Pizza Tour

You could easily come to the Chicago Southland, eat pizza every day for a year and not duplicate your pizza order. There are scores of restaurants serving up this Chicago specialty in various forms - cracker thin, stuffed, pan pizza, deep dish, calzone - with a huge selection of toppings. So, come and let us make your pizza dreams come true.

AURELIO’S

One of the first pizzerias in the area, Joe Aurelio opened in a small Homewood storefront with four tables in 1959. Over the years, the love for Joe’s dough, sauce and sausage just continued to grow. Fans still flock to the Homewood restaurant for pizza pie made in the old oven (upon request). You’ll now find Aurelio’s all around the country and you can enjoy it in this area in Chicago Heights, Crete, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Palos Heights, Richton Park and Tinley Park, in addition to the huge Homewood location that can accommodate 500-plus.

BEGGAR’S

Their tagline is “We Lay It On Thick!” and do they ever. If you like lots of cheese and everything else, you’ll love Beggar’s. Serving up thin, deep dish and gourmet stuffed in the Chicago Southland, you’ll find locations in Harvey, Lansing, Blue Island, Oak Forest, Richton Park, Mokena and New Lenox.

GIORDANO’S

The first Giordano’s opened in 1974, but the double-crusted family recipe goes back two centuries. While you’ll find a number of Italian specialties on their menu, their jam is their “Famous Stuffed Deep Dish” pizza. Visit them in Matteson, Orland Park and Mokena.

LOU MALNATI’S

Established in 1986, they’re best known for their Chicago-style Deep Dish. You’ll find carry-out and delivery locations in Flossmoor and Palos Heights and a full service restaurant and bar in Tinley Park.

It’s not all about the big guys. The Chicago Southland boasts numerous single-location family pizzerias where you can taste the care that was put into each slice. Try Ed & Joe’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Tinley Park, where they pride themselves on “slow food” rather than fast food and you’re welcome to linger and enjoy pizza, sandwiches, fresh fish, pastas and more. Have a drink in the full bar and listen to live music on weekends.

Pizza Fun Facts

• The top 5 days for pizza sales are Super Bowl Sunday, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
• Americans consume over 251 million pounds of pepperoni each year.
• Pizza accounts for more than 10 percent of all food-service sales.
• Popular pizza toppings in Japan are squid and mayo saga (mayonnaise, potato and bacon).
• 94 percent of Americans eat pizza regularly.