We know, we know “perfect” doesn’t exist. But if it did & it was in the form of food? We have a strong feeling Roots Handmade Pizza would be it. This casual Chicago sports bar & restaurant had us hooked from the second we walked in. Huge cozy booths, massive windows they open when weather permitting, & of course the food which we’ll get to in just a moment now…
Everything at Roots Pizza from the mozzarella to the Quad Cities-style malt pizza crust is made by hand. The large menu is loaded with incredible options & even a few make your own ones in the salad & pizza department. With endless options we narrowed down our must haves at Roots Handmade Pizza. First up, the mozzarella sticks which, well, doesn’t that picture above say it all? Garlic herbed breadcrumbs stuffed with fresh mozzarella & served with homemade marinara on the side, these simple three ingredients will seriously blow your mind.
On the lighter side, definitely don’t pass up the Tomato, Avocado, & Mozzarella Salad that’s topped with an ultra-refreshing cilantro vinaigrette. With over 10 salads on the menu & an extensive build your own page, we highly recommend ordering one as it’s the perfect pairing with pizza in our opinion.
One of our favorite things about Roots Handmade Pizza (aside from the fresh ingredients, great service, shall we go on?) is their innovative menu. Roots runs a Chef Speciality Series featuring pizzas from some of Chicago’s best restaurants chefs such as Antique Taco, NoMI, & more. We ordered the Short Rib Pizza by Chef Davies of Steadfast & it did not disappoint. Braised beef short rib, spicy giardiniera, roasted corn, pickled fennel, house ricotta, Roots pizza sauce, & of course Roots’ Quad Cities mozzarella blend made this unique pizza the ideal blend of gourmet & homestyle.
Another must order at Roots is their taco pizza which is made with taco-seasoned housemate crumbled sausage, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, & taco-seasoned chips. Served with taco sauce & optional sour cream (which we recommend to get the full experience) this unique pizza certainly lived up to it’s hype. We also made our own pizza with Roots pizza sauce, cheese, & pepperoni which was one of the best pepperoni pizzas we’ve ever had. We ordered a side of ranch & garlic parmesan (both homemade) which were absolutely incredible on top of the pizza. If you’re going to get just one pizza (why would you ever do that!), opt for the pepperoni so you can taste tons of the fresh ingredients & sauces Roots has to offer.
Make sure to check out Roots Handmade Pizza in West Town at 1924 W Chicago Ave & in Lincoln Square at 2200 W Lawrence Ave!
