Downtown Tuscaloosa’s newest restaurant is open now and serving tavern-style thin-crust pizza by the slice, towering Chicago-style deep-dish pies, cannoli, ice cream, and more.
As the Thread first reported when Antioch Pizza Shop announced plans to expand from Illinois to Alabama, the new pizzeria has set up shop at 409 23rd Avenue in Temerson Square.
The Shop officially opened on Monday and has brought a 50-plus-year-old brand serving some of the most beloved pizza in the Chicago area to West Alabama.
The main draw for students and Tuscaloosa townies who live and work here will be the two-slice special, which includes a drink for just $7.
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
“I grew up going to Antioch Pizza, buying the two-slice-and-a-drink special that we all offer,” franchisee Mike Volkmar, Jr. told the Thread in August. “It was something quick with excellent counter service – just how you expect in the city. Walk in, go up to the counter, and order what you want. It comes out in a few minutes, and then you’re on your way to go on with what you’re doing. It’s good for working people, the community, people with large families who want to come in and get a ton of stuff to share – that’s what we’re based on, and when we were looking for places, I thought Temerson Square was just such a fun spot. We couldn’t pass it up.”
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
The crust is thin and crispy enough to hold its own weight without folding, and it’s topped in a variety of classic configurations, including a rotating daily special pie.
Antioch also offers the signature Chicago-style deep dish, featuring a tall, flaky crust and a pool of sauce and toppings.
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
The pizzeria is now open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Those hours get extended on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, when the late-night downtown crowd can come in for pizza or dessert until midnight.
Speaking of dessert, Antioch offers both handmade cannoli and a wide variety of ice cream that can be ordered by the scoop, in a sundae, or spun into a milkshake.
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
Antioch Pizza Shop also offers catering services with an extensive menu, including Italian beef sandwiches, buffalo wings, chicken fingers, a selection of pastas and salads, and, of course, a number of pizza options.
For more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.
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