La Dolce Pizza Open For Christmas, New Year's Day? Shorewood's Newest Restaurant Reveals Answer

SHOREWOOD, IL — If you open the right restaurant, people will flock to your new establishment in record numbers and that's been true during the past month of business at the former Savarino's Pizza place. La Dolce Pizza and Pasta opened in Shorewood on November 26 along Route 52.

"I was expecting this," co-owner Oscar Vera assured Joliet Patch at Saturday's interview. "I know Shorewood is actually really a great community and big pizza fans. There's been a lot of customers that have been ordering with me four or five times already."

While most Will County restaurants stay closed for Christmas and New Year's Day, Vera wanted to get out of the word through Joliet Patch that La Dolce Pizza will be open on Christmas Day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and New Year's Day, also from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, his hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

La Dolce is a carryout and deliver pizzeria with a huge selection of pastas and other Italian dishes. La Dulce even offers a catering menu, but since La Dolce Pizza opened, it's been the pizzas that are drawing customers into the establishment.

The address for La Dolce Pizza is 1134 W. Jefferson St. It's in the same business plaza as Will County Brewing Company, Happy Place Cafe Family Restaurant and Mauve Nosh & Libations.

Vera wanted everyone to know he just ordered a brand-new oven that is being shipped from Missouri. It is set to arrive during the first week of January.

"Coming soon, we're adding a bigger new pizza oven," Vera revealed on Saturday. "Bigger oven to keep up with orders. It's going to be a big investment, but it's going to be worth it. That way we can offer better service in shorter time."

He said the sausage supreme has been one of the most popular pizzas. La Dolce makes a thin crust, a double dough, a Chicago deep dish, a pan and a stuffed pizza ranging in size from 10 inches as a small to 18 inches for party size. The menu includes chicken and shrimp, sandwiches, Italian dishes, calzones and several varieties of salads.

Vera said that business has been exceptional when there's Chicago Bears games playing.

"During the Bears games, they order a lot," he said. "There's so many Chicago Bears fans in this area."

In addition to the new pizza oven, Vera said La Dolce Pizza is purchasing "new pizza rollers because we need it. We want to thank the Shorewood community and our neighbors in Plainfield, Joliet, Minooka and Channahon. We've had customers coming from Aurora, New Lenox and Homer Glen just to try our pizza. And the person from Homer Glen, he's traveled back two more times already."

The two entrepreneurs who opened La Dolce Pizza each have around 25 years of experience working in Chicago-area pizzerias: Oscar Vera and Sergio Gomez.

La Dolce kept the same phone number that belonged to Savarino's: 815-725-1800. La Dolce Pizza stays open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.