Running a restaurant can be a daunting task, and sometimes the only people who truly know what it’s like are other people in the business. David Maiolo, operating partner of Sweet Auburn BBQ, and Patrick McHugh, owner of 15th St. Pizza & Pub, had some mutual friends and started talking about work and the Henry County community as Maiolo began to frequent the pizza establishment. The topic of collaborating on a dish started soon after they struck up a conversation.

“I thought about a brisket pizza,” said Maiolo, as Sweet Auburn BBQ is well-known for its brisket, but there was already a pizza with brisket on the menu. “We wanted to find a purple cow of sorts, something that stands out.”

McHugh had introduced Detroit-style pizza to 15th St. Pizza & Pub on Monday evenings. Maiolo thought about bringing some of Sweet Auburn’s Asian influences to the rectangular, thick crust pie. After several attempts, the duo landed on what is now known as “Sweet Street.”

“We are both into grinding meat and making sausage,” said McHugh. “So, we experimented a bit and ended up using Sweet Auburn’s homemade lemongrass sausage.”

The pizza starts with 15th St.’s white garlic base, followed by the sausage and mozzarella. Once the pizza is cooked, it is topped with fresh basil, cilantro, pickled onions, and Sweet Auburn BBQ’s homemade peanut sauce. The result is a winning combination between two McDonough restaurants that like to subvert expectations. 15th St. Pizza & Pub has several pizzas you are unlikely to find anywhere else, like their Pickle Pizza and Wine and Cheese Pizza, while Sweet Auburn BBQ takes southern barbecue and spices things up with an Asian flair. “Sweet Street” is the best of both worlds.

“We’re going back to the drawing board for future collaborations,” said McHugh. “We want there to be an item at Sweet Auburn BBQ. So, we’ve started experimenting again.”

On Monday nights, detroit-style pizzas are only available at 15th St. Pizza & Pub. For more information, visit 15thstreetpizza.com and sweetauburnbbq.com.

By Mike Boylan