The classic decor of Bridgeport’s Connie’s Pizza was designed to remind patrons of a long-gone era when life was slower, before computers and electronic devices, said Amanda Ponce, director of sales and marketing for the restaurant.
But looks can be deceiving, and this South Side eatery, located at 2373 S. Archer Ave., proves it.
Amanda Ponce, director of sales and marketing for the restaurant said it was actually a new building that was made to look like an old factory.
It is similar to many of the old warehouses that have been converted into living spaces throughout Chicago. Very old machinery was purchased and hung from the ceiling as decoration. Food cans and old books line the shelves.
“There are many eating spaces that are not too small or too large,” Ponce said. “This was designed to give the diners a comfortable feeling.”
Ponce said the restaurant seats 400 diners, but because of the building’s layout, it looks much smaller.
According to its official website, Connie’s is one of busiest pizzerias in America. The restaurant offers a full menu of pizzas, salads and other foods including Italian pasta. In addition, Connie’s has 30 delivery trucks that deliver pizza and other foods to customers’ homes.
Connie’s Pizza was opened in 1962 by Jim Stolfe, who traded his 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire to open his first pizzeria on the South Side, the website says.
“It takes four main ingredients to make a good Connie’s pizza,” said Ponce, “and they are dough, sauce, cheese and atmosphere.”
Ponce said the decor of the building is very important to a good pizza dinner in Chicago. Modern tables, plain walls and bright lights don’t offer the correct atmosphere for pizza, she said.
“This is because a pizza is a social food,” said Ponce. “The atmosphere must make people relax and enjoy conversation. The pizza restaurant must have an interior that is interesting and comforting.”
According to Bardo Ramiro, dough chef at Connie’s, the dough is made 24 hours before it is ready to be made into pizzas.
Ramiro said the dough is kneaded and then wrapped and placed in a temperature-controlled room before it is baked.
Ramiro recommended four typical pizzas at Connie’s, one of which is Fry Pan pizza because it has strips of dough baked across the top. It has garlic butter on the top and the ingredients include Italian beef, Giardiniera, jalapenos, carrots, cauliflower, roasted red pepper and olive oil.
Ponce said the most noticeable item about the pizza is the cheese. It has to be “cheesy,” she said. The cheese must be hot, melted and drip off the pizza like strings.
“I am not a big cheese person, but I love their pizza flavor here,” said Lynn Zheng, a 21-year-old Chinese native who was dinning at Connie’s Pizza.
Zheng said she enjoyed dining in a restaurant that has this type of classic look because she is an interior design major at Columbia College Chicago.
“The staff here is very friendly,” Zheng continued. “I really like the ice cream dessert, and I would recommend it to my friends.”
According to Ramiro, the dessert is named “Pizza Sundae.” It is made inside of a large pizza dough shaped like a bowl. Ramiro said it includes brownies, vanilla ice cream, candied pecans, strawberries, powdered sugar, whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
“It easily feeds five people for dessert,” said Ramiro.