Brian Repelin
Google
Being a Chicago transplant, I crave a good Chicago pizza. Living in Riverside, I don't have too many choices close by.
Decided to give this place a try after watching a Facebook or Instagram reel. Didn't look promising from the pictures I found online, but it said it was one of Yelp's top 5 Chicago pizza places in the nation so had to go try it out for myself. It was a good 45 minute drive for me. Hoping it was going to be worth it.
Once I arrived, I noticed the place was very small. Only a few tables available inside the Pizzeria. A couple more outside on the sidewalk. Of course it was on a Sunday when I went and the Bears were playing so no where to sit inside. It was nice, however, seeing other Chicagoans rooting for our home team sporting their game day gear.
We ended up sitting outside, at least it was a nice day and was able to watch the game through the window front.
We ordered a large stuffed spinach pizza. The wait was quite a while. Longer than any other place I've ever been to. Especially having only a few customers there. I did, however, see a lot of people picking up their orders and leaving. We waited close to an hour. It finally came.
The pizza was fresh out of the oven. We let it sit and settle for a few minutes. When I finally cut into it, the center cheese came rushing out. It was a very messy pizza. Never seen one that messy before. Hoping it tasted better than it looked. The spinach was skimpy. I think they could have put more spinach in it, but oh well. Took a first bite and was pleasantly surprised at how good and fresh it tasted. Not quite as good as a pie from back home, but definitely better than any I have had here in southern California. Worth the drive there. The sauce, I think, could have had more spices added to it, but definitely savory. Not sweet like some other places. I think the sauce is what differentiates a true Chicago pizza from the rest. More zesty than sweet. I loved the crust. It was very crispy throughout and buttery. Not flaky, which I'm not a fan of. This crust had good flavor and crunch. Not easy to find in a stuffed pizza. The undercarriage was still firm, especially for being stuffed. Very difficult to find that in a stuffed pie.
My biggest disappointed was when I asked for a side of giardiniera peppers. They said they didn't have any. What respectable Chicago Pizzeria does not stock giardiniera peppers? To me, they simply go hand in hand. If I ever go back, I will take my own jar of peppers. Overall, I was very pleased with this pizza. I want to go back and try the thin crust.
It is a bit pricey, almost $50 out the door for a large stuffed, but then again everything has gone up in price. I did feed 3 adults and 2 children, so not crazy expensive, but it is just a pizza. Take it as you may. I would recommend Tony's Little Italy for their pizza. My favorite here in socal for sure. I did also enjoy all the Chicago sports paraphernalia on the walls. Very reminiscent of my hometown. If you haven't gone, you must give it a try.