Professor Pizza has opened a new dine-in location in West Town, offering a range of seven different pizza styles. The restaurant, owned by Tony Scardino, is located at 1374 W. Grand Ave. and began with pickup and delivery orders last summer before expanding to full service.
The West Town spot marks Professor Pizza’s second permanent location in Chicago. Its other restaurant operates in Old Town through a partnership with the Fifty/50 restaurant group. Previously, Scardino ran his business out of a ghost kitchen and a rooftop bar in the West Loop.
Scardino said he is running the West Town site independently and that it joins both established and newer pizza places in the area. Professor Pizza’s menu includes New York, Sicilian, cracker-thin, Detroit, Grandma’s, cast-iron, and deep-dish pizzas. There are plans to possibly add more styles in the future.
In addition to pizza, customers can order Caesar salad, meatball sliders, garlic knots, wings, and “parm fries.” Scardino noted that the kitchen features a PizzaMaster electric oven as well as a Gozney natural gas oven that could be used for new menu items such as neo-Neapolitan pizzas or chicken parmesan.
“There’s a PizzaMaster electric oven back there. We also have a Gozney natural gas [oven] that we intend to eventually use, maybe for a neo-Neapolitan, or chicken parms or something like that,” Scardino said.
The space was previously home to Bella Notte restaurant until its closure in 2023. After renovations with help from a contractor, the pizzeria now features booths, neon signs, framed photos and art for what Scardino describes as a modern-but-retro atmosphere.
Scardino plans to introduce a cocktail program curated by Pour Souls once he secures a liquor license. For now, non-alcoholic beers and sodas are available. If allowed to serve alcohol in the future, hours may be extended on weekends until 2 a.m.
Events are also part of the plan for Professor Pizza’s new location; Thursday’s grand opening featured a DJ set. More events such as DJ nights and comedy shows are expected.
“I definitely want to build the space to be a community space and a community builder for all of my friends, and hopefully friends to come, that are creatives in the Chicago scene,” Scardino said.
Regarding competition among neighborhood restaurants specializing in pizza or Italian food—such as D’Amato’s Bakery & Deli (https://www.damatobakery.com/), Pizz’Amici (https://www.pizzamici.com/), Coalfire (https://www.coalfirechicago.com/), Tortorice’s (https://tortoricespizza.com/), and Salerno’s (https://salernospizza.com/)—Scardino expressed optimism about joining their ranks: “We’re just thrilled to be a part of it,” he said. “Places like D’Amato’s got things started for us, Pizz’Amici is doing incredible things, Coalfire, Tortorice’s, Salerno’s—it’s special. Not to mention all the subs and sandwiches on the block.”
