WHITE CLOUD, Mich. — There's nowhere we wouldn't go to find the best pizza in West Michigan. This week, that rings more true than ever, as our pizza journey has led us a bit off the beaten path.
13 Eats producers asked viewers what their favorite pizza place in the area is. After sifting through over 1,000 comments, our hungry reporter Riley Mack made it her mission to visit the top three.
Her first stop wasn't much of a surprise, as the name has nearly become synonymous with West Michigan over the years: Fricano's. See her opinion here.
Next, she visited more of an underdog, the tiny pizza paradise of Fatzo's in the heart of Rockford. See her opinion here.
Her final stop, a hidden gem, doesn't even look like it serves pizza — and it may be her favorite yet.
The History
Curve after curve, you'll drive down a long gravel road in White Cloud into the equally-gravel parking lot of Schindy's at Diamond Lake. You may think you're at the wrong place, but I can assure you, you're not. You're right where you need to be for a slice to remember.
Outside of Schindy's little building and patio sits vintage-looking pumps. Visitors come here to fill up not just on gas, but on their mouthwatering pizza.
“We love to say that we are just a gas station in White Cloud," laughed co-owner Diane Schindlbeck.
But Schindy's? It's so much more. That's thanks to Diane and her husband, Eric Schindlbeck, who have owned the building since 2021.
"This place actually, it's been around since the 1930s," she said. "It started on the corner right over there as Love’s Resort. It was ran as a little store in a gas station.”
“We put in the full kitchen. And we added the dining area, the outdoor patio," said Diane.
What came next was an unexpected hit.
“To acquire our liquor license, we had to put in the kitchen in the restaurant. So, we decided to go with pizza,” she said.
Once just a stepping-stone decision, it's now one of West Michigan’s favorite slices. But the couple says it's all thanks to their customers.
“The greatest thing about our business is that this community has been so supportive," smiled Diane.
Schindy's is one of the only restaurants serving the residents and visitors around Diamond Lake, a small body of water in White Cloud. But that doesn't stop the Schindlbecks from making their best product possible.
Though pizza is what leads the bulk of their customers to Schindy's, they keep those gas pumps running.
“This is a really good thing for rural Michigan because we are able to provide necessities that people need to come in if they're staying on the lake or if they're traveling. And we have the fuel for all the side by sides, the snowmobiles, the trails," said Diane.
“So, the all-inclusive gas station," laughed Eric.
The Vibe
Walking through Schindy's front door and into their dining area is how I'd like to walk into every room. Their staff members turn their heads to every customer who walks through the door, smiling and waving like they've known you for years.
If I had to put a word to it, walking into Schindy's is a lot like coming home. The smell of dough baking in their oven, a small decorated room that makes everything feel cozy and a crowd of people genuinely happy to see you.
The room has a cabin feel that's perfect for its natural surroundings: a deer mounted on the wall, a vintage piano and aged wood coating the bar tops. Half of the store is used as a market, with Schindy's merch, bottled drinks for sale, an entire wine wall, rotating stands for snacks and picnic tables to eat your pizza.
Right off the lake, it's the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the scenery — I, personally, will enjoy the pizza and the company too.
The Review
The mind behind all the flavor is Monica Traynor.
“The ingredients, most of the stuff we get, it's fresh, we cut it ourselves and prepare it here," said Monica.
She's a pizza chef by night. By day, lunch lady.
“I work at the school in White Cloud during the day and then I come in and fill in at nighttime here at 4 to close," she said.
Monica views cooking pizza as a sort of art form. The way she does it, I'm starting to believe her.
Especially the way she packs toppings onto their most popular pizza. Incredibly tasty, with a name that's anything but.
"Our Dumpster Diver’s are our number one seller, for sure," she said. “It's a pile of different toppings on there."
Among that pile, all the meats: ham, bacon, sausage, pepperoni. Plus red onion, sweet onion, red pepper, green pepper, black olives and mushrooms. All their pizzas come in 14-inch form, including the Dumpster Diver ($26.99), which I got the chance to try.
Their pizza is cut into squares, with cheese that stretches from the pie to the slice in your hand. Some toppings tumble off, but there are plenty to make up for it. The vegetables I just watched getting chopped in the kitchen have a wonderful snap with on top of the seasoned, gooey cheese. The sauce is sweet, with a tomato tang to it while the the crust is buttery and light.
The sheer amount of toppings packed on could be overwhelming to some, but I think it packs a unique punch. Their crust and sauce take a backseat to the real stars of the show: fresh ingredients and immaculate baked cheese.
If the company somehow wasn't selling me, this pizza certainly is. This is definitely a pizza that I would drive down that gravel road again for.
Final Thoughts
It’s not quite the friendly neighborhood bar where everybody knows your name, but...
“It's Schindy’s, where everyone has a nickname," said Diane, pointing to their menu that says the same slogan.
Close enough.
“We wanted people to feel at home. And we wanted to create that environment. That's what was the most important to us is for people to truly feel like they were coming to our house coming to visit us," she said.
“Everybody that comes into like, if I see ‘em leave, and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, I go run out there and say bye," laughed Eric.
It's true. As I walked out the doors of that little gas station in White Cloud, a Schindy's pizza box in hand, Eric came running out to wave and tell me how much it meant that I stopped by. That's when I realized that little gas station is so much more.
It's fuel for your stomach, your car — and your soul. If you think that's cheesy, just try their pizza. It's worth any drive.
“It was pizza," smiled Diane. "It was pizza that brought everybody together.”
► Schindy's at Diamond Lake is located at 297 W Foss Ave, White Cloud, MI 49349
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