellent pizza in the Capital District. One day, he quit a job he hated and went full on pizza.

Each week, Brian produces 192 Detroit-style pies (8”x10”), working out of Capitol Cooks, a commercial kitchen in Colonie. Fan favorites include the Tyler Durden (double pepperoni, bacon, and Mike’s Hot Honey) and the Ricotta Be Kidding Me (white pizza with roasted broccoli, cream sauce and truffle balsamic). Prices range from $17.75 for the cheese to $24.25 for the Tyler.

Brian’s entire business runs through Facebook, where he sprinkles in references to music and movies he loves. Not coincidentally, his favorite movie is the cult film, “Fight Club.”

“The number one rule of Pizza By Plu is that we do not talk about the actual drop locations,” he writes. Brian is also not above dropping some serious F-bombs on his posts—especially when people try to game the system to get an order. 

“I have little tolerance for nonsense,” he admits.

What makes Pizza By Plu worth the hype? Brian credits his house-made sauce, quality ingredients, and 24-hour proofed dough. “It’s also made with love,” he says. “This is my passion; it’s all I do.”

So, how do you really get on Brian’s list to order a pizza? “Set an alarm,” he says.

😎 WEATHER WATCH

WELLNESS. EDUCATE. EMPOWER.

Noteworthy Resources helps people connect with the mental health resources they deserve. Finding a therapist can be like dating—you might need to visit a few to find “the right one.” We understand that this process can be discouraging and exhausting, and we’re here to help. Noteworthy Resources helps you find the right therapist for you. This free, confidential service is for people of any age who reside in any New York ZIP code! 

👷‍♂️ Who’s going to demo Albany’s most prominent eyesore? Today, the Advance Albany County Alliance awarded a $14.6 million demolition contract for the Central Warehouse to a partnership between Gramercy Group and LiRo Construction. The project is expected to take 8—12 months to complete. [Times Union]

✅ Vote for your Capital Region favorites! The Times Union's 2025 Best of the Capital Region, the area's biggest readers' choice poll, is now open for voting through March 7. Brian Plu 🍕 is hoping to beat his 3rd place showing from 2024. The 2025 list is revealed on May 18. [Times Union]

👩‍🎓 Union College gets first woman president. Elizabeth Kiss (pronounced like quiche) will step into the role as the first female president in the college’s 230-year history. A philosopher and former leader of the Agnes Scott College and the Rhodes Trust, Kiss aims to build on the college’s commitment to engineering and the liberal arts. [Spectrum News]

Nurture a legacy with this 1850s two-family rowhouse in Albany’s historic Hudson/Park. With original architectural charm and modern updates, this elegant home is set to stand proudly for generations to come. Recent improvements include repointed and painted exterior masonry, a freshly painted interior, new mini-split systems for heating and cooling on each floor, and upgraded sewer and water pipes. The garden apartment is a rare find. The exposed ceiling beams and open layout are worth highlighting. Both units also enjoy access to the backyard, which is largely bricked in for a structured winter look, but blooms into a truly stunning summer courtyard.

The deets: 3 bd, 2 ba, 2160 sf. Asking: $348,000. Days on market: 2. See the full listing here.

🎟️ WHAT’S HAPPENING

Note: Our full weekend roundup publishes on Thursday! Keep an eye on your inbox.

🍽️ Schenectady Restaurant Week is happening now, running through Sunday. $20 for a two-course lunch, or $30/$40 for a three-course dinner.

🖼️ This week is your last chance to see Screenprint Biennale 10th Anniversary at Opalka Gallery.

🧵 Also ending this week is the whimsical “Enchanting Threads: The Art of Salley Mavor” at the Albany Institute of History & Art. It’s a must-see show for families.

🍕 End your Tuesdays on a high note with Trivia Nights Live, featuring DeFazio’s Pizza, at Albany Distilling Co.

🤖 On Wednesday, explore visionary couture at the Eco-Futurism Fashion Show to the sound of original beats and live DJs at EMPAC.

🏳️‍🌈 On Thursday, join a curator’s tour of “a field of bloom and hum,” the Tang Museum’s largest-ever exhibit, featuring over 140 intergenerational queers artists. We’ll see you there!

🍷 Also Thursday, sip “Oscar-winning” wines and level up your grape game at the In-Store Wine Class at Troy Wine Co.

🛍️ Shop small businesses using cash this Friday to participate in the national Economic Boycott protest against the Musky DOGE arm of the Trump administration.

🍫 That evening, take a stroll as a variety of small businesses stay open late for Troy Night Out and the Troy Hot Chocolate Stroll!

🤣 Also Friday night, Next Stop Comedy brings some of the best comedians in the country to Common Roots Albany Outpost.

💼 Looking to network with other professionals in the Capital Region? Multiple chambers of commerce are coming together for the 2025 Business Bridge on Friday.

🦎 On Saturday, bring the young ones to the free Hannaford Kidz Expo, featuring face painting, bounce rides, reptile room and a science show.

🎸 LIVE MUSIC & MORE

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Sundays are the deadline to be included in the coming week’s list!

🦫 GET IN TOUCH!

Got an awesome business, event or personality we should feature? Let us know! Contact: [email protected]