Top to bottom, pizza gets a makeover

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Daniel Garr, owner of Chesdan's Pizza in Homer Glen, shows a gluten-free pizza at the restaurant Thursday, January 5, 2011. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media

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Chesdan’s, 15764 S. Bell road, Homer Glen; (708) 301-8300

Ed and Joe’s, 17332 Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park; (708) 532-3051

Caprio’s, 12778 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights; (708) 361-3330

Pizza Mia, several locations, including 19860 S. Harlem Ave., Frankfort; (815)806-8300

Nancy’s Pizza, several locations, including 551 W. 14th St.,
Chicago Heights; (708) 748-2333

Guardi’s, 16711 S. 80th Ave., Tinley Park; (708) 429-1166

Palermo’s 95th, 4849 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn; (708) 425-6262

Aurelio’s, several locations, including 18162 Harwood Ave., Homewood; (708) 798-8050

Leona’s, several locations,
including 6616 W. 95th St.,
Oak Lawn; (708) 430-7070

Beggars, several locations,
including 12700 Kedzie Ave., Blue Island; (708) 385-1234

Article Extras

Updated: February 13, 2012 8:09AM

Will pizza ever go out of style?

Not likely. Not in 2012, trend spotters say. Pizza is expected to be as popular as ever.

But you can be on the lookout for modifications: Unique toppings, gluten-free crusts and cameo appearances at unexpected times, such as breakfast.

Top this

Sue Boryszewski, a manager at Beggars Pizza in Blue Island, said by far the most popular kind of pizza is the traditional thin crust topped with Italian sausage or pepperoni. Though Beggars offers more than 20 toppings, meat continues to top the request list.

“We do a lot less with vegetables,” she said, with the exception of onion and green peppper.

In keeping with that mindset, she said, newer toppings that customers seem to be taking an interest in are chicken, ground beef and Italian beef with giardiniera.

You might call it a South Sider’s signature dish, the Italian beef pizza is a popular option for patrons who want to avoid pork.

Aurelio’s in Homewood and Caprio’s in Palos Heights offer the topping as well.

Rosario Caprio, owner of Caprio’s, said sausage continues to dominate the topping world in Chicago, but more and more, he’s getting requests for Italian beef, either with green peppers or giardiniera. Most places that offer the topping, he said, charge extra for it because it is more expensive.

At Pizza Mia in Frankfort, those torn between ordering an Italian beef sandwich and a pizza can opt for “The Chub.” It’s stuffed with thinly sliced Italian beef and homemade giardiniera. Then it’s topped with a garlic butter crust and served with au jus for dipping.

At Nancy’s Pizza, which has a location in Chicago Heights, patrons can opt for a chicken and broccoli pizza or one topped with alfredo sauce instead of the traditional marinara. Shrimp is also featured on several specialty pizzas.

Change at the bottom

Ed and Joe’s in Tinley Park does a respectable taco pizza business, but co-owner Ellen Clark says there isn’t a new topping out there that can touch Italian sausage.

She recently shipped off several holiday cartons of pizzas to out-of-town fans of the restaurant — almost all of them topped with sausage.

If you want to know what is new at Ed and Joe’s, take a look underneath the pizza.

Increasingly, you’ll find a gluten-free crust. As the number of people being diagnosed with a wheat allergy continues to grow, more pizza parlors are looking for ways to keep up with demand.

“We’re working with a crust that is getting good reviews,” Clark said.

“We’re a pizzeria, so flour is everywhere. When we make the gluten-free pizza, we put it together in the cooler,” she said.

Chesdan’s in Homer Glen introduced a gluten-free pizza last year. Manager James Garbaczewski estimates they sell 20 to 30 a week.

“Even people who don’t have to eat gluten-free seem to like it,” he said.

Chesdan’s does not make the crust. It orders it from French Meadow Bakery and then tops it with its own ingredients.

Other parlors that offer a gluten-free crust include Palermo’s 95th in Oak Lawn and Guardi’s in Tinley Park.

Top o’ the mornin’

Though foodies predict that breakfast will soon open up a whole new market for pizza makers, there is little evidence of the idea taking off in these parts.

Except at Leona’s.

With locations in Beverly and Oak Lawn, Leona’s offers an individual breakfast pizza made with three eggs, cheddar cheese sauce, pan fried diced potatoes, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.

According to Technomic’s MenuMonitor, breakfast pizzas beat out scrambled eggs, bagels and breakfast sandwiches on a list of fastest-growing breakfast items.

No word on whether Italian beef and giardiniera will make its way onto morning menus any time soon.