12 Italian Pizza Parlors In Illinois That Locals Swear Still Do It The Old-School Way
I spent most of my twenties convinced that pizza innovation meant truffle oil and arugula, but one rainy Tuesday at a South Side joint changed everything.
The cracker-thin crust, the fennel-kissed sausage, the red-vinyl booth that squeaked every time I shifted – it all felt like time travel, and I realized authentic Italian pizza in Illinois never needed reinvention.
Across the state, family-run parlors still roll dough the way their grandparents did, cut pies into tavern-style squares, and serve recipes that predate the internet by decades.
These spots prove that the best pizza does not chase trends; it just keeps showing up, one perfectly crisp slice at a time.
1. Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria – Chicago (Ashburn)
Tile floor under your sneakers, red-vinyl booths, and a tavern-style pie cut into tiny squares set the tone at Vito & Nick’s, a South Side legend where the Barraco family has been slinging cracker-thin pizza from the same Sicilian-rooted recipe since the late 1940s.
Locals talk about fennel-heavy sausage, caramelized cheese right to the edge, and a dining room that feels like the Chicago they grew up in, not the one on postcards.
Every bite delivers that signature snap, and the crust practically shatters under your teeth. I once watched a table of grandparents introduce their great-grandkids to the same pizza they ate on dates in the 1950s, and that is the kind of legacy you cannot fake.
2. Palermo’s of 63rd – Chicago (West Lawn)
Families file into Palermo’s of 63rd for tables draped in white cloth, framed photos on the walls, and a pizza menu that has barely changed since the early 1960s.
Tavern-style pies come out bubbly and crisp, loaded with sausage or giardiniera, while servers move between birthday parties and multi-generation Sunday dinners like they have known everyone for years.
The dining room hums with conversation, clinking forks, and laughter that bounces off the vintage decor.
You can taste the tradition in every square, and the giardiniera adds just enough heat to keep things interesting without overwhelming the classic flavors that regulars crave.
3. Palermo’s 95th Italian Cuisine – Oak Lawn
Palermo’s 95th feels like a South Side banquet hall and an Italian family kitchen rolled together, with Old World decor, big round tables, and pies landing beside platters of veal and pasta.
Founded in 1961 and still run by the Calderone family, the restaurant keeps loyal regulars coming back for its sweet-savory sauce, thin crust, and that unmistakable aroma of pizza and garlic that hits as soon as the door swings open.
The menu sprawls across Italian-American classics, but the pizza remains the star, balancing nostalgia with flavor that never feels dated. Generations gather here for celebrations, and the staff remembers every face.
4. Aurelio’s Pizza – Original Homewood Location
Walk into Aurelio’s in Homewood and the checkerboard tablecloths, vintage photos, and sprawling dining room tell you this is not a trendy newcomer.
Chicago’s oldest pizza chain started right here in 1959, and the flagship still draws crowds for its ultra-thin crust cut into little squares, tangy red sauce, and that signature sausage that regulars swear tastes exactly like it did decades ago.
I once ordered a large pie expecting leftovers, but the entire thing vanished before halftime. The crust crackles with every bite, and the cheese stretches just enough to make you feel like a kid again.
5. Connie’s Pizza – Chicago
Connie’s began as a small south-side storefront in the early 1960s and grew into a Chicago icon without losing its neighborhood-joint soul.
Red booths, neon signs, and the smell of bubbling cheese give the room a retro glow while pizzas arrive in both tavern-thin and classic pan styles, built on recipes owner Jim Stolfe started perfecting when he traded his Oldsmobile for a pizzeria back in 1963.
The pan pizza delivers a satisfying chew, while the thin version stays crispy edge to edge. Locals debate which style reigns supreme, but both versions pack enough flavor to settle any argument with a second slice.
6. Pompei – Taylor Street, Chicago (Little Italy)
Taylor Street’s Pompei started life in 1909 as a humble bakery near Our Lady of Pompeii Church and still feels anchored in that era, even with today’s fast-casual counter setup.
