Word of mouth has always been my greatest Pizza Farm information source. That is a large reason why I started this website. I want to make it easy for anyone to find out about Pizza Farms, even if they don’t try to throw “pizza farm” into every conversation like I do. I do a lot of research online and regularly look for Pizza Farms on Instagram and I have found many great places that way. Yet, as an extrovert and a lover of places slightly off the beaten path, word of mouth continues to be one of the most exciting and satisfying ways to hear about pizza. Last November at a neighborhood party, I found myself in a conversation about pizza with a bonafide Pizza Maker. My new friend, Antonio, described the work he had been doing at a small cafe in Rogers Park, including a weekly Pizza Night. He wrote down his information on a scrap of paper that I put in my wallet and every time I almost forgot about Antonio’s pizza, I would go through my wallet and be reminded by the scrawled handwriting reading, “Antonio Brunetti Archie’s Cafe“.
Six months after our meeting, I recruited two Rogers Park residents to show up with me for Pizza Night at Archie’s Cafe. There was a little confusion about what time the Cafe closed on Fridays, because Google search had not been fully updated. (For the most up to date information, I recommend Archie’s Cafe Instagram). I found a contact email and reached out to make sure that Antonio was still in the pizza making game and that Archie’s Cafe served pizza past 4pm despite what Google said. I received confirmation via email that Antonio would be making pizza until about 8pm. And so we showed up at the small Cafe behind the red line stop.
It was a small, intimate space with several tables and counter seating. A playlist including Ani DiFranco and Joni Mitchell was on rotation. We sat at the counter and I reintroduced myself to the Pizza Maker I had met 6 months ago. While my friend, Mary, and I waited on our third companion, we caught up with Antonio and also observed all the delicious dishes coming out of the kitchen for other Archie’s patrons. As it is BYOB, I walked around the corner to Bruno’s and purchased some drinks.
When it came time to order, we wanted to try all the pizza! Antonio came up with some amazing combinations for us – a classic Margherita, fresh local spinach and mushrooms, potato rosemary, and hungarian pepperoni topped with mustard greens! The meal started with a beautiful salad and ended with a shot of Malort. In between we talked about theater, pizza, ovens, local food, Local Foods, and much more.
We left feeling very content, completely full, and interested in coming back for more! Archie’s Cafe certainly isn’t a Pizza Farm, but it is a wonderful neighborhood small business with a focus on local, healthy food, and building community around that centerpiece. It has many of the same goals as a Pizza Farm, but it is in an urban setting. I look forward to going back to Archie’s Cafe for more seasonal pizza on Fridays, handmade pasta on Thursdays, and lavender toast from the main menu. Rogers Park isn’t too close to me and I envy the folks who live right in the neighborhood of this little gem.
