Villa Nova Pizzeria - Stickney

The Berwyn Pizza Project Part 1

A good friend of mine just moved to the south-side of Berwyn from Logan Square. Naturally, he followed all the proper steps for relocation to a new neighborhood.

1) Locate nearest liquor store.
2) Get phone hooked up.
3) Find a pizza place that delivers.

First off, he was pleasantly surprised to find a largish liquor store with an OK beer selection (ie. cold Alpha King) within walking distance of his new abode. Even more surprising was the efficiency with which AT&T hooked up and activated his new phone and DSL service. However, it was step number 3 that presented him with a problem, but it was not the problem you might expect. Unlike those of us who live in the pizza dead zone of Chicago’s far northside, it seems that the Berwyn/Cicero/Stickney area hosts an amazing concentration of pizzerias. Within a mile radius of my buddy’s new home, there are no fewer than two-dozen pizza places that deliver. If you expand the distance to 2 miles (which includes Cicero and part of Archer avenue), that number triples. What is even more amazing than the sheer number of pizza joints in the area, is that among the plethora of choices, which includes such venerable names as Salerno’s and Home-Run Inn, there are 2 Domino's and 2 Pizza Huts. I just don’t get it.

Anyhow, it was out of this crusty bounty of cheesy riches that the Berwyn Pizza Project(BPP) was born. We decided that with the assistance of my friend’s son, Pizza Boy (who has been on an all pizza diet for the past 18 years) and our opinionated “why can’t I find [fill in the blank] like we have in New York?” friend, we would systematically investigate the local pizza offerings in an ever-widening spiral from my friend’s new house. To that end, with some help from Yahoo maps, we began by listing the possible venues within 4-5 blocks of his address (about 2 sq miles).

There were an impressive 9 places on the initial list. One of those was Salerno’s, with which we were already familiar. Salerno’s makes the quintessential bubbly Chicago ‘not so thin’ crust. It is very good, made with quality ingredients, but not terribly remarkable. Another joint on the list was Michael Anthony’s Restaurant. This is where my friend actually got his “moving-day” pizzas. He told me the best thing about the place was that it was pretty cheap and really fast, and the pizza was good. He said he walked in there, placed his order and walked out with 2 extra-large pizzas in less than 10 minutes, and for less than $25. Each of the menus even has a $3 off coupon. Not surprisingly, the bargain price is somewhat reflected in the quality of ingredients (but it still beats the hell out of Domino’s).

Of the remaining venues, one had a stupid name, so we avoided that one. Another turned out to be a less pretentious alias for the same place. That left six candidates to choose from. Since 4 of them were in the general direction of the liquor store, and we needed to make a beer run, we decided to do some recon and pick out the most promising looking place to order from when we returned with the frothy beverages. Two pizzerias were on Ogden Avenue (Nonno’s and Bacci), and two were on 39th (Angelica’s and Villa Nova). 39th Street is a.k.a. Pershing Road and is actually in Stickney. The two restaurants on Ogden were your basic store-front carryout places with the tall counter up front and the pizza oven in back. Of them, Bacci had more character, while Nonno’s looked newer and cleaner. Both were absolutely empty. Angelica’s, over on 39th, looked like it was cloned from Nonno’s (or vice-versa) right down to similar signs.

The place that really caught our attention was Villa Nova. It was basically another store-front operation, though twice as big as the others. There was also a whole lot more activity inside. There seemed to be a small dining area near the front window, with a few occupied tables (although there may have been more seating we could not see). Most of the restaurant was taken up by a glassed in preparation area. As we drove by, we caught sight of at least 3 circles of pizza dough spinning in mid-air behind the partition. “That’s the place”, we declared in unison.

When we got back to the command post with the libations, I called Villa Nova and ordered a large sausage, garlic and pepper pizza. I was told the pizza would be delivered in 40 minutes. It was actually delivered in less than 30 (granted, the restaurant was only 5 blocks away). Despite getting it delivered, the pie arrived hot and fresh. The nearly cracker thin crust was crispy at the edge and speckled with little charred dots of deliciousness.

