Introduction to Milly’s Pizza In The Pan
UPTOWN — A popular deep-dish pizza spot is leaving Uptown for West Town this summer.
Milly’s Pizza In The Pan will close its doors at 1005 W. Argyle St. in July and reopen around the same time at 925 N. Ashland Ave., owner Robert Maleski said.
“Uptown has been incredible since we opened, and they have embraced us with open arms,” Maleski wrote on social media. “We will be sad to leave Uptown, but we are also excited for this next step.”
Reasons for the Move
One benefit to the new space is it includes a Middleby & Marshall pizza oven that will allow Maleski to double his pizza production, “which has always been our Achilles heel,” he said.
The Ashland Avenue storefront will have “extremely limited” seating, similar to the Uptown location, Maleski said.
History of Milly’s Pizza In The Pan
Maleski opened Milly’s in 2020 after being laid off from his server job during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He used the opportunity to achieve a long-held goal of starting a pizza business.
Maleski couldn’t open the sit-down joint he wanted — so he went an increasingly popular route during the pandemic and opened in a ghost kitchen in Logan Square, offering delivery and pickup.
Milly’s take on pan pizza — inspired by iconic Chicago-area pizza maker Burt Katz — was a hit from nearly the start. As a one-man operation, Maleski sold out almost nightly in the early days, he said. The business made the Tribune’s 25 best pizzas list in 2020, just months after opening.
In 2022, Maleski opened his sit-down and takeout version of Milly’s in Uptown’s Asia on Argyle district.
Awards and Recognition
Earlier this year, Milly’s Pizza in the Pan was named one of the best pizzas in the world by Time Out. It was also nominated for a 2025 Jean Banchet Award — a Chicago food honor recognizing top local chefs and restaurants — for Best Pizza.
Conclusion
Milly’s Pizza In The Pan is set to leave Uptown and start a new chapter in West Town. With its new location and upgraded equipment, the pizzeria is expected to continue serving some of the best deep-dish pizzas in the city.
FAQs
Q: When will Milly’s Pizza In The Pan close its Uptown location?
A: The Uptown location will close in July.
Q: Where will Milly’s Pizza In The Pan reopen?
A: The pizzeria will reopen at 925 N. Ashland Ave. in West Town.
Q: What benefits will the new location have?
A: The new location will have a Middleby & Marshall pizza oven, allowing for double the pizza production, and will have “extremely limited” seating.
Q: What awards has Milly’s Pizza In The Pan received?
A: Milly’s Pizza In The Pan was named one of the best pizzas in the world by Time Out and was nominated for a 2025 Jean Banchet Award for Best Pizza.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
