John's Pizza, Elmhurst Staple Since 1965

Summary

For over half a century, John’s Pizzeria has been a beloved cornerstone of Elmhurst, serving up slices of history, tradition, and heartfelt connection. Founded in 1965 John's has been dishing out the same cherished recipe ever since. In our interview, John's daughter, Susan, reflects on the joy of crafting pizza that sparks nostalgia across generations.

For over half a century, John’s Pizzeria has been a beloved cornerstone of Elmhurst, serving up slices of history, tradition, and heartfelt connection.

How longs has John’s been open?

Since 1965. We opened like three storefronts away, then moved to this location in 1976. It was opened by my father John, and my mom, Rose. They opened it here because we lived in Elmhurst, and still do.

And after all this time, do you still enjoy making pizza?

I really do. And it’s the same recipe from day one. All of the kids that grew up here and moved away, they come back, sometimes with their kids, and take that first bite and say, “Oh my God!” It brings back memories. They come here, they cry. It is so humbling and so beautiful. We’ve got a few generations of people who come through our doors. It’s wonderful.

What do you like most about Elmhurst?

I love it so much. I grew up here, I went to school here. It is the community. We have made so many friends. There are a lot of families. And now it is so diverse. It is great, I get to hear so many different languages, I ask, “Where are you from?” I learn about their culture. It is an educational experience for me as well. I ask about their food, and sometimes they never had pizza before! As they say, “Food brings people together.”