Restaurateurs Urge Customers to 'Go Naked'

A new local restaurant wants you to get naked. 

Well, not exactly. But sort of. Naked Pizza, 953 W. Diversey Parkway in Lincoln Park—coincidentally nestled in a strip mall next to Lover's Lane—has been serving since late spring what owners say is a healthier "naked" pizza that's free of "all the extra stuff."

The company is named for its recipe that excludes any added sugar or artificial preservatives, is certified as low glycemic, and features an "ancestral blend" crust made with 10 grains, prebiotic agave fiber and probiotics, according to the company website. Probiotics include healthful bacteria that promote digestive balance.

"There's some great pizza here (in Chicago) but we figure, with our niche and the market here, there's definitely demand for a healthier pizza," said Nate Adams, 32, who's one of four owners of the local franchise.

The DePaul University alumnus joins business partners Aaron Leavitt, Dan Ferreri Jepsey and Scott Saldana in opening the first Naked Pizza in Chicago.

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Although there are small tables on the sidewalk outside the business, it's primarily focused on carry-out and delivery customers.

Adams said Naked pizzas typically have just one-third of the calories a normal pizza its thickness does. Nutritional information is posted on the wall of the restaurant along with the menu. A gluten-free crust option is also available.

"We just want people to eat pizza and not feel guilty about it," Adams said. "There's no guilt in this. ... It's not a diet pizza. It's made from quality ingredients that are meant to make you feel good."

The company’s core mission is centered on using the pizza industry as a Trojan horse to demonstrate that fast food can be redesigned as part of the solution to the global epidemic of obesity and chronic disease related to diet, according to its website.

Watch the accompanying video to see what Naked Pizza is all about.