Brian Hieggelke

At least your taste buds can go home again. In the Joliet of my youth, Aurelio's was the dominant pizza joint in a town where Pizza Hut would be counted as real competition. Hours were spent in that strip-mall haven, on family outings or, more likely, hanging out with fellow high-schoolers. By the time I was ready to head off to college and Chicago's graduate school of pizza, I'd had my fill of Aurelio's.

When a branch of this local suburban chain recently hung its sign on a nondescript Holiday Inn near the main post office, my weakness for nostalgia led me in for a try of a pizza I hadn't tasted in a decade. I've been back nearly every week since, as I've discovered what over-familiarity once obscured: Aurelio's has one of the best tomato sauces around, making for one of the best thin-crust pies in the city. Stick to the tried and true pepperoni, homemade sausage or cheese--this 45-year-old chain is not leading the vanguard of pizza innovation, so why experiment?--and you'll enjoy a thin crispy crust, topped with tangy tomato sauce and ample heaps of mozzarella, all cut into handy square slices. As for the ambiance, there's not much to say other than it's in a functionally dreary hotel next to the post office. It's been all carryout for me.

Aurelio's, 506 West Harrison, (312)994-2000, $, all major credit cards

(2004-01-28)

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