Away from the tasty charred edges, the crust was not crisp, but had the right amount of chewy plasticity to hold itself together in the face of a generous slathering of sauce. Had the pizza been pie-cut, I think we may have had the much-sought-after but elusive “foldable” slices (unfortunately, our pleasantly snobbish friend from NY was not around to opine on this aspect of the pizza). While the tangy sauce was plentiful, the rich cheese was very judiciously applied, as were the toppings. There was just the right amount of each ingredient strategically placed across the surface. I thought to myself, “If Burt made thin-crust pizza, it would be like this”. The marble-sized bits of sausage were well spiced and peppery (though a tad bit salty). They were flavorful enough that there was no need for bigger pieces. Thankfully though, VN did not skimp on the fresh garlic.

The big test of a thin crust pizza, for me, is the last few slices. With many square-cut Chicago pizzas, the pieces get gooier and sloppier as you work your way to the middle. As each slice is removed, part of the cheese slides onto the next piece toward the center. In the end, you are left with a mushy scrap of crust plastered to the cardboard beneath a big pile of greasy congealed cheese. Villa Nova’s pizza held up right down to the last piece (which did not sit there for long).

As delightful as Villa Nova’s pizza was, it presented us with a problem. From the very start, VN set the bar for the Berwyn Pizza Project (now the Berwyn/Stickney Pizza Project) pretty high. In fact, what we received from Villa Nova was (in our under-qualified opinions) pretty close to the perfect thin crust pizza. For a delivered pizza, it was particularly outstanding (I can’t wait to try one fresh out of the oven). It is going to be hard to continue with our research, without comparing every subsequent pizza to Villa Nova’s. Part of me, says, “Why bother?” We probably already found the best pizza in the area. It is hard to imagine there is better to be had, so why risk disappointment? Then again, we did say it was “pretty close" to the perfect thin-crust pizza, which means that the perfect pizza is still out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered. The chances are good that it is hiding somewhere between Roosevelt Road and Archer Avenue, in the part of the land where they seem to really love their pizza. That's 2 down, 72 more to go.

BTW: Villa Nova sells 35 cent cups of coffee and 51 cent soda pops (perhaps to commemorate their 51 years in business). When is the last time you saw that?


Villa Nova Pizzeria
6821 Pershing Rd
Stickney, IL 60402
(708) 788-2944

Michael Anthony's Restaurant & Bar Incorporated
6434 Ogden Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
(708) 484-2222

Salerno's Pizza on Grove
3250 Grove Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
(708) 484-3400

Route 66 Beverage
6847 Ogden Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402
(708) 788-0066

d4v3 wrote:Then again, we did say it was “pretty close" to the perfect thin-crust pizza, which means that the perfect pizza is still out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered.

Impressive resolve.

Looking forward to the future reports...

I'm a fan of Michael Anthony's - bit pricey but very consistent. Usually a 3.00 off a "large" coupon in the Gazette. They sprinkle on a dusting of nutmeg.

Salerno's is also a pricey pie, but three slices, and you are done. Thicker crust - not cracker style, and they LOAD the cheese and toppings on.

Falco's will net you a Home run inn style crust at a much cheaper price.

Don't bother with Anthony's on Cermak just w. of ridgeland. They have gone downhill badly.

I know a few big fans of Chubby's on 26th. I find them avg.

I'm also a big fan of a Giovani's next to Famous Dave's. Gotten four pies from there - two were outstanding, one was just very good, and another was just ok. A little bit inconsistent, but the good ones are fantastic.

Pizza Platter on 26th - don't bother.
More here:
http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?topic=2009.80

Seebee,

Thanks for the tips. Like I said, Berwyn has an absolutely mind-boggling array of pizza choices, and we have so far only tried 3 of the dozens of places. For somebody from part of the city where pizza choices are limited, it is a welcome change.

Do you really find Michael Anthony's pricey? My friend thinks it is pretty cheap, but he probably uses the coupons. I guess the competition makes the prices relative. Here in the city, it would be considered inexpensive. I only had two pieces, but I totally missed there was nutmeg on the pizza. I will have to try it again. I thought MA's was pretty good, but not as good as Villa Nova. Then again, pizza preference is a very personal thing. I would still take it over any place in my neighborhood.

I have heard good things about Benny's. have you had their pie?

Not had a Benny's yet, sorry. I'm also a transplant from Log Square a few years ago. Haven't had an MA pizza in about 8 mos or so - maybe they stopped w/ the nutmeg?
Watch for Giovanni's buy one large -get a med for free in your "Coupon Clipper" (magazine flyer type thing.) For quality and price with buy one get one, Giovanni's is pretty hard to even come close to beating.

