Being so close to Chicago, usually all the rage is about thick crust Chicago-style pizza, but let’s not sleep on the cracker-thin crust loaded with toppings that Old Orchard provides.
Positioned off Neil Street in Savoy, there’s a a local family-owned favorite. Old Orchard is a bowling alley with a restaurant and bar attached but separated by a door labeled The Lounge. We walked through the door and into a casual, welcoming atmosphere.
The restaurant was decorated with wood paneling and dark wooden barrels were hung by the bar. The inner dining area was on the smaller side and offered a selection of booths as well as seats at the bar.
We were greeted by a delightful staff member, and she told us to have a seat wherever we liked. My group chose a table in the second dining area with floor to ceiling windows that overlooked Neil Street. It was busy when we sat down around noon, but our drink order was taken immediately.
As a craft beer lover, I had to order the Riggs lager pint ($6). I couldn’t talk the table into ordering a pitcher, but if you have better luck than me, it’s only $17. I’m usually all about IPAs, but the lager was cold, crisp, and paired excellently with the pizza. They also have an assortment of liquor if that’s more your style. If alcohol isn’t for you, there are plenty of other options such as soft drinks, iced tea, and lemonade.
We ordered two appetizers: nachos and fried mushrooms. The mushrooms ($5.99) were bite-sized, breaded, and served with a side of ranch. They didn’t have an overwhelming flavor, but I still liked them enough to eat almost the whole order myself.
The deluxe nachos ($9.99) were a great size for the amount that is charged for them. These consisted of thin tortilla chips topped with seasoned taco meat, shredded cheese, onions, black olives, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, jalapeños, and salsa that covered each chip generously.
When I lived on the East Coast, I learned that the best way to judge a pizza place was by how good their plain cheese pizza tasted, so with that in mind, I ordered the 10 inch cheese pizza ($8.99) for myself. The crust on my pizza was a little burnt, but that’s how I prefer it, so I didn’t mind. Now you need to understand that I eat ranch with everything — pizza especially. I have this unofficial pizza judging criteria: the more ranch I use, the less quality of the pizza. So, using that criteria, I didn’t even have to order an extra side of ranch.
It was a great portion for the price, and I even had a few pieces leftover to take home. Leftovers are always hit or miss, but I ended up sticking the pizza in the air fryer for a couple minutes, and it held up beautifully.
My friends shared the 14 inch spicy sleeper ($19.99), a pizza with a blend of cheeses, bacon, pepperoni, onions, and green pepper. They described it as having manageable spice, mostly from the added kick of cayenne pepper and plenty of toppings. They stuck with the traditional crust, but there were gluten-free options as well.
We also ordered the half pound portion of the Asian chili boneless wings ($7.99). They had a nice crispy breading with tender and moist meat. The sauce was sweet with a hint of spice. It reminded us more of a sweet and sour sauce as it was more tangy than spicy.
My date ordered the homemade pot-roast style Italian beef sandwich ($9.99) that was topped with shredded mozzarella and pepperoncini peppers. The French bread was perfectly crunchy, and the side of savory au jus was the perfect complement. It came with a generous serving of hot and fresh french fries that were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. He even said it’s the best Italian beef he’s had in this area, and he’s been a chef for years, so I trust his opinion.
Overall, Old Orchard is a casual spot with friendly staff and great food. Whether you’re looking for a spot to grab a beer and catch the big game, or you need a kid-friendly lunch spot, Old Orchard caters to a variety of clientele. They even have a drive-thru window to cater to those of us that wish to eat in the comfort of our own homes during these lovely winter months.
Old Orchard Lounge
901 N Dunlap
Savoy
M-F 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.