BENNY’S PIZZA
ADDRESS 6806 W. 26th St., Berwyn
CONTACT (708) 749-1771, www.bennyspizzaberwyn.com
Party-size sausage pizza is the most popular pick, says Michelle DiNardi, who owns the business with brother Rino. When it comes to the crust, she says customers are partial to the one between thick and thin. “We’ve been here 42 years,” she says. “My parents came from Italy and opened it, and my brother and I took over.” The recipes are their mother’s. While Benny’s has a few tables, she says it’s primarily a delivery and carryout business.
FREDDY’S PIZZERIA
ADDRESS 1600 S. 61st Ave., Cicero
CONTACT (708) 863-9289, www.freddyspizza.com
The original Freddy’s pizza is a rectangular pan cheese pizza, says Ann Marie Quercia, whose Italian-born husband, Joe, acquired the business 42 years ago. He preserved the recipe, which has kept customers dropping by for generations for a square slice and a cup of homemade Italian ice. She says the other favorite is the “Pizza Margherita,” a traditional Neapolitan pizza with a light, crispy crust that tastes like it just came out of a wood-burning oven, but actually is baked in an old-fashioned, brick-bottom, gas-fired one. She says “Pizza Margherita” was invented in the late 1800s in Naples, Italy, to honor Queen Margherita. It sports the Italian colors of red, white and green thanks to the tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. Freddy’s, which is also an Italian grocery, serves a variety of pizza-inspired specialties as part of its menu. And don’t forget the fresh gelato — the newest flavor is coconut with walnut and hazelnut.
ANTONINO’S RISTORANTE
ADDRESS 701 W. Hillgrove Ave., La Grange
CONTACT (708) 579-9191
The vegetarian selections hold their own here against the more typical cheese and sausage. “The most popular is our Antonino’s Special Veggie Pizza, made with fresh peppers, fresh mushrooms, onions and garlic,” says owner Tony Antonino, noting it includes sliced tomatoes, both skim and whole mozzarella, plus parmesan. Adding flavor to the sauce is fresh basil, and Antonino says you can order any style of crust. For pizza under the stars, outdoor seating is available.
ALBANO’S PIZZERIA & RESTAURANT and ALBANO’S 2 PIZZERIA
ADDRESS 5913 W. Roosevelt Road, Cicero; 8699 W. Ogden Ave., Lyons
CONTACT (708) 863-0060, (708) 853-9542, www.albanospizza.com
In case you missed the recent story in these pages, it bears repeating. The pizza puff at Albano’s earned the Italian eatery bragging rights as the second-best pizzeria nationwide thanks to the Travel Channel.
MICHELANGELOS PIZZA & PASTA
ADDRESS 40W134 Campton Crossings Drive, St. Charles
CONTACT (630) 587-7777, www.michelangpizza.com
What are the restaurant’s most popular works of art in the pizza medium? The Joey D Special and the margherita, says Toni DeFrancisco, who took over the eatery in October with husband Joe. His namesake special features sausage and sautéed onions and green peppers. The margherita is made with fresh tomato slices, garlic, fresh basil and an olive oil base instead of tomato sauce. Toni says its their first restaurant, adding, “Everything here is homemade. I make … meatballs, lasagna. All of my pizza sauce and pasta sauce is homemade.”
GRATTO ITALIAN TAPAS BAR
ADDRESS 207 S. Third St., Geneva
CONTACT (630) 208-9988, www.grattoitaliantapas.com
The margherita is reported as the top pick, featuring fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, fresh basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil on a rustic thin crust. The other favorite is the sausage, onion and green pepper combo. Known for Italian tapas and diverse entrees, the restaurant offers a 10-inch pizza to those dining in, and up to 18 inches for carry-out. Veggie lovers may want to try the roasted eggplant with zucchini and cherry tomato.
PI PIZZA PERFECTION
ADDRESS 102 E. Main St., St. Charles
CONTACT (630) 587-6666, www.pipizzaperfection.com
While offering thin crust, double dough and pan pizza styles, the restaurant owned by Jinene and Pete Favia also has a specialty pizza category, described as “Very thin, very rich, very Italian.” While confiding that pan pizza is her personal choice, thin crust is probably the best seller, Jinene says. A popular offering is the New York Pi, delivering cheese, sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper on any thickness crust.
FOX’S ON THE RIVER
ADDRESS 31 N. River St., Batavia
CONTACT (630) 326-9355; www.foxsrestaurantsandpub.com
The thin crust pizza is made from a family recipe, says owner Frank Fox. The first of the family’s restaurants was started by his mom and dad in 1963. The Batavia location’s top patron pick is Fox’s Special, made with sausage, onions, mushrooms and green peppers.
