Recreating the “Bob Special” from House of Georgie in Ottawa
Even though we talk about unique toppings in our blog, I think most people are going to be a little shocked at the idea of pizza and gravy. But at House of Georgie, a beloved Ottawa pizzeria since 1980, gravy on pizza is more than just a quirky idea—it’s a local legend.
Late-Night Legend: The Bob Special
This innovation, known as the Bob Special, owes its origins to a late-night craving and a regular named Bob, whose adventurous (or possibly misguided) palate and love of fries with gravy (a Canadian staple, even without cheese curds) birthed one of Ottawa’s most iconic dishes…or perhaps the right word is infamous.
the dish was apparently created when one of Georgie’s regulars named Bob came in after a few barley sodas and ordered a slice of pepperoni pizza, fries, and gravy then proceeded to dip his pizza in the gravy.
Now a slice of pepperoni pizza topped with gravy and finished in the oven is officially on the menu as “Bob Special“.
This story was related to another food blogger in 2011 by the store manager, Mike Tabaja.
My Own Introduction to House of Georgie Pizza and the Bob Special
I too was introduced to the Bob Special by my friend Chris Cromarty in 2006. I was just moving to Ottawa and Chris, who’d been there for a few years at that point, knew some of the best places for a night on the town.
We didn’t start at Georgie – we finished there. Even at the late hour, I was very skeptical but we had enjoyed the “correct” amount of beer beforehand to ease the decision-making process. Thankfully, House of Georgie is open until at least 2 AM every night except Sundays! And Chris was already well acquainted with House of Georgie pizza.
House of Georgie’s Gravy
Canadians do love gravy (poutine is just evolved fries and gravy). I used to go watch my brother play hockey just so I could have fries and gravy at the arena. I’d later discover that it was $.99 canned mushroom gravy, but that only meant I could put it on anything at home!
How to Make the Bob Special
This is not the trickiest dish on our site by any stretch. You could of course get yourself any pepperoni pizza and just add gravy (on top, which is the standard now, or as a dip – like Bob did).
However, we recommend you give our New York style pizza a try (with pepperoni, per Bob) since it has really good strength to hold that gravy!
We also have an easier Pepperoni pizza recipe you can try as well – still delicious.
How to Make Your Own Bob Special-Style Gravy
House of Georgie’s gravy is a meat gravy that’s a secret family recipe. And while While the exact recipe for Georgie’s gravy remains a secret, here’s a homemade version that combines the rich flavors of chicken and beef to create a savory gravy perfect for topping pizza.
Ingredients (makes ~1.5 cups of gravy)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
You can also use meat drippings in place of the broth(s) above – for example, if you have turkey drippings or drippings from a roast.
Instructions
- Make a roux: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden brown and smells nutty.
- Add the broths: Slowly pour in the beef broth and chicken broth, whisking to combine and prevent lumps.
- Season: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder. Let the mixture simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assembling the Bob Special
- Prepare your pizza: Start with a freshly baked New York-style pepperoni pizza. (You can use store-bought or homemade.)
- Add the gravy: Spoon the hot gravy generously over the pizza, ensuring it covers the cheese and pepperoni.
- Finish in the oven: Place the gravy-topped pizza back in the oven at 375°F for 5–7 minutes, or until the gravy begins to meld with the cheese.
- Serve immediately: Slice and enjoy the unique, savory goodness of your homemade Bob Special.
You Don’t Need to go to Ottawa for this Late-Night Delight
While House of Georgie just might be worth the pilgrimage, you don’t need to go to Ottawa to get this combo!
Take a stab at adding gravy to your next pepperoni pizza or even just dipping your pizza in some left over Thanksgiving gravy – I think you’ll be surprised!
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.