Trays of sheet-pan pizza, famous pizza strudels, and simple tomato-and-mozzarella slices sit behind glass while regulars line up beneath family photos that celebrate more than five generations of Davino family cooking.
The pizza strudel alone is worth the trip – rolled dough stuffed with cheese and sauce, baked until golden. I grabbed one on a lunch break years ago and ended up coming back three days in a row.
7. Alex’s Washington Gardens – Highwood
Alex’s Washington Gardens in Highwood is the kind of North Shore institution where date-night couples and families still share tavern-style pies under low lights and framed vintage prints.
Open since the 1930s, the dining room leans cozy rather than flashy, and locals rave about the crisp, square-cut pizza, old-school Italian pastas, and a staff that treats regulars like extended family.
The ambiance whispers elegance without pretension, and the pizza delivers that perfect balance of crunch and chew.
Every visit feels like stepping into a friend’s dining room, where the food always tastes better because someone cares.
8. Gioacchino’s Pizza & Restaurant – Bellwood
Gioacchino’s sits on St. Charles Road with a plain exterior that barely hints at the richly sauced pies and red-sauce comforts inside.
Over three decades of family ownership show in the way servers greet locals by name, in the generous layers of cheese on every pizza, and in the menu that still leans on traditional Italian favorites rather than trends.
The sauce carries a hint of sweetness that plays beautifully against the savory toppings, and the crust holds up under all that weight.
You leave feeling like you just attended a family dinner, even if you walked in as a stranger.
9. Villa Nova Pizza – Stickney
Villa Nova in Stickney lives and breathes tavern-style pizza, with cracker-thin crusts, a distinctive sausage blend, and pies dusted with herbs that regulars can spot from across the room.
Since the 1950s, this modest storefront has quietly turned out square-cut pizzas that many south-suburban families consider the taste of childhood nights and Friday takeout.
The sausage carries a unique spice profile that sets it apart, and the crust shatters satisfyingly with each bite.
I once overheard a teenager tell his friend this was the pizza his grandpa used to bring home every weekend, and that kind of continuity is rare.
10. Italian Fiesta Pizzeria – Chicago
Italian Fiesta Pizzeria has been a South Side favorite for generations, turning out whisper-thin, square-cut pies that come loaded with cheese and just-sweet-enough sauce.
Family recipes dating back to the late 1940s still guide the kitchen, and regulars talk about grabbing a box on their way home or gathering the whole crew around a table stacked with classic Italian comfort food.
The sauce strikes a perfect balance between tangy and sweet, and the cheese melts into every corner. I remember my first bite feeling like a warm hug, and every visit since has delivered that same comforting nostalgia.
11. Obbie’s Pizza – Chicago (Garfield Ridge)
Obbie’s keeps things simple in Garfield Ridge: paper-wrapped pies, a compact counter, and a menu that lives and dies by thin-crust pizza baked to a deep golden edge.
Since the late 1970s, neighborhood families have relied on Obbie’s for sausage-heavy pies cut tavern-style, the kind you spread across the kitchen table and share with whoever happens to walk through the door.
The crust achieves that rare combination of crispy and sturdy, and the sausage delivers bold flavor without grease.
Every pizza arrives hot, fresh, and ready to fuel whatever gathering you have planned, no fuss required.
12. Old School Pizza – Malta
Old School Pizza in tiny Malta feels like a love letter to retro Illinois, set inside a former school building with murals, pop-culture art, and a big cartoon pizza slice on the exterior wall.
Inside, families crowd around tables for tavern-style pies that balance crisp crust with a chewy bite, reminding visitors why people gladly drive across cornfield country for a pizza that tastes like small-town nostalgia.
The playful decor adds charm, but the pizza does the real talking, with a crust that snaps and toppings that taste honest and satisfying.
It is the kind of place that makes you slow down and enjoy the moment.