South of Chicago Pizza and Beef has recently opened in Saxony next to Michele’s Studio near 131st and Olio Road. This new pizzeria and full bar offer fresh Italian beef sandwiches, thin and deep-dish pizzas, salads, extensive beer/wine lists and so much more.
“Fishers has totally embraced us,” says Bob Jaeger, co-owner of South of Chicago Pizza and Beef. “We’ve been so incredibly busy. We didn’t anticipate this so fast.” Even before the outdoor sign arrived, the word spread tremendously. Jaeger says, “In order to compensate for the high volume of pizza deliveries, we are adding another wing with more ovens next to Jack’s Donuts where we can hold a separate delivery/carry out area.” Also, Jaeger plans to add an indoor/outdoor patio which serves as an extension of the dining room offering screened windows to let the breeze flow through during warm weather. Plus there will be a separate area for smokers featuring a fire pit and seating area.
After moving to Indianapolis with his family in 1999, Jaeger immediately missed the style of pizza he had left behind in Chicago. As a result, he started a catering business downtown within an old insurance building. He eventually converted it into the original South of Chicago Pizza and Beef that still resides at 619 Virginia Avenue. Jaeger says, “One of the biggest jokes in Chicago when we would come down to the Indianapolis 500 is: it’s okay to go just don’t eat the pizza… A lot of transplants from Chicago to Fishers have praised me on their hands and knees saying that finally someone is doing pizza right.” This influx of Fishers’ fans prompted Jaeger to open the Saxony location.
South of Chicago uses fresh ingredients. Not only is the Italian sausage shipped from Chicago but also the French bread that is used for making sandwiches. The dough used for deep-dish and thin crust pizzas however, is homemade daily using a large mixer. Some of the main specialties at South of Chicago include the Italian beef sandwiches and these homemade dishes: Italian sausage meatballs, lasagna and chicken parmesan.
Are you ready to party? South of Chicago will host a grand opening celebration in Saxony Park with a large tent sometime in May. This event will feature local bands, pizza by the slice, kegs of beer and fun. Further, a catering central is scheduled to open in Greenwood in about a year. Jaeger adds, “We can save wedding parties so much by catering for them and helping to keep costs down.”
After working in pizza parlors for twenty-five years during the days of trying to survive as a heavy metal musician, Jaeger is confident he has combined the creative niche from all the Chicago-style restaurants. He says, “My dad and I spent a lot of time coming up with the right recipes out of his kitchen. I would come home from Indy and we’d fine tune things. Sadly, he passed a few years ago so I’m living out our dream. Basically, I’ve taken the best of what I learned from all the pizzerias I’ve worked for in Chicago and brought it to Indy.”
The hours of operation for Fisher’s South of Chicago are as follows: Sunday -Thursday 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm Bar hours vary. See store for details.
This location is now offering a lunch buffet available Monday-Friday from 11-2 pm which includes deep-dish pizza, salad bar, pop, and a special entrée each day.
Go to www.southofchicagopizzaandbeef.com to learn more.
