Connie's Pizza

History

Raymond DeGrazia and his wife, Connie DeGrazia, opened a pizzeria in Bridegport at 638 W. 26th Street. Named after his wife, Connie's Pizza grew popular fairly quickly. Some say this is due to a change in their original recipe, substituting mozzarella as their main cheese for the pizza.^[1] Jim Stolfe bought the building in 1963, and has kept the name since.^[2] Back in 1963, Jim Stolfe’s Oldsmobile Starfire was exchanged for a small storefront pizzeria on 26th Street on Chicago’s South Side. That storefront became the original home of Connie’s Pizza, one of Chicago’s most famous pizzerias. More than 50 years later, the Stolfe family restaurants have become iconic for visitors to Chicago, with a location in one of the city’s most-visited venues, McCormick Place. From being the official pizza of the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Fire, and The Taste of Chicago, Connie’s Pizza has become synonymous with the city, and prides itself on its longstanding family roots. ^[3]

Availability

Tourists and locals know that Connie's Pizza has a presence at almost any city summer festival in the city of Chicago. Connie's was once the official pizza of the Chicago White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, Fire, and the Flames. It has also spread into the frozen section of supermarkets in the Midwest.^[4]

Pop Culture

Rising Chicago rapper, Chance the Rapper, references Connie's Pizza in "Nostalgia" off of 10 Day.^[5]

References