This Old-School Restaurant In Illinois Serves Pizza That Locals Call The Best Around

Mighty Mouse riding an elephant is one of the first clues you’ve found the right pizza place. Things only get stranger and more delightful from there.

The restaurant sits inside a former elementary school in northern Illinois. The old cafeteria and gym now hold tables, arcade games, and a mountain of pop culture treasures.

I like how nothing here feels polished or corporate. There’s a life-size Archie Bunker in his chair, a vintage Harley, and a mural painted by students back in 1961 and 1962.

Then comes the pizza, which won first place in a county-wide pizza bracket. Crispy crust, plenty of cheese, and pies named after pop culture legends make the menu a conversation starter.

I can’t imagine a better excuse for a small-town road trip, can you?

Recess Never Ended At This Small-Town Pizza Parlor

Old School Pizza lives up to its name in the most literal way possible. The restaurant fills part of a former elementary school building in the little town of Malta, Illinois.

Malta sits in DeKalb County, west of DeKalb and surrounded by farmland. It’s an easy drive from Rockford, the western suburbs, or Northern Illinois University.

Owners Josh and Molly Holbrook bought the school in September 2017. They spent more than a year transforming it before the restaurant opened in March 2020.

Here’s a fun twist that makes the place feel personal. The Holbrooks actually live in the rest of the old school building, so the pizzeria is part of their home.

The dining area took over what used to be the school cafeteria and gym. Former classrooms also became cozy spots to eat, each loaded with memorabilia.

That mix of history and whimsy sets the tone right away. You aren’t heading to a strip-mall chain with laminated menus and beige walls.

Instead, you’re visiting a family-run passion project in a building that once rang with school bells. Honestly, that alone makes the drive tempting, even before the first slice hits the table.

A Student Mural From 1961 Still Watches Over Dinner

Back in 1961 and 1962, local students picked up their paintbrushes and created a large mural. Decades later, it still covers a wall inside the restaurant.

The artwork shows the town of Malta along with the wider DeKalb area. Northern Illinois University appears in the scene too, tying the building to its neighbors.

I love that the Holbrooks kept it instead of painting over it. That choice turns a meal into a small history lesson, minus the pop quiz.

Look up near the counter and you’ll spot another reminder of the building’s past. A classroom chalkboard hangs there, a cheerful nod to the days of spelling tests and lunch trays.

These touches matter because they connect generations. Grandparents may remember schools just like this one, while kids get a peek at how things looked long ago.

It’s easy to get distracted by the flashier displays around the room. Still, the mural deserves a slow look, especially since students from more than sixty years ago made it.

Think of it as the building’s yearbook photo. It quietly reminds everyone that this place served the community long before pizza entered the picture.

Your Eyes Won’t Know Where To Land In These Memorabilia-Packed Rooms

Laurel and Hardy busts, a 1939 Bantam Speedster, and a Harley-Davidson share the same roof. That’s just a warm-up for the collection inside Old School Pizza.

The memorabilia stretches from the 1930s to today. Movie posters, classic TV shows, legendary bands, and toy collections crowd nearly every surface.

A giant 1972 McDonald’s train carries familiar characters across one display. A life-size Archie and Edith Bunker set, with Archie in his famous chair, pulls plenty of double takes.

There’s even a statue of Benny Hill tucked among the displays. And of course, Mighty Mouse rides an elephant, which somehow feels completely normal here.

The collection drew enough attention to appear on the TV show Collector’s Call. That says a lot about the depth of what the Holbrooks have gathered.

Here’s a smart tip worth stealing. Switch seats with your group partway through the meal so everyone sees what’s displayed behind them.

One visit rarely covers it all, and that’s part of the charm. Many families end up wandering the rooms after eating, pointing out treasures from their own childhoods.

Pac-Man, Pinball And A Real Bozo Buckets Game Await

Chicago-area kids of a certain age will gasp at this one. Old School Pizza has a working Bozo Buckets game, the same kind of challenge made famous on The Bozo Show.

That’s only one corner of the fun. The game room holds classic arcade cabinets like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, plus pinball machines and a skill crane.

Old boom boxes line the walls of the game room. It looks like a 1980s basement rec room that grew a little bigger and a lot cooler.

Parents can pass along their high-score strategies while the pizza bakes. Kids, meanwhile, discover that joysticks were exciting long before wireless controllers.

The arcade makes the restaurant a popular choice for birthday parties. Celebrations here have included teenagers and little ones as young as six.

That wide age range says plenty about the appeal. Few places can entertain a first grader and a grandparent with the same machine.

Bring some patience for your turn at the pinball flippers. Bring a sense of humor too, because Bozo Buckets is harder than it looked on TV.

Lava Lamps, Retro Tunes And Pizza Hut Cups Set The Mood

Roughly 20 lava lamps glow behind the counter, bubbling away in groovy colors. If that doesn’t set a mood, nothing will.

