Best independent pizza, etc. in Lake Bluff area

For pizza we tend to order from ferentinos (east and west lake forest) for thin crust or deep spinach, and then malnatis for the deep sausage. Donatis, which is in the same mall as the LB Heinens, has a 5 minute assembly line pizza that is decent to eat there. For a good classic Chicago tavern style, The Silo's thin crust is great. My favorite lunch place in the area is The Other Door, next to Inovasi in downtown LB. It is Chipotle style mexican but much better.....great sauces.

-Will

Split off by the Mods from another thread for easier future reference

My reply in the other thread may get moved over, but if not, another thumbs up for The Silo for pizza.

Thanks to both of you for the great leads and endorsements! Kevin Pang shared his enthusiasm for and the history of the Silo back in 2012, as well.

Hot diggity - I'm ready to move now!

sundevilpeg, once you move to Lake Bluff, maybe you'll be able to join in to some LTH North lunch group meetings sometimes. I would love to meet you in person. (Or have I? I try to make LTH North lunches when I can, but I am also grateful to the LTH Evanston group for gerrymandering me in there as well.)

Want to add that I think Silo is particularly well suited to family gatherings. The place is very well run.

If you go to The Silo, don't neglect the Breaded Pork Tenderloin "sandwich".

sundevilpeg, once you move to Lake Bluff, maybe you'll be able to join in to some LTH North lunch group meetings sometimes.

Thanks! You're very sweet, Katie. The only problem is that to pay for the new place, I'll be out of Lake Bluff from roughly 6:30AM to 6:30PM Monday through Friday. Does the group ever meet on the weekends?

And SteveZ, I noted the pork t-loin sandwich when perusing the Silo menu. I'm already looking forward to phoning in an order for one from downtown, and picking it up on the way home. That four-minute drive home shouldn't hurt it too much!

Pushing out a few miles, you would have to add in Il Forno's in Highland Park (really the south end of Lake Forest at the Ft Sheridan train stop) an to the north is Kaiser's (Gurnee). Both have a unique flavor because of crust and sauce (both not sweet in my opinion). Each has a cracker-like crust with flavor; Kaiser's pretty much in the tavern style crisp category and Il Forno's slightly less-so but if you request well done it's there. My only caveat about Il Forno's is that you should not be wary of "oil" if you order a pepperoni pizza. I am not a big fan of Donatti's, to me it has a less interesting crust but seems to appeal to the tastes of my teen-aged children.

You could park at the Ft Sheridan train station one morning and pick up an Il Forno pie on you way out to Waukegan Rd via Old Elm. One last hint, to get a sample of Kaiser's, stop in Donelli's Pub on Rockland Rd (176) where they serve Kaiser's at the bar in 8" format (not the same but lead me to make several trips from Lake Forest to Gurnee for pizza.

Mike

Il Forno
496 Old Elm Road (right across the street from the Ft Sheridan train stop)
Highland Park 60035
847-432-2440

Kaiser’s
1801 N Rt 21
Gurnee, IL 60031
(847) 366-6500

sundevilpeg wrote:

sundevilpeg, once you move to Lake Bluff, maybe you'll be able to join in to some LTH North lunch group meetings sometimes.

Thanks! You're very sweet, Katie. The only problem is that to pay for the new place, I'll be out of Lake Bluff from roughly 6:30AM to 6:30PM Monday through Friday. Does the group ever meet on the weekends?

We had an awesome Saturday gathering at Wells Brothers.

I was at Wells Brothers last Saturday night for the first time in years. It was very good as usual.

I'm usually in Lake Bluff every week (I have friends that live in the area) and we are kind of sick of The Silo. When I go I usually get the pan pizza (kind of bready and a little bland) over the thin which is decent, but not one I'd go out of my way for. I haven't had Kaiser's up north, but I am at Donelli's all the time and their pizza is really good. Available as a 9 inch or 14 inch in a few varieties only. Is that actually Kaiser's pizza that I have been having Cathy2? I heard someone mention Kaiser's recipe is the same as Hitz in Mundelein which I have had many times and is very good, but it's not the same as what you get at Donelli's.

For me, Lou Malnati's is the best pizza of any, but that's deep dish and I normally need to crisp it back up in the oven for 5-10 minutes before I'll cut it and serve. It's great to have it close by in Lake Forest (and really close to me in HP). I grew up with Il Forno in HP, though I rarely think to have it anymore. When it's good it would have what I consider a (black) peppery tomato sauce, on a chewy/crackery crust and a little heavy on the cheese, which makes it oily (and tasty!), but some find that a turn off. Luke's of Lake Bluff has a pretty good thin crackery crust pizza and they serve slices all day as well. Ferentino's I believe was related somehow to Piero's of Highland Park if my memory serves me. Never was a fan of either.

My friends are long time Lake Bluff and Knollwood residents. The cold truth if you are anything like me, you're going to be driving more often than not to get better food. By the way, Donelli's has an open mic jam night every Tuesday at 9 if you play a guitar, bass, or drums (or sing) that I go to most of the time.

Ram4: thanks for the additional intel re Donelli's in particular. There appear to be a startling number of solid indy pizza places between the Lake Bluff Metra station and my soon-to-be new home.

