The Joys of Shorty's Pizza and Smoked Meats: A Taste of Superior Wisconsin

As we step into the beautiful city of Superior, Wisconsin, just over the bridge from Duluth, Minnesota, it's clear that the locals are eager to spend as much time indoors as possible due to the unpredictable weather. But on a day like today, with the sun shining brightly, there's no better place to be than at Shorty's Pizza and Smoked Meats Santa Fe. This unassuming eatery has been a favorite among the community for years, and it's easy to see why.

The menu at Shorty's is a masterclass in variety, with pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, appetizers, and even pepper burgers all vying for attention. But the real star of the show is the smoked meats. Brian Noel, the restaurant's owner, drew inspiration from his Canadian roots when he opened up shop in 2013, bringing with him a unique take on smoked meat that's been perfected over the years. "Smoked meat is kind of like the American version of a hamburger," Noel explains, "so I thought I'd bring it up here and hand off the technique to restaurant vet and chef David Endler." And boy, has he succeeded.

The meats at Shorty's are truly exceptional, with each slice oozing flavor and texture. The meat lovers pizza, in particular, is a highlight of the menu – crispy crust, chewy sausage, and just the right amount of herbs from the smoked meat all combine to create a truly unforgettable experience. "I'm from Wisconsin, I like cheese," our host says with a grin, "and this pizza has it all: the smoked meat, the bacon, the sausage – it's just to die for!" And it's clear that Shorty's is more than just a pizza joint – it's an institution.

Despite its reputation as one of the best restaurants in town, no one seems to know where the name "Shorty's" actually comes from. "You're far from short," our host jokes, referring to the enormous building that houses the eatery. "It was just a fun, simple, easy name to remember." And indeed it is – Shorty's has become synonymous with top-notch food and atmosphere in Superior.

One of the standout dishes on the menu is undoubtedly the hunter's chicken sandwich. Moist, flavorful, and expertly prepared, this sandwich would be nothing without its various components coming together in perfect harmony. "You took it to a variety of different levels," our host praises, citing the addition of the hunter sauce, crisp chicken, and delicate cuts as all key factors in creating a truly unforgettable dining experience.

As we explore the menu further, one can't help but notice the attention to detail that goes into each and every dish. From the fresh ingredients used in the appetizers to the perfectly balanced flavors of the various sandwiches, it's clear that Shorty's is committed to serving only the best food possible. "I'll tell you something, man – this place is a great spot," our host says with conviction. "The pizza, the smoked meats, the scratch-made food... it's all top-notch."

In short (pun intended), Shorty's Pizza and Smoked Meats Santa Fe is an absolute must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the best of Superior Wisconsin. With its unique blend of old-school charm and modern flair, this eatery is sure to delight even the most discerning palates. So why wait? Get on over to Boring Avenue (also known as Delicious Boulevard), grab a seat at Shorty's, and get ready to indulge in some truly exceptional cuisine.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enso it's july here in beautiful superior wisconsin right over the bridge from duluth minnesota you know with the weather the way it is around here i'm told spend as much time indoors as you can so i'm here to check out a joint everybody loves this is shorty's pizza and smoked meats santa fe oh it's delicious it's not just pizzas they have sandwiches and burgers and appetizers pepper burgers up this is the only restaurant that i know in superior that has the smoked meats hot turkey sandwich with coleslaw this is a very good place to come in the cold weather you're right up on lake superior as far north as you can get before canada which is where the menu inspiration came from when brian noel opened the joint up in 2013. coming from ottawa canada smoked meat is kind of like the american version of a hamburger so i thought i'd bring it up here and hand off the technique to restaurant vet and chef david ender more smoked meat scotty the smoked meat is just so good here's the meat lovers pizza for you guys there are pizzas and then there are pizzas and this meat lovers pizza we have in front of us is fantastic it's crispy it's chewy sausage adds tons of flavor you get the herbs from the smoked meat great job chef thank you this guy's crazy pizza i'm from wisconsin i like cheese that's a lot of cheese the smoked meat with the bacon the sausage it is just to die for all right i get the food but i'm just not getting the name no one has been able to answer where did shorties come from you're far from short the building is enormous you just wanted to have a fun simple easy name to remember just shorties correct it's a very unique place it's a blend of old and new just the best food in town drop me another hunter's chicken the hunter's chicken sandwich unbelievably good really really moist chicken it's worth every bite if any one component of this sandwich wasn't there this would be a pretty basic sandwich yeah you took it to a variety of different levels one with the hunter sauce putting the crisp on the chicken that's a necessity cut it on the bias and you make it very delicate to eat it's great flavor i was cruising down boring avenue hooked a right right onto delicious boulevard you navigated this into a really dynamite sandwich thank you bunch of chicken in the window the chicken the cheese the mushrooms it just melts in your mouth i'll tell you something man it's a it's a great place great pizza scratch made food good times food my good times shorties pizza smoked meat youso it's july here in beautiful superior wisconsin right over the bridge from duluth minnesota you know with the weather the way it is around here i'm told spend as much time indoors as you can so i'm here to check out a joint everybody loves this is shorty's pizza and smoked meats santa fe oh it's delicious it's not just pizzas they have sandwiches and burgers and appetizers pepper burgers up this is the only restaurant that i know in superior that has the smoked meats hot turkey sandwich with coleslaw this is a very good place to come in the cold weather you're right up on lake superior as far north as you can get before canada which is where the menu inspiration came from when brian noel opened the joint up in 2013. coming from ottawa canada smoked meat is kind of like the american version of a hamburger so i thought i'd bring it up here and hand off the technique to restaurant vet and chef david ender more smoked meat scotty the smoked meat is just so good here's the meat lovers pizza for you guys there are pizzas and then there are pizzas and this meat lovers pizza we have in front of us is fantastic it's crispy it's chewy sausage adds tons of flavor you get the herbs from the smoked meat great job chef thank you this guy's crazy pizza i'm from wisconsin i like cheese that's a lot of cheese the smoked meat with the bacon the sausage it is just to die for all right i get the food but i'm just not getting the name no one has been able to answer where did shorties come from you're far from short the building is enormous you just wanted to have a fun simple easy name to remember just shorties correct it's a very unique place it's a blend of old and new just the best food in town drop me another hunter's chicken the hunter's chicken sandwich unbelievably good really really moist chicken it's worth every bite if any one component of this sandwich wasn't there this would be a pretty basic sandwich yeah you took it to a variety of different levels one with the hunter sauce putting the crisp on the chicken that's a necessity cut it on the bias and you make it very delicate to eat it's great flavor i was cruising down boring avenue hooked a right right onto delicious boulevard you navigated this into a really dynamite sandwich thank you bunch of chicken in the window the chicken the cheese the mushrooms it just melts in your mouth i'll tell you something man it's a it's a great place great pizza scratch made food good times food my good times shorties pizza smoked meat you\n"