The dynamic duo behind the new Roots Handmade Pizza wants families to feel at home in their trendy East Village restaurant. From kid-friendly food to fresh dough for the little ones to play with, Roots is the perfect place for a family dinner that will satisfy the whole clan.
If you go
Roots Pizza
- 1924 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago
- (773) 645-4949
- rootspizza.com
Co-owners Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner are the pair behind Wicker Park’s popular Fifty/50 restaurant. When they started to think about their next project, Mohr decided Chicago needed a taste of the one-of-a-kind pizza he loved growing up in the Quad Cities.
“Greg, being a transplant to Chicago, recognized an opportunity to showcase something different from deep dish or New York-style pizza, and ultimately that was the major reason for us bringing Quad Cities-style pizza to Chicago,” says Weiner.
And Roots’ pizza definitely delivers. The pies have a chewy malt crust, hand-tossed dough, and sauce made from scratch. With the toppings first, then cheese on top and cut into scissor-cut strips, it’s a delicious new take on pizza in Chicago.
There even is a glass-walled kitchen where the kids can get a front-row view of their pizzas being tossed and decorated.
The menu doesn’t just stop at pizza. The appetizers alone make your mouth water with the cannot-be-missed mozzarella sticks. These thick sticks with homemade mozzarella and garlic-herb bread crumbs are reason enough to keep coming back to Roots.
Beyond the pizzas, there are fresh-bread sandwiches, pastas, huge salads and house-made sausages. Both the pizzas and salads have an extensive build-your-own option with practically every ingredient you could imagine.
While they welcome your kiddos, there is plenty for just the adults, such as the 70 Midwestern craft beers and spiked sodas.
“What we’ve always wanted was a place for families and kids to come after school or after a Little League game or for `Sunday Pizza Day,’ which is what we both grew up doing,” Weiner says.
