Rosati’s Pizza opens new location in DeKalb with a pizza-cutting ceremony

DeKALB - Instead of cutting a ribbon on Tuesday, DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith cut a pizza to celebrate the opening of DeKalb’s newest restaurant, Rosati’s Pizza.

Rosati’s Pizza is located at 456 E. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, in the site previously occupied by Marco’s Pizza, in between Dunkin’ and Subway.

Smith said that he is excited to welcome Rosati’s back to town. Rosati’s Pizza Sports Pub, located at 930 Pappas Drive in DeKalb, closed in 2019.

“Rosati’s is well-known and a favorite of many in DeKalb and Sycamore,” Smith said. “We’re glad to welcome Rosati’s back to DeKalb as we revitalize our downtown.”

The owner of the new pizzeria is Brian O’Kelly, who grew up eating Rosati’s deep dish in his hometown of Arlington Heights, where one of the original Rosati’s Pizzas is located. For O’Kelly, running his own restaurant has been a lifelong dream. He is proud to open his second franchise after customers embraced his first Rosati’s Pizza location in Oak Park.

In the press release, O’Kelly said Rosati’s commitment to sourcing fresh ingredients sets it apart from other pizzerias.

“Growing up, it was always a special treat when someone brought home a warm, delicious pizza from Rosati’s,” O’Kelly said in the press release. “I hope to bring that same comfort and authentic Italian flavor to the families in DeKalb. From our thin-crust pizzas to our hearty chicken parmigiana to our buttery breadsticks, our generous portions come at a great value. We follow a generations-old family recipe that makes our pizza taste like home.”

In addition to serving up great pizza, O’Kelly said he looks forward to building lasting relationships with community members.

During its opening day, Rosati’s donated 15% of its sales to the DeKalb County Community Foundation’s DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund, which supports local organizations that are helping people in need during the pandemic.

Rosati’s Pizza, located at 456 E. Lincoln Highway in DeKalb, is open for delivery, carryout and catering, with contactless curbside pickup available.

The pizzeria is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There is a “Jumbo Slice and Coke $5 Special” 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily special.

For more information or to place an order, call 815-981-9188 or visit www.RosatisPizza.com/DeKalb.