A large stained-glass window adds another layer of nostalgia. It once hung in Barnaby’s Pizza in Schaumburg, so it carries its own Illinois pizza history.

Classic movies play on the TVs while retro music fills the room. The whole space feels like a mashup of Stranger Things and House on the Rock.

Then there are the red plastic cups. Yes, the ones that look straight out of an old Pizza Hut dining room.

Those small details make the atmosphere feel lived-in rather than staged. Every glance seems to unlock a memory of Friday nights, VHS tapes, and booth seats.

Outside, the theme keeps rolling. The exterior blends brick with cartoon characters and a sign that proclaims Rock N Roll Ave.

It’s playful without trying too hard. The owners’ enthusiasm shows everywhere, and the staff earn frequent praise for being friendly and welcoming.

Families with little ones will find high chairs and a kids’ menu. Everyone gets to feel like a kid, regardless of age.

Pies Named For Pop Culture Legends Steal The Show

Ordering dinner here feels a bit like reading a celebrity guest list. The pizzas carry names inspired by pop culture icons.

The Godfather brings Italian beef to the party. The Diana Ross is a supreme, while the Weird Al goes big as a super duper cheesy supreme.

The Chuck Norris tackles BBQ chicken. You’ll also find names like the Eastwood and the Macho Man on the lineup.

Crust comes in two styles, thin crust or double dough. That gives both crispy-crust fans and bread lovers something to cheer about.

The owners set out to make really good pizza that keeps people coming back. Based on the restaurant’s reputation, that plan seems to be working.

The pizza is known for a crispy crust, plentiful cheese and toppings, and a robust sauce. Some compare it to the classic Pizza Hut of decades past, back when it really shined.

Even pizza-picky Chicagoans have made the trip and left impressed. Ordering it well done is a popular move for extra crispness.

Choosing just one pie might be the hardest part of the night.

First Place In A County Pizza Showdown Is No Small Brag

Winning a pizza contest in Illinois takes serious skill. This is a state where everybody has strong opinions about crust.

Old School Pizza took first place in a pizza bracket challenge run by the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau. That’s a proud title for a small-town shop.

The win backs up what the owners hoped for from the start. They wanted the food to stand alongside the decor as a reason to visit.

Appetizers help make that case too. The garlic knots have quite a following, and some say they’re worth the drive by themselves.

The mozzarella sticks come out super crispy. Corn fritters, monster fries, and chicken strips also show up on the menu.

That lineup makes it easy to build a shareable spread for the whole table. Kids who aren’t sure about toppings can happily stick with chicken strips.

A self-serve fountain machine lets you refill drinks without waiting around. It’s a small convenience, but busy parents will appreciate it.

Put it all together and the trophy makes sense. The award simply confirms what plenty of happy diners already suspected.

Know The Hours Before You Hit Those Country Roads

Timing matters here, because the doors aren’t open every day. Old School Pizza serves guests Wednesday through Sunday and closes Mondays and Tuesdays.

Wednesday and Thursday hours run from 4 to 8 PM. Friday stretches from 4 to 9 PM, giving the weekend a tasty kickoff.

Saturday opens earlier, from 3 to 9 PM. Sunday runs from 3 to 8 PM, which works nicely for an early family dinner.

You’ll find the restaurant at 507 N 3rd St Unit 2, Malta, IL 60150. It’s an easy target from Illinois Route 38 through DeKalb County farm country.

Ordering happens up front at the counter. When you finish, you bring your plates back up, keeping things casual and quick.

Dine-in, takeout, and curbside pickup are all available, plus outdoor seating. Delivery isn’t offered, so plan to make the drive yourself.

Busy nights can mean a wait for food, so patience helps. Luckily, the arcade and endless memorabilia make that time fly.

A pizza night like this stays friendly on the family budget compared with many big-city attractions.

Pair It With Apple Picking For A Perfect Illinois Day Trip

Few small towns can offer apples, hayrides, and Pac-Man in one afternoon. Malta, with roughly 1,200 residents, pulls it off.

Jonamac Orchard sits nearby and draws families for seasonal fun like corn mazes and hayrides. Fall visitors often pair the orchard with pizza before or after picking.

That combo makes for an easy, memorable outing. Kids burn energy in the fields, then refuel with cheesy slices and arcade games.

People drive from Rockford, the Chicago suburbs, and even farther to eat here. Some families make it a twice-a-year tradition.

I believe that says everything about Old School Pizza’s charm. It’s the rare restaurant that feels like a museum, a game room, and a neighborhood hangout at once.

Nostalgia fans will find decades of treasures to explore. Pizza lovers get an award-winning pie with a crust worth bragging about.

Grandparents can share stories about the old school days. Kids can discover Bozo Buckets for the very first time.

Is it worth a drive through Illinois farm country? With a mural from 1961, lava lamps glowing, and pizza hot from the oven, the answer seems pretty clear.