Monica Hunt.
"Mmm, mmm good" has nothing on Pizza Peel! Located in the small town of Lacon down by the Illinois River, this pizza joint keeps the little town from ripping their stomachs out with hunger. In