• 10 more great Melbourne pizza joints

Is Melbourne riding a third wave of artisan pizza? A fascination with regional pizza styles from the United States is slowly emerging, and the opening last month of Deep End in Fitzroy is cementing the trend.

There's not a Neapolitan slice to be found at the pizzeria by chef Paul Kasten and partners. Instead it's offering three distinctly different pizza styles from three US regions, all of which are a novelty for Aussies.

Thin and floppy Neapolitan-style pies took Melbourne by storm in the early aughts, followed about a decade later by slower ferment doughs that were chewier and puffier, less afraid to fuse Italian tradition with local interpretation. Vegan cashew creams with greens, mortadella with peppers, and heritage flour blends became commonplace.

Now, Detroit-style squares, whopping New York discs and toppings such as clam sauce or pepperoni are gaining traction as America's pizza traditions are explored on home soil.

Three regional pizza styles from the US are the focus at Deep End, headlined by a whopping Chicago style deep-dish that befits the description of pie. At 5.5 centimetres in height,it's not for the faint-hearted, with the Chicago Classic stuffed with layers of sausage, mozzarella, mushrooms and pecorino.

It's joined by fellow chunky number, the Detroit, which comes in six flavours ranging from 'nduja and honey to Kasten's favourite, Thyme Crisis: potato, pork cheek, thyme and confit garlic.

A line-up of six New York pizzas - thin but crunchy rather than floppy - rounds out the pizza party.

Each style needs its own dough and its own cooking process, achieved via a triple-decker oven that occupies much of Deep End's slender kitchen. Flours are single-origin from NSW miller Provenance, mozzarella is made by Floridia and Mr Kanubi supplies the guanciale.

"I've never been one to do it the easy way," says Kasten, a pizza tragic who has finally fulfilled his dream of opening a standalone pizza restaurant. He's spent several years working at more upscale venues including Brunswick's Host.

Snacks include whipped taleggio, chicken liver pate brulee and chicken wings that are cooked in the pizza oven, inspired by a Denver pizzeria's recipe.

"As we change the menu, we'll be paying homage to menus of [pizza] restaurants scattered around the US," says Kasten.

He also plans to explore pizza styles from other areas of the States via one-off menus, starting soon. New Haven, near Kasten's home town in Connecticut, is likely to be the first region spotlighted. Its thin and flaky bases, made using a pastry laminator, are making a serious comeback in the US, he says.

Late-night pizza cravings are kept in check by three different Detroit slices, starting at $10 a pop.

Open Wed-Sun 12pm-2.30pm, 5pm-11pm

412A Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 03 8589 2983, deepend.pizza