SKUDDLEBUTT’S
ADDRESS 440 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove
CONTACT (630) 964-6688, www.skuddlebutts.com
A new seating area overlooking windows into the kitchen lets pizza lovers watch the creative process that has made the eatery an institution since 1939. Owner Danny Glover says thin crust remains the biggest seller. As for toppings, the winning combo is sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper. To the lineup of crust choices, he has added a thin variety made with whole wheat.
TURNABOUT PIZZA
ADDRESS 1000 Main St., Lemont
CONTACT (630) 257-2275, turnaboutpizza.com
The favorite is cheese and sausage, with cheese and pepperoni a close second, says owner Jill Rooney, noting the pizzeria offers a choice in crusts from thin to double dough, but regular is the top pick. “We’ve been here for 45 years,” she says, adding the recipes for the pizza sauce and dough remain true to the original owner’s. Customers can opt for the signature braided edge to the pizza. Turnabout offers only carry-out and delivery, but has several outdoor tables.
YORK TAVERN
ADDRESS 3702 York Road, Oak Brook
PHONE (630) 323-5090
The tavern in an 1840s building resembling a small red farmhouse serves the same pizza as its sister establishment, Roberto’s Ristorante & Pizzeria in Elmhurst. Most popular at the casual tavern are the traditional margherita made with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, and the York Special, prepared with sausage, green pepper, mushroom and onion.
ANOTHER ROUND BAR & GRILL
ADDRESS 5141 Main St., Downers Grove
CONTACT (630) 963-0333, anotherroundbarandgrill.com
The new sports bar is no rookie when it comes to its made-from-scratch pizza. Another Round is the newest venture for the Nagy family, who operate Roundhead’s Pizza Pub in town and a location in Lombard. Why the pizza prowess? Jay Nagy explains, “They’re all ma’s recipes, all our sauces and all our pizzas.”
ROBERTINO PIZZA
ADDRESS 267 W. Elk Trail, Carol Stream
CONTACT (630) 752-9680, www.robertinopizza.com
Catering to big appetites is the stadium-size pizza measuring 18-by-26 inches at this delivery and carry-out spot. “It’s one of our popular pizzas that we get a lot of requests for,” says co-owner Mike Virgilio, noting its oval shape resembles a football, and it feeds eight to nine people. He says people mainly request thin crust, and favor the sausage, mushroom and green pepper combination.
GRATTO ITALIAN TAPAS BAR
ADDRESS 433 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn
CONTACT (630) 793-9758, www.grattoitaliantapas.com
It’s almost a tie in popularity between the Popeye and the margherita at the newly opened restaurant, says Gilbert Izaguirre, general manager. The margherita is prepared with whole milk mozzarella, sliced tomato, fresh basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil on rustic thin crust. The Popeye features roasted spinach, feta and olive oil, of course. For a twist, Izaguirre recommends the quattro stagione, made with artichoke, mushrooms, olives and prosciutto, topped with a fried egg.
BISTRO 59
ADDRESS 941 S. Route 59, Bartlett, south of Stearns Road
CONTACT (630) 540-2855, www.b59.rgstats.com
Proud of his pizza, chef-owner Eric Davis makes thin crust the specialty in homage to the Italian original. They are prepared with whole milk mozzarella, and a sauce created with onions, garlic and more than a dozen spices he won’t divulge. Inventive offerings include a wild game variation with a choice of bison, venison or wild boar pepperoni.
BRICKS WOOD FIRED PIZZA & CAFE
ADDRESS 132 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard
CONTACT (630) 691-1900, www.brickswoodfiredpizza.com
“Our most popular pizza is one that might surprise you — artichoke and pesto with roasted red pepper,” says owner Bill Wilson, who attributes the authentic Italian flavor to the 850-degree oven fired by oak. Also heating up are his plans to open a new location in the western suburbs this fall. He calls Bricks a “fast-casual concept” serving beer and wine, whose centerpiece is the wood-fire brick oven.
ROBERTO’S RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA
ADDRESS 483 Spring Road, Elmhurst
CONTACT (630) 279-8486, www.robertosristorante.net
The most popular is the Roberto’s Special, a thin crust combination of mushroom, onion, green pepper and sausage, which is ground in-house. From sauce to dough, everything is made from scratch here, says manager Rosalia Moreci.
ROUNDHEAD’S PIZZA PUB
ADDRESS 275 W. Roosevelt Road, Lombard
CONTACT (630) 705-3333, roundheadspizza.com
The Nagy family operates Roundhead’s Pizza Pub in town and in Downers Grove. Why the pizza prowess? Jay Nagy explains, “They’re all ma’s recipes, all our sauces and all our pizzas.”
Western suburbs, IL —
