“Quality without compromise” this is Bonci’s motto. 100% organic proprietary blend of heritage stone ground flours produced in Italy mixed with extra virgin olive oil and salt, left to rise for 48-72 hours, and then baked in special ovens shipped over from Rome to create the perfect light, airy and crunchy crust to host one of the over 1,5000 unique toppings made with the freshest ingredients available -because there is “no shortcut to greatness”. On these premises, Gabriele Bonci, defined by Vogue as ‘the Michelangelo of Pizza’, creates his masterpieces both in Chicago, as well as in Rome.
Since August his, “Pizza al taglio” – which is a large, rectangular pizza loaded with toppings, cut with scissors into rectangular slices and sold by weight – can be enjoyed in his first pizzeria on American soil (and also the first one outside of Rome), in Chicago’s West Loop. The success with the locals – measurable in the length of lines of people waiting for this exclusive pizza experience – has been such that Bonci USA, the company tasked with growing Gabriele Bonci’s famed pizza restaurant in the US, is already considering opening a second pizzeria in Chicago, according to Eating Chicago, in Wicker Park. Although, the small West Loop location set up is more fitting with the cramped spirit of Bonci in Italy, the much more spacious Wicker Park location would feature more seating space, and, because it comes with a liquor license, it would provide more space for customers to leisurely enjoy any beer or cocktails.
Ilona Catani Scarlett