When we walked into the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company for the first time, it was like stepping into another era where everything is wood-paneled, calorie counting is something to scoff at and credit cards don’t exist. Exactly what era isn’t entirely clear, but the atmosphere is one of classic warmth. Opened in 1972, the CPOGC has been packed with hungry patrons since day one, and the menu has barely changed in 27 years. Which is a good thing, because it’s just about perfect the way it is.
One would-be entrepreneur is having a rough start to his week after he unsuccessfully tried to unload over 13 tons of frozen pizzas to a salvage company. Anthony Herbert Lee was hired to transport 3,000 cases of Stouffer's frozen pizzas from Nation Pizza in Schaumburg to Springville, Utah. Along the way, Lee ran into mechanical trouble with his truck and, when it became clear he'd miss his delivery deadline, he tried to sell the pizzas to Rockford-based Transportation Salvage. The salvage company was suspicious and, upon investigation, discovered the pizzas belonged to Nestle, Stouffer's parent company. Indiana State Police were brought in and Lee was arrested. He's currently being held in Lake County Jail thanks to a 10-year-old larceny warrant while new charges are mulled.
Retired Air Force Sgt. and Elk Grove resident, Mark Evans is throwing a giant Fourth of July pizza party for US troops in Iraq. Evans has arranged for 3,000 frozen, packed-in-ice Lou Malnati's pizzas (offered at a patriotic discount) to be shipped DHL-style to Iraq in time for the holiday. His 16 year-old son came up with the idea and is calling it "Pizza 4 Patriots." We agree that it's a great one but why stop there? To complete the holiday celebration we'd like to ask local companies to volunteer to ship the following Fourth of July party necessities:
County prosecutors today announced their intent to seek the death penalty against Reginald Potts, the man accused of killing Nailah Franklin. [S-T]
Happy Leap Day! While it hasn't officially become Pizza Party USA day, there are plenty of ways to celebrate.
Michigan Avenue, a new luxury magazine, has set a new launch date: September 17. Dan Uslan, most recently of Where Chicago magazine, was named the publisher today. There's a Where Chicago magazine? Live and learn. [Crain's]
Unlike so many political figures in Chicago, Tony Rezko didn't come from a background steeped in ward politics and clout. In fact, after he finished his degrees at IIT, did what most new immigrants to Chicago do: he got a job.
Valentine's Day is nothing but a pre-fab holiday designed to get consumers to spend money on crap for each other ... especially if you're single. Instead of battling the hordes for a good table at a restaurant this evening, why not just order out from Art of Pizza, rent a movie and enjoy a few hours of twisted romance with one of these:
Jesus, have things been busy lately, highlighted by the re-opening of Schwa last night. The Tribune recapped everything we've already read about the events surrounding Michael Carlson and company in recent months, from the killer dinner he prepared for Trotter, Adria, Blumenthal, and a host of culinary Illuminati; to closing Schwa the next day, then going into deep hiding to recharge and re-energize, and coming back.
Cancel your dinner plans boys and girls, cuz Dunkin' Donuts is throwing away their microwaves and taking back the night. In an effort to increase costumer satisfaction and continue their Dunkin' Manifest Destiny, the food chain known for their delicious, morning baked books is targeting afternoon and evening crowds with all new flatbread sandwiches and pizzas heated in convection ovens rather than microwaves.
Fish on Fridays and denouncement of vices may be just for Catholics in the upcoming Lenten season, but luckily the preemptive celebration of Mardi Gras seems to span all religious sects. And this Tuesday’s celebration is set to pack an extra punch considering it’s not just Fat, it’s Super. If your presidential pick is pulling up the rear and you need a place to drown your sorrows, check out our choices for the best Mardi Gras bashes in town.
The Super Bowl is coming on Sunday, like it or not, and with it comes analysis of the action on the field, the commercials, and what's sitting on the plate in front of you. You could go the classy route and cook up a feast for your football-watching friends. Or you could join your fellow Americans in helping to make Feb. 3 the most popular pizza ordering day of the year.
In November we took a look at La-Van Hawkins, a Chicago-born restaurateur who made a fortune in fast food franchises. Hawkins was planning on opening a slew of Nancy's Pizza and Al's Italian Beef franchises on the South Side even as he was waiting to be sentenced to 33 months in prison on corruption charges.
In high school one of the constants of our Friday nights was a family-sized pizza delivered to the house from La Villa Restaurant and Banquets in Old Irving. We'd fight for a corner slice among our allotment, chase them down with a glass of pop, and head out the house for our other constant: vainly working on our game with every Catholic school girl we could meet.