One that I plan to try -
Al's on Cermak - think it's Cicero. Heard good things from a co-worker who lives in Little Italy, and is VERY Italian (for whatever it's worth.)

Nonno's on Ogden sells slices. Thick crust. Had one last week - pretty bland - Call me sick, but I prefer our Baci on Ogden for a slice.

Side notes - Chinese food is pretty lackluster around here. Fav so far is Wok n Roll on Ogden. (Get the Chow fun!!!!!!)

Steak Burrito? Las Asada's in Brookfield on Ogden. Look no further, my friend.

Chicken Burrito? Ino's on Roosevelt a few blocks E of Harlem on N Side of road. CHICKEN ONLY. DO NOT EVER get the steak at INO'S or you will be sorry.
Xni-pec in Cicero is getting some seriously high praise here:
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=11753
As does the Depot Diner:
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=11626
All in all, our location is pretty good - minutes away from Chinatown, Little Italy, and Pilsen. Pershing, Archer, and Ogden are great streeets to get you in the city for some great eats in minutes. Happy to share some other thoughts with you too. Thai, subs, Grease Joints, Indian (non-existent here,) Mid eastern etc..

seebee wrote:One that I plan to try -
Al's on Cermak - think it's Cicero. Heard good things from a co-worker who lives in Little Italy, and is VERY Italian (for whatever it's worth.)

Al's over by Cicero (home of the salad gondola) is a place I have recommended on numerous occasions for old school red sauce Italian with all the atmosphee and trimmings. I think of it as a blue collar Sabatino's. The food is excellent...especially if you stick with the Itaslian-American standards. I would rank the pizza as not one of their best offerings, although it is good.

I grew just west of your pizza project area and I have say if you want thin crust, Villa Nova is the best. I also enjoy Nonnos. They have a great Margherita pizza (at least I think it is great). I also love Salernos. They are a staple in the southwest suburbs.

"I have heard good things about Benny's. have you had their pie?"

As for Bennys, I would pass. My parents would always order their pizza for us when we were kids. The product was always inconsistant and never really great. I have not eaten their pizza in years so I am not sure if it has improved. They changed management a lot.

Good luck with your project and I would be interested to hear what the final verdict is. I just moved back to the area and I am rediscovering some old favorites.

The earliest posts have about said it all, except I will say that I really like Benny's on 16th. Its the sauce that does it for me. I find it consistently good. And yes, Villa Nova is really old school - since 1955.

Don't forget the Riverside Restaurant (OK, it's technically not Berwyn, but spit across Harlem Avenue and its right there) for great goulash and rye bread as well as generally cheap, reliably good Czech fare.

Doubt we'll ever see Thai in Berwyn, but there are several within 15 minutes or so.

d4v3 wrote:Like I said, Berwyn has an absolutely mind-boggling array of pizza choices, and we have so far only tried 3 of the dozens of places. For somebody from part of the city where pizza choices are limited, it is a welcome change.

Hey - I'll be ordering a pie tonight. I'd be happy to take one for the team, try a new joint and report. Any suggestions?

I might still try Al's just to say I've done it. Maybe even Benny's, but definitely open for suggestion.

Had my first Villa Nova pizza for lunch today. Sausage and onion is my standard order. Pizza has a terrific thin, almost crackery, kind of crust. Very crunchy. The sausage is good-not overly spicy. The onion not overpowering. A good quality cheese is used. The result is a delicious, non-greasy pie that is not overfilling. I had a 12" and I didn't feel like I ate a Buick after I finished it. I won't say that this pizza is better than Vito and Nicks. It is very good and I expect to enjoy both V&N and Villa Nova as they are fine examples of the super thin genre.

seebee wrote:I might still try Al's just to say I've done it.

You should. I didn't mean to say their pizza was not good, it's just that their other red sauce offerings are excellent. They've got a special pick up area for to-go orders over by the back door.

You know, I have got to give Villa Nova another chance. I pretty much wrote the place off after my 1st experience. My neighbors pointed me there when I 1st moved in and asked for pizza opinions. When I tried it,
it was a greasy salty mess. The snausage tasted like Bobak's snausage - which is basically Polish made Italian sausage, and tastes like Polish made Italian sausage. Was not a huge fan at all, but I did LOVE the crust. I'm all about the cracker crust. Maybe I just got an "off" pie. My perfect pie for the area so far would be:

Villa Nova crust with
Michal Anthony's toppings, or Giovanni's toppings with
Giovanni's price (with BOGO coupon.)

seebee wrote:I might still try Al's just to say I've done it.