My next inquiry: a Mexican grocery that is the equivalent of the Morelia Supermarket in Rogers Park (fresh-made corn tortillas in particular), and a good Asian market that stocks a lot of Thai ingredients, especially Thai basil and chiles. The aforementioned Heinen's seems to have a good selection (fresh galangal, among other unexpected things), but I'd like something more comprehensive, if possible. Any leads?

Thanks!

I was up in the north burbs on Sunday evening, took a drive past my childhood home, whoops, gone. A shocker to see an empty lot for sale but seeing as every other home in the area has become a McMansion, it quickly set in that this was inevitable.

With noticing an uptick in talk about The Silo, I stopped by, I grew up with this as one of our family's deep dish pizza joints. I hadn't been to The Silo in 20 years.

Enjoyed the pork tenderloin for dinner. For Chicago, this was an excellent pork tenderloin sandwich, a bit overfried so some bitter burt bits, but I was able to remove those burnt bits. I really enjoyed the porky goodness.

I got a deep dish to go. Of course once I was in the car, I had to try a slice while still hot & fresh out of the oven. The very fond memories I had of The Silo deep dish were quickly gone. First noticeable bummer was the crust, it is pillow and breadstick like, and not substantial. I really like the firm crust present on deep dish from Gulliver's, Lou's, etc. Next was the sauce, there were still chunks of tomato but gone was the zesty sauce I remember. Lastly the sausage didn't taste like good quality sausage.

I'll go back for the pork tenderloin but stay clear of the deep dish.

I really like the firm crust present on deep dish from Gulliver's, Lou's, etc.

But Gulliver's pizza is horrific! And how can something be simultaneously pillowy and like a breadstick?

Not a fan of The Silo. Maybe 20+ years ago it was a worthy stop. And I do have fond childhood memories of the place. On my last 2 visits there -- both within the past 10 years -- the deep dish pizza approximated slop -- and that was eaten in. I can't even imagine how much that effect would be amplified with carry-out or delivery. I find the pork tenderloin sandwich to be nothing more than a depressing homage. The pork itself is so dried out it's nearly a choking hazard. You'll need mayo just for self-defense.

=R=

I can't even imagine how much that effect would be amplified with carry-out or delivery.

The Silo doesn't deliver.

sundevilpeg wrote:

I can't even imagine how much that effect would be amplified with carry-out or delivery.

The Silo doesn't deliver.

LOL, that's downright merciful of them!

=R=

sundevilpeg wrote:And how can something be simultaneously pillowy and like a breadstick?

Olive Garden, Little Cesars, Pizza Hut, nearly every chain place out there serves pillowy breadsticks with no backbone. example: https://order.pizzahut.com/site/menu/sides

Though I havent been there for over a year, I do like Silo's thin crust. Never liked the deep dish there which they seem to think is their specialty.

-Will

Olive Garden, Little Cesars, Pizza Hut, nearly every chain place out there serves pillowy breadsticks with no backbone.

I've never had a pillowy breadstick. Perhaps I've just led a sheltered life.

sundevilpeg wrote:I've never had a pillowy breadstick. Perhaps I've just led a sheltered life.

consider yourself fortunate, sheltered or not.

I do not recall ever eating the Silo's pan pizza, so no opinions. Silo's thin crust, ordered Mr. Wiviott style - well done, is awesome, tavern style pizza. The women in my family love just cheese, I prefer the cheese and sausage.

Do not forget to tell them well done.

c7umpm wrote:Pushing out a few miles, you would have to add in Il Forno's in Highland Park (really the south end of Lake Forest at the Ft Sheridan train stop) an to the north is Kaiser's (Gurnee). Both have a unique flavor because of crust and sauce (both not sweet in my opinion). Each has a cracker-like crust with flavor; Kaiser's pretty much in the tavern style crisp category and Il Forno's slightly less-so but if you request well done it's there. My only caveat about Il Forno's is that you should not be wary of "oil" if you order a pepperoni pizza. I am not a big fan of Donatti's, to me it has a less interesting crust but seems to appeal to the tastes of my teen-aged children.

You could park at the Ft Sheridan train station one morning and pick up an Il Forno pie on you way out to Waukegan Rd via Old Elm.

Mike

Il Forno
496 Old Elm Road (right across the street from the Ft Sheridan train stop)
Highland Park 60035
847-432-2440

When I first moved to Lake Forest, we ordered from Il Forno regularly. Fantastic thin crust. After several disappointments, we stopped ordering and I was crushed to lose such great pizza. Haven't tried again in many years.

I think a Silo thin-crust will be my first buy. Caramelized onions & grilled 'shrooms sounds fabulous. I agree on the well-doneness, too. Yum!

Yeah, I agree with Ronnie, The Silo's pizza isn't what it used to be and I am sorry but I think their thin crust - while looking the part, isn't a big deal and I'd rather have their so-so pan pizza over it. Speaking of Il Forno, I had a slice for lunch recently and it was good, but it seemed to be lacking the familiar peppery sauce of my youth. So on Saturday night I ordered a full pizza with extra sauce and there it was - the pizza of my youth in Highland Park. It is still the same, with oily (some would say greasy, I say delicious) cheese, peppery sauce, and decent crust. Total time machine moment for me. I'll have to go back sooner. I don't care as much for Il Forno Deerfield.