Pizza comes to downtown Elgin
23 September 2007
RS
48 Comments
Sometime next year, you will enjoy Boston-style pizza here on Grove Avenue:
This isn’t the first or only restaurant on the block–Akina’s is across the street, but it’s notable, because it could be an indication that the Fountain Square condo is drawing interest among restaurateurs and retailers.
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Boston is known for good pizza…? I wonder what Boston-style is.
I think a good pizza place downtown is a great idea, but I’m skeptical about a place in Chicago called “Boston” style. I’ll try it, but, hmm…
In Colorado Chicago pizza is all the rage there. I can;t figure out the difference is though.
I heard the place going into this location will be called Mad Maggies.
http://www.madmaggies.net/
Not sure if this is really going to be a pizza place. Does anyone know for sure? Anything will be a great addition to the area. Prairie Rock better watch out — their food and service has really slipped so any new restaurant in town will do well!
It wouldn’t be tough to compete with Prairie Rock. The only thing Prairie Rock’s got going for it is the building. The food and beer are both subpar. Since the Elgin Pub opened on Chicago Street, I haven’t been back to Prairie Rock.
frankwolftown,
Chicago pizza is deep dish pizza. The best I’ve had in the Elgin area is from Nancy’s Pizzeria in South Elgin. I recommend.
Laura,
According to Sean Davis, the restaurant’s owner, Boston-style pizza is somewhat thicker than New York-style pizza, but still thin.
My preference is for ultra-thin crust. The thinner, the better. And preferably baked in a coal-fired brick oven…
Yeah I dunno if that’s a pizza I’d care about. I actually wouldn’t mind if there was a place around here that did New York style. That I’d go out to get. But the idea of a doughy pizza is, again I say, hmm…
I was only at Lazzar’s pizza once when I was little, but my parents say it was almost exactly like the old school Chicago style that they make at Nick’s on the West side.
I often make the trek across town to get Nick’s. It’s so completely worth it.
Who cares what kind of pizza it is! It’s great to have a place downtown Elgin serving Pizza! Not a fan of Nick’s. Pizza reminds me of Totino’s frozen Pizza. Too many dead things on the walls there. All this Pizza talk is making me hungry…
Elgin hasn’t had anyplace “notable” for pizza since Lazara’s on National St. closed.
NY style pizza is pretty good, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything about “Boston-style” pizza!
Hopefully it’s good, hopefully this is the beginning of something good for Downtown!
Elgin hasn’t had anyplace “notable” for pizza since Lazara’s on National St. closed.
NY style pizza is pretty good, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything about “Boston-style” pizza!
Hopefully it’s good, hopefully this is the beginning of something good for Downtown!
Elgin hasn’t had anyplace “notable” for pizza since Lazara’s on National St. closed.
NY style pizza is pretty good, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything about “Boston-style” pizza!
Hopefully it’s good, hopefully this is the beginning of something good for Downtown!
Elgin hasn’t had anyplace “notable” for pizza since Lazara’s on National St. closed.
NY style pizza is pretty good, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything about “Boston-style” pizza!
Hopefully it’s good, hopefully this is the beginning of something good for Downtown!
Well, you know I think none of us have ever heard of Boston-style pizza until now. It could well be an elaborate hoax. Let’s cross our fingers and hope that it’s New York or New Haven-style pizza…
I hope it’s a taco place. elgin doesn’t have any place to get a good taco.
what are you talking about? your slow…… el paraiso by villa has some good tacos
To the person who hopes for a taco place … you’ve got to be freaking kidding right?! Don’t we have a taco place on almost every corner?! If I see one more taco place I’m going to scream! Although a taco place might actually be better than yet another smoke shop … what’s Elgin’s motto? “It’s happening here!â€? … if you’re in the mood for a smoke and a taco than Elgin’s your place! (That should have been one of the lines in Austin Powers … LOL!).
Seriously though, we really need some diversity downtown! The Public House was a great addition and thank goodness for the coffee place and Martini Room! I would LOVE a pizza place, maybe even a wine bar, ice cream shop, flower shop, tapas restaurant … there are so many opportunities for new establishments … as long as it’s not another taco place!
Another taco place! LOL!
We were just in Ft. Worth over Thanksgiving and saw a few “Boston Pizza” places. These places were larger than Nick’s Pizza Pub on Randall Rd. I don’t see them going into a little 2000-3000 s.f. storefront with no parking.
Someone needs to get the ball rolling down there though, and soon, otherwise we’ll have wasted millions of our tax dollars on the streets down there…
Another taco place! LOL!
We were just in Ft. Worth over Thanksgiving and saw a few “Boston Pizza” places. These places were larger than Nick’s Pizza Pub on Randall Rd. I don’t see them going into a little 2000-3000 s.f. storefront with no parking.
Someone needs to get the ball rolling down there though, and soon, otherwise we’ll have wasted millions of our tax dollars on the streets down there…
Another taco place! LOL!
We were just in Ft. Worth over Thanksgiving and saw a few “Boston Pizza” places. These places were larger than Nick’s Pizza Pub on Randall Rd. I don’t see them going into a little 2000-3000 s.f. storefront with no parking.
Someone needs to get the ball rolling down there though, and soon, otherwise we’ll have wasted millions of our tax dollars on the streets down there…
Another taco place! LOL!
We were just in Ft. Worth over Thanksgiving and saw a few “Boston Pizza” places. These places were larger than Nick’s Pizza Pub on Randall Rd. I don’t see them going into a little 2000-3000 s.f. storefront with no parking.
