About
Considered the oldest family name in Chicago pizza, Lou Malnati's
is as rich in history as its pizza is in flavor. Lou got his start in the
1940's working in Chicago's first deep dish pizzeria. Lou Malnati
took his pizza expertise to Lincolnwood, a northern suburb of
Chicago, where he and his wife Jean opened the first Lou Malnati's
Pizzeria on March 17, 1971. Lou was known for his fun-loving
character as well as making Chicagoland's best pizza. Loyal patrons
lined the streets on opening day for a taste of his delicious deep-
dish creations. Lou always thought it was funny that an Italian
should open a pizzeria in a Jewish neighborhood on an Irish
holiday. But that was Lou's style, he loved all types of people and
didn't care much about what people thought.
After meeting with an enormous success in Lincolnwood, Lou
decided to open another pizzeria in a little northwestern suburb by
O'Hare Airport, Elk Grove Village. Unfortunately, the Elk Grove
location had a tough beginning. A major road construction project
began a few months after the restaurant's opening and for 14
months business suffered immensely. At one point the accountants
advised Lou to close the doors before it ruined him. But Lou would
have nothing to do with that idea and persevered. Sure enough,
once the construction ended, people came in droves to Lou
Malnati's Pizzeria in Elk Grove.
In 1978 Lou Malnati met with an untimely death when he fell victim
to cancer. Lou's oldest son Marc was just graduating from college
and joined his mother in the family business. A few years later
Marc's younger brother Rick finished his basketball career at
downstate Illinois' Bradley University and he joined the family
business as well.
The family owned and operated company, now with 30 locations,
has continued to grow thanks to its dedicated staff and loyal
customers. About 25 percent of Lou Malnati’s full-time staff have
given 10 or more years of service.
Malnati’s success comes from their commitment to quality. Every
Lou Malnati’s pizza is handmade from scratch using the finest and
freshest ingredients. Every year the Malnati team hand selects
California vine-ripened tomatoes for the perfect sweet and tangy
taste. The exclusive sausage blend is seasoned to their exact
specifications. The fresh mozzarella cheese comes from the same
small dairy that has supplied Lou Malnati’s for over 37 years. And
the family’s secret recipe for flaky, buttery crust has been passed
down from generation to generation. You’ll know with every bite
that each pizza was made with care and special attention.
We hope that you have enjoyed this bite of Malnati history and look
forward to serving you and your family soon!