Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
NapervilleFood Editor
Local team review
The thin crust sausage, cut tavern-style into squares, is the order that separates the regulars from the tourists — lighter, crispier, and perfect for those nights when you want the flavor without the two-hour recovery period. The chopped salad with house Italian dressing is a surprisingly excellent foil to all that cheese and butter. We ended with the chocolate chip pizza cookie, warm and gooey with vanilla ice cream melting into the edges, and nobody at the table pretended to have any willpower left. Sometimes the most iconic meal is the one you've had a hundred times and still crave.
About the Restaurant
Lou Malnati's isn't just a pizzeria, it's a Chicago institution, and the downtown Naperville location has been slinging deep-dish since 1994. The Malnati Chicago Classic, sausage patty on the bottom, a blanket of mozzarella, and vine-ripened tomato sauce on top, is the canonical order. The butter crust is the move (don't let anyone talk you into thin crust here, that's not why you came). Lines form on Friday evenings, but the wait is part of the ritual. This is the pizza Naperville grew up on.
Insider Tip
Call ahead for carryout, the wait for a fresh deep-dish pie is 45 minutes, and calling cuts your lobby time to zero.
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Details
131 W Jefferson Ave, Downtown
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