Someone needs to get the ball rolling down there though, and soon, otherwise we’ll have wasted millions of our tax dollars on the streets down there…
“Someone needs to get the ball rolling down there though, and soon, otherwise we’ll have wasted millions of our tax dollars on the streets down there…”
You know, it’s interesting you mention the streets, because in my opinion very little has to do with the appearance of the streets and sidewalk, and yet we undertook a massive project to make it all “pretty.”
The nature of the TIF is such that money earned in the TIF must be spent in the TIF, which is how they got the money to do this. But wouldn’t it be better if we used the TIF money to build stuff in the downtown that will enhance quality of life and augment Elgin’s image as a cultural center?
I would have preferred to see TIF money spent on establishing an art center, an art museum, and public sculpture.
If only Enrico’s Pizza would come back. Now THAT was good pizza.
I agree, Enricos was the best.
Enrico’s Spicy Meatball was the best pizza in town. I used to work there in the early 70s when both movie theaters were still open, and it pulled lots of that traffic in.
The Martini Room was a good idea but their music, after the first couple of months, has been ear-splitting (and thus you have to yell to someone next to you to converse) everytime we’ve been there since, and now we’ve given up on it until we hear it’s changed.
Let’s hope Villa Verone does well and more restaurants with live music are tempted to take a chance.
Anyone know who the owners of Enrico’s were?
Lazzara’s
Enrico’s
Ah, good times…
Here in L.A., you can’t get a decent Chicago-style pizza. Hot dogs, yes, but not pizza. We had a Pizzeria Uno in the Northridge Fashion Center mall a few years ago. Now, it’s another sushi joint. Like we need another sushi joint!
Now if we can just get John’s meat market back along with The Spicy Meatball, we got it made. I believe the Taco comment was meant to be a joke people. Oh, and don’t forget the lunch counter at Woolworths.
A great addition to downtown would be for the city to put up signs directing pedestrains and cars to restaurants and other attractions. I was downtown last weekend and saw a family on bikes looking for a restaurant, but since they didn’t know where to go, stopped well short of any restaurants.
There’s also a new Tue-Thur lunch bufett at Villa Verone - it’s AWESOME food and about $7.85!
I’ll have to try out that buffet!
Yeah, it pretty much blew a “meatball-sized” hole in my diet plans for last week… but sooooo worth it!
check out Villa Verone on utube… nice little video
There was a place in the middle of downtown in the 80’s that had pizza. Was that Enrico’s ?
Enrico’s was downtown, I used to work there in high school back in 1980. They had great deep dish pizza!
If noboby has heard of “Boston style” I can’t imagine it being better than Chicago style.
When is this place going to open? Is it still in the works? We have been waiting for a pizza place downtown since Enricos closed up in the 70s
kathy, this place ended up opening across the street from the building in the picture. It’s called Mad Maggies. I was wrong about it being a pizza place though. It turns out that pizza is just one of the things on their menu, but they don’t specialize in it.
People have given the food good reviews, and the place hosts some great music shows, organized by the same people who made the Third Floor a great success.
We are still hoping for a real pizzeria downtown; while they are at it:
1. Vegetarian restaurant
2. Indian restaurant
3. Bistro
Wake me up, I’m dreaming again
The Walnut - Speak Easy will be opening up in May 2009. Brand new beautiful place for the neighborhood. Walnut Ave & 31 Must check out!! It will have a wide range of GOOD quality food , some of everything ,authentic Greek foods, Hamburgers, Fish Frys and Chicago Style Pizza. The area is excited about its opening.
Latest article says the Walnut Speakeasy opens in two weeks or so. Can’t wait! Bar on the way home from the train!
Great food at the Walnut Speak Easy…
Speak Easy- Greek food-my favorite! I’ll keep my eyes open for it.
Enrico’s was THE BEST!
My parents, Mr. & Mrs. B. used to be the owners before it sadly closed and my family has many wonderful memories of Enrico’s and Fountain Square Plaza.
Thanks for remembering Enrico’s!
Enrico’s had the best Pizza in town. Also enjoyed the cocktail called Skip and Go Naked. Really, really miss the Pizza. Do you happen to have the Family Recipe.
Nobody just remembers Enrico’s, we MISS it!
From the all-u-can-eat Thursday nights to the heart-shaped pizzas on Valentine’s Day, that restaurant remains the hallmark of a well-run restaurant with great food. It sounds like a simple plan but so, so few can accomplish that.
That’s why places like this remain missed by people - nothing comes along to make you forget them!
So just how good was Enrico’s from an employees standpoint? NO bus boy ever wanted to give up their hours. You would lose TOO much tip money if you didn’t work! 35 years ago making $10-$20 a night part-time as a bus boy made you think about quitting school to work there full-time.
And it was just pizza and other Italian dishes! Nothing real expensive.
Help! I grew up in Elgin (St. Laurence/St. Ed’s) and moved away my senior year. After every football game, and many other times too, we would head to Lazzara’s. I am coming back to town next week to show my kids where I grew up and Lazzara’s was going to be on the list. SOOOOO sorry to hear it has closed. Can anyone recommend any other pizza that is comparable???? Xtra thin and crispy, homemade with italian/fennel sausage??? I miss it!!!
Dale Thelander! You were in my class at St. Ed’s - hope all is going well with you!
Hi Marnie, you might try Red Bar Winery in the downtown. They do thin crust pizza. Let us know if it’s as good as Lazzara’s!
I have to say that Enrico’s Pizza is still on my mind after residing in Elgin back in 1975. My wife and I used go there at the time and to this day I have never ate a pizza that good, glasses of wine,,,mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I currently live over 1500 miles in the rio grande valley of south Texas but one day I hope to return and eat another before I leave this earth,,,God I hope they never close.