Chicago-based, family owned, pizza franchise established in 1964.
In 1895, an Italian immigrant from the region of Naples, Italy, Ferdinand Rosati opened a fine-dining Italian restaurant on Coney Island. In 1906, he moved to Chicago and started yet another Italian restaurant on Chicago’s famous Taylor Street. Since the restaurant gained immense success, expansion was the next direction. A hotel, saloon, and a small importing and exporting business of Italian foods were added to the restaurant. Back then, pizza was strictly old-world Italian fare, simply a tomato sauce served on crisp bread that Ferdinand often put on the table as a special offering to his customers and boy did the people love it!
By 1927, Ferdinand’s son, Saverio Rosati opened another restaurant on Pulaski and Madison in Chicago, right next to the Marbro Theater. Soon after, the restaurant became a favorite watering hole for the old Chicago society and Windy City politicians. On any given night you might spot Jack Haley, famous for his role as the “Tin Man” in The Wizard of Oz enjoying a hearty helping of Saverio’s homemade Italian specialties or contrary to popular belief, notorious gangster, Al Capone and his entourage could be spotted sharing a heaping dish of pasta with his so called “nemesis”, Eliot Ness.
When Saverio (Sam) retired, his sons moved to the suburbs with a new and timely concept. The year was 1964 and pizza was now a popular trend. Saverio’s sons Dick, Ron and Al Rosati opened the first Rosati’s Pizza in an Illinois suburb, Mount Prospect. By 1978, a total of ten Rosati family members owned carryout pizzerias.
Now with the Rosati name firmly established in the Chicago suburbs, the family took another giant leap and started franchising their Rosati’s Pizza restaurants.
Today, we are honored to say the Rosati’s brand is approaching 200 restaurants nationally. Including the newest concept, the Rosati’s Pizza Pub. Great-grandpa would be so proud!
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