In the neighborhood: The Local Pizzeria

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The Local Pizzeria is a nice local spot offering more than just pizza

The Local Pizzeria is a nice local spot offering more than just pizza

If you’re looking for local places to eat, check out The Local Pizzeria. It is a nice place to eat that’s a short walk from the main campus. It’s signature “slice of pie” sign is currently down but it is open for business. It’s a low-key restaurant located on Foster near the Kimball intersection. It was ranked the 25th best pizza by Chicago Magazine in 2015.

They have a wide selection of intriguing pizzas available: from Hawaiian (smoked mozzarella, Canadian bacon, pineapple) to vegan (roasted red pepper cashew sauce, garlic oil, spinach, and choice of 3 vegetables), but one of the best options for a quick bite are their pizza-by-the-slice offerings. You can choose from cheese, vegetarian, pepperoni or sausage.

I tried the cheese pizza-by-the-slice. It was reheated in the pizza oven but tasted very fresh and was almost too hot to eat for a couple minutes. It was similar to a greasy New York style pizza, but not quite. It was mostly a thin crust pizza but it was uneven with a small part too crisp to eat and another part that was a little thick but the slice was a decent size and everything in between was absolutely delicious.  As a thin-crust pizza lover, I was happy with the pizza overall.

The ambiance inside the restaurant was slow-paced and comfortable; it gives off a fun, hipster vibe with the Albany Park map wallpaper, Edison lightbulbs, and a powder blue bike hanging off the wall. There’s also Wi-Fi for customers and comfy booths with individual outlets for studying or hanging out with friends.

The staff was friendly and the service was quick. It was less than a couple minutes between ordering and the pizza arriving at my table. However, this may have been because it was a slow Saturday afternoon.

If you’re planning on stopping by, keep in mind that they have a $10 minimum for cards.

I will definitely be returning here to have another slice of pizza. After browsing through their website, I found out The Local Pizzeria has brunch available with Nutella crepes, which I’m very excited to try next.