Any input is welcome. I figure there is about a 16 sq mile area that has more than 75 pizza joints. There is a lot of ground to cover. I have heard good things about Al's. I am interested in your assessment. I think I might change the name of this thread to reflect a more general interest in pizza from the area. I will probably be spending a lot of time out that way helping my friend with his new house (I talked him into buying it, now I am his slave for life, or at least until he gets some equity)

thick wrote:Pizza has a terrific thin, almost crackery, kind of crust

Did you have your pizza delivered, carry it out or dine in? The 16" we had delivered was crisp at the edges and chewy (but not soggy) at the center. I was curous if the 12" was crispy throughout. What I really liked about VN, was even with the larger size pizza, there was no puddle of cheese in the middle. Also, the sauce was plentiful without making the crust soggy. If I had one complaint, it would be that the sausage was salty. However, I didn't find it to be greasy at all. Pound for pound, Villa Nova may not be the best value, but it sure is well crafted. I am ashamed to say I have never tried Vito and Nick's, but I think Villa Nova is heads above Candlelite for this style.

I had my pizza at Villa Nova today. This is not the cheesiest pizza I have ever had. I mean that in a good way. Just enough to compliment the sauce and other ingredients, keeping a uniform coating over the whole pizza. No big globs of molten cheese left in the center of the pie. The crust towards the center of the pie retained a crisp chew throughout. As I said, I still like Vito and Nicks, but Villa Nova is a whole lot closer to Oak Park than 84th and Pulaski.

My brother-in-law runs a bar in Cicero and every year for a major sporting event, it changes every year, we order Thin Crust Pizza from 6 or 7 different places in the area including Al's, Villa Nova, and Falco's. The hands down winner as well as my personal favorite is Falco's. Falco's is located on Cermak in Cicero and is only carry out or delivery. Try it and see what you think.

Marshall K wrote:My brother-in-law runs a bar in Cicero and every year for a major sporting event, it changes every year, we order Thin Crust Pizza from 6 or 7 different places in the area including Al's, Villa Nova, and Falco's.

You gotta promise to let us know the next time your bro-n-law does this.

Well, tried the Al's last nite. Nothin special, but very good. Same pie as Giovanni's / Michael Anthony's pretty much. xl 16in half snausage and shroom, half onion & shroom. $19.00.
For me, Giovanni's wins the battle between Michael Anthony's, Al's, and Anthony's.
All seem to be the same pie, but Giovanni's price point w/ coupon blows them away.
Al's DOES offer a Buy one get one free special on Mondays tho. Think it's a 12 inch cheese. I'd highly suggest giving it a try for that price. I would hope that you can add extra toppings. Their snausage was not overly salty which I like. Sauce was thick, and had a slight sweetness to it - not the thin tangy stuff. Overall, liked the Al's pie, but Giovanni's was basically the same, at a much lower price.

For the Falco's suggestion, it IS a good pie, yes, but it's a Home Run Inn style crust - and I'm not saying that's a BAD thing at all. A little on the saltier side, also. I don't think I could compare cracker to butter. I think it's in a sep category - that's just me though.

d4v3 wrote:

Marshall K wrote:My brother-in-law runs a bar in Cicero and every year for a major sporting event, it changes every year, we order Thin Crust Pizza from 6 or 7 different places in the area including Al's, Villa Nova, and Falco's.

You gotta promise to let us know the next time your bro-n-law does this.

Can't promise but I will test the waters as it has always been a closed party for regulars and family.

Villa Nova is one of the little known, but excellent thin crust pizza places in all of the midwest. Highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

Just some info...Villa Nova has opened a second Pizza restaurant in Lockport on State street...just opened in April 2007...874 N. State Street. 815.838.6682. Around 1-2 miles north of 7 (big bridge) on the east side of the street in a little strip mall.

It is smaller than the original Stickney location but after a month they have already bought the office next door to expand the kitchen and restuarant. I really like the sports themed dining area in the new place.

The pizza IMO is as good as the original...I have been going to the original Villa Nova in Stickney since I was born. I worked in the original from the ages of 15-18 and at nearly 40 now still go as often as possible but love the new location since it is much closer to my current home.

