Cushwa and Rad Pies Taproom in Baltimore: Detroit-Style Pizza With a Tap List

Cushwa and Rad Pies Taproom is a Detroit-style pizza operation with an attached bar in Canton, serving rectangular, thick-crust pies with crispy fried edges and a focused menu of rotating beers on draft. The setup splits the space functionally: order and eat pizza on one side, grab a beer or cocktail on the other, with both menus available throughout. It fills a specific gap in Baltimore's pizza landscape, which leans heavily toward Neapolitan spots and New York-thin slices.

What Detroit-style pizza is and why it matters here

Detroit pizza differs from the Neapolitan and New York styles that dominate Baltimore. The dough is rectangular, roughly an inch thick, pressed into an oiled pan, and finished with toppings and cheese, then baked until the bottom and edges crisp and fry in the oil. The result: a substantial slice with a yielding center and what's often called "frico," the caramelized cheese edge that forms against the pan. The style comes from Detroit's Sicilian immigrant heritage and 1940s-era Buddy's Pizzeria. Cushwa and Rad Pies commits to this method entirely, which means if you want a Neapolitan-style pie or a thin New York fold, you'll need to go elsewhere; if you want something with weight and those crispy edges, this is the move.

Menu and pricing

Cushwa and Rad Pies offers signature pies and custom builds. Prices run $16 to $28 per pie depending on size and toppings; a basic cheese or one-topping pie sits in the low-to-mid range. Slices are available by the piece at roughly $3 to $5 each. Toppings include house-made sausage, pepperoni, vegetables, and rotating specials. The taproom carries roughly 20 beers on draft, with prices typically $5 to $7 per draft pour depending on style and size. Well cocktails run around $7 to $9. Food pricing is accessible; a pie and two draft beers for two people lands near $35 before tax and tip.

How it compares to Baltimore's other pizza options

Baltimore has strong pizza options across different styles. Ouzo's in Fells Point and Hersh's in Canton serve New York-style slices and pies at similar price points ($3 to $5 per slice, $18 to $26 per pie), but offer the thin, foldable format and a lighter overall experience. Trinacria in Little Italy and Sabatino's lean Neapolitan and Italian-American, with wood-fired or deck ovens, longer waits during peak hours, and a more formal sit-down structure. The Rec Pier Chop House in Canton serves high-end neapolitan-adjacent pizza as part of a full restaurant menu. Cushwa and Rad Pies differentiates by being Detroit-specific, casual, and integrated with a working taproom where you can order, eat quickly, and linger with a beer without table service or reservations. It suits a weeknight drop-in or a group that wants variety on one tab.

Who it suits and who it doesn't

This spot works for: people new to Detroit-style pizza who want to understand the format without traveling to Michigan; beer drinkers who want food and a bar in one room; casual groups who don't want a reservation or table-service commitment; anyone who prefers a thick, substantial slice over a thin one. It does not suit: diners seeking a full sit-down restaurant experience with servers and side dishes; people who insist on Neapolitan pizza as the only legitimate form; those looking for a quieter, intimate date-night setting (the taproom operates at social volume). The space is unrefined, which is intentional; there is no tablecloth or dim lighting.

What a first visit involves

Walk in, approach the counter, order a pie or slices. The staff will tell you the estimated wait (typically 10 to 15 minutes). You order and pay at the same point. Grab a beer from the bar while you wait. Pies come out on a tray, sliced and ready to eat. Seating is first-come; high tops and bar counter predominate. Eat standing up or perched at a bar. There is no hostess or waiter. The format is explicitly transactional.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Cushwa and Rad Pies operates Tuesday through Sunday, typically 5 p.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. (hours shift seasonally; confirm before a trip). Canton has street parking and nearby paid lots on O'Donnell and Linwood. The location is a short walk from Canton's main commercial corridor. The space is ADA-accessible via street entry.

For a pizza audience that knows what it wants and doesn't mind skipping the table service, Cushwa and Rad Pies fills a concrete need in a city where Detroit style remains underrepresented.