Italian Fiesta Pizzeria

My childhood was spent growing up in the south suburb of Dolton. However, it was well into my teens before I ever tried Italian Fiesta. Our family's pizzeria was Vesuvio's in Riverdale and we never strayed from it. When I had Italian Fiesta is was when I was in high school and it was delivered to an event I was at. 

I didn't try it again until well into adulthood. When the Obamas were in office I ended up writing a food article on some of their favorite spots in the Chicago area and I learned that there had been an Italian Fiesta location on the city's south side that was the regular spot of Michelle's family. So, next time I was back in Dolton, I stopped over and got a pizza. It was that perfect south side thin crust that is cut into squares rather than triangles. I always shake my head over the assumption that Chicagoans eat deep dish as their go-to. No way, in Chicago it's thin crust. I might have deep dish once or twice a year.

Anyway, this pizza from Italian Fiesta is what is - to me - typical, authentic Chicago-style pizza. I don't make it back to my old hometown very often, but when I am in that area I now take a detour to grab a pizza to bring back home - of course eating each corner piece in the car along the way.

Try out one of their locations if you're in the south side or south suburbs. They're in Dolton, Chicago and New Lenox.