Was kind of funny my son and I were eating there one Monday evening and at least 10 people walked in and had to comment that they grew up in the Berwyn/Stickney/Cicero area and they grew up eating Villa Nova pizza and were so happy the new location was close to them. They have not even advertised the Lockport location yet and were already getting more business than the small kitchen could handle that they had no choice but to expand.

The original is really a unique place...still family owned...when I worked there one of the pizza makers had been there nearly 35 years and another close to 30...just do not see that kind of thing any more. They really take pride in making a great pizza. The 50 year anniversary party we had at the owners house must have had 150+ former employees attend.

My favorite pizza: Sausage, mushroom, pepperoni, fresh garlic with the pepperoni on top (love when it gets crispy). Everything there is home made including the Italian Beef and Meatballs...other stuff is worth trying but obviously the pizza is the star of the menu.

Villa Nova is great. My only minor irritant with them is that I wish they would update their telephone ordering system. I've ordered from them 100 times at least, every time you have to give your address, phone number, house or apartment blah blah blah. Maybe get caller ID so as soon as they see your phone number all the other info pops up and away we go. Don't change the pizza though......it's the best.

Villanova is my favorite pie in the area. We always order it extra thin and ask them to brown the cheese. In my humble opinion this slight alteration takes it from being a good pie to a great one.

Derek

seebee wrote:I'm a fan of Michael Anthony's - bit pricey but very consistent. Usually a 3.00 off a "large" coupon in the Gazette. They sprinkle on a dusting of nutmeg.

Update on this since thread was bumped. I had a Michael Anthony's pie over the wknd. I ordered a thin, and a stuffed. Both had the cheap, runny, odd textured cheese. That is an unforgivable offense in Chicagoland. I retract my endorsement of this place, and will never return. Shame.

Michael Anthony's does have an odd textured cheese on their pizza. I find it to be very bland as well. Little flavor, with a soft gummy consistence is how I would describe their thin. In fact, it almost reminds me of a frozen pizza you could buy at Jewel.

I had a pizza from Al's tonight. First time for them. I thought it was pretty good. Got sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and anchovies. The crust wasn't soggy or greasy, it had a fresh flavor. I'd go back.

Cogito wrote:I had a pizza from Al's tonight. First time for them. I thought it was pretty good. Got sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and anchovies. The crust wasn't soggy or greasy, it had a fresh flavor. I'd go back.

I tried an Al's pizza a while back, and had the same reaction. The sauce was good and the crust was fine for that style (closer to the Salerno's school than the thin cust Villa Nova). The ingredients seemed to be high quality. I wonder if the new branch in North Riverside is any good?

Cogito wrote:I had a pizza from Al's tonight. First time for them. I thought it was pretty good. Got sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and anchovies. The crust wasn't soggy or greasy, it had a fresh flavor. I'd go back.

I'm a big proponent of Al's. I like their pizza, but the show stopper for me is their old school veal parmagiana. Do yourself a favor and eat it in house so you can partake of the "salad gondola".

seebee wrote:I'm also a big fan of a Giovani's next to Famous Dave's. Gotten four pies from there - two were outstanding, one was just very good, and another was just ok. A little bit inconsistent, but the good ones are fantastic.

http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?topic=2009.80

The chef that was running Giovani's for the last year or so opened a new place in Brookfield: Giron's, 9110 Broadway, Brookfield (708) 387-1177. I believe Giovani's is closed now.

We've had Giron's pizza now 4-5 times, and it's a family favorite after Villa Nova. Giron's also has a 24" pizza, great for when you have a crowd. On a side note I was told by several people that Giovani's had some great ribs, but the one time I tried them at Giron's I was less than impressed. Still, they were just opened and I will try them again in the future.

http://www.gironsinc.com/about_us

Villa Nova is awesome stuff. Too bad it's just a tad too far from my house (it doesn't travel well....gotta eat that thin quickly).

Anyways, one place that we get pizza from is Benny's over on 26th street. Just don't order mushroom on it as they use canned But their cheese & sausage THIN crust (I always stress thin as I don't like thick pizza) and well done. Comes out nice and brown. Ought to give them a try. Very reasonably priced as well.

Villa Nova opens its third restaurant some time this month in New Buffalo, MI. Same great pizza as the orignal in Stickney.

Villa Nova Harborside
134 E. Buffalo St.
New Buffalo, MI 49117
(269) 469-0200