On March 17th, 1971, Lou Malnati and his wife Jean opened the first Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in Lincolnwood. Today, 45 years later, we’re celebrating the great history of our restaurant!

In honor of our anniversary, we’ve compiled a complete history of Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria by decade, from opening day 45 years ago, all the way to present day! You may think you know all there is to know about us, but we’ve included quite a few new tidbits. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find:

  • Lou Malnati1970s – bet you didn’t know a car crashed through the wall of the main dining room on opening day… Read more ›
  • 1980s – The Taste of Chicago started in 1980, and we’ve been a part of it since the very start! Read more ›
  • 1990s – We have a long history of giving back to our community, and we opened a pizzeria in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood in 1995 with just that goal. Read more ›
  • 2000s – Ever heard of “Pizzas4Patriots”? In 2009, our Tastes of Chicago division donated thousands of deep dish pizzas to the cause. Read more ›
  • Present Day – you might already know this one, but… Lou Malnati’s is headed to Arizona! Read more ›

Have we piqued your interest? Check out the full history of Lou’s here.