Bridgeport's treated us well. As we've written numerous times both here and elsewhere, the neighborhood grew on us. When we first moved out south eight years ago we never would have thought that we'd have lived here as long as we have; we just thought of Bridgeport as a stop-gap to moving back to the north side. Now it seems like others are clued in to what we knew long ago: this neighborhood rocks....
Today's Sun-Times has an interesting article on restaurateur and Chicago native LaVan Hawkins, who's opening Nancy's Pizza and Al's Italian Beef franchises even as he's set to go to prison on corruption charges. The biography of Hawkins is a true rags-to-riches, rise-and-fall-and-rise-again story starting with his early years running in a gang and battling drug addiction, then from working his way up from the lowest rung at a McDonald's to commanding a fast-food franchise empire...
The Reader's Guide to Late Night Dining is now online, and there's the expected eclectic mix of diners, hot dog stands, taco joints, upscale pub grub, and places where only the fearless dare enter. Even better is that the range of offerings encompasses a wide stretch of the city and connecting suburbs (big love for Gene & Jude's Red Hots in River Grove!). If you're at the stage in life where "I'll sleep when...
If you are a big fan of Gigio's Pizza, then you are in luck. They're running a promotion right now where saving 20 menus will earn you $5 off an order. MenuPages attempted to look into the small print of the promotion, but was seemingly unable to get anyone from Gigio's to pick up the phone. If you want to spend $400+ dollars to save $5, now you know how. Alternatively, as suggested by Adam...
You have to read Metromix's "Reader Review Crew" pieces with a grain of salt. Or maybe a whole container of salt. We remember when the beer garden group visited Happy Village and wrote, "Why go to a bar when you can have a more pleasant experience at your buddy's place—and not have to leave your date sitting alone while you trek inside to buy beers? Now, we love a good dive bar, but dive bars and beer gardens don't always mix." Oh, snap! Happy V, you just got treated!
We have food on the brain today here at the Chicagoist offices. Now that it looks as though the worst of the bad weather has passed, you should go out and toast its passing by eating a cupcake.
The Cubs aren't the only Chicago franchise fighting for the playoffs; The Chicago Fire are narrowly holding on to a playoff berth. With just six games remaining, the Fire are currently in the 8th and final playoff spot, with Colorado and Columbus hot on their heels. The Fire will continue their hunt for valuable points tonight when they take on FC Dallas on ESPN2 at Pizza Hut Park. The "Big D" has not been friendly...
What do Brooke Shields, Grant Achatz and this Chicagoist mama have in common? All three have a professed love for the convenience and taste of HomeMade Pizza Company. HomeMade Pizza Co. sells uncooked pizzas that you then take home and pop in the oven. Twelve minutes later, you’ve got a fresh-tasting, thin-crust dinner. Voila! June Cleaver has nothing on you. Menu options include funky, artisanal options like goat cheese and herbs or a combo of...
The most popular museum in the world is the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which sees nearly 9 million visitors come through its doors each year. So it is no surprise that Chicago's Annual Air & Water Show is the largest two-day spectator event in the United States, with audience numbers reaching nearly 2.5 million. The free annual event is back for its 49th edition and has a great line-up ready to...
Parents, we know it’s happened to you: you’re in the middle of running errands when your kid begins screaming, and you realize you’re starving, too. Where do you and your little one go for cheap, fast food at lunchtime that actually tastes good? Head out to Art of Pizza on Ashland Avenue!
Looking to go to Taste of Chicago and come away satiated, while having paid less than you would have inside the restaurant? It is possible — if you do your homework ahead of time. Or if you let the Sun-Times do it for you.
Chicagoist doesn’t live with our mama. Since our June Cleaver impersonation is rather lacking, when we want to feed a home cooked meal to our family we trawl Chicago’s restaurants. Our favorite is Panes, a family-owned Lakeview original, nestled in between chains Chicago Pizza and Pompei on Sheffield and Wellington.
We're going to close out "Ska Month" here at Chicagoist with a review of one of their flagship beers. Springtime is perfect for red ales, and we picked up a six-pack of Ska's Pinstripe Red Ale a couple weeks back at Warehouse Liquors in the South Loop for $8.99. A bit overpriced, but Warehouse is one of those liquor stores that's convenient, and their staff is knowledgeable, even if the cashier said that Pinstripe reminded him of "Killian's, only sweeter."
With all that went down this week, we thought we thought we'd cheer everyone up by giving everyone a double dose of dogs. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions this week at DCist. Like the rest of country, we were floored by the news of so many dead coming out of Virginia Tech, and with so many of the victims and their relatives from the D.C. area, we felt it important to pay...
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County Sales Tax Rollback Vetoed - Here We Go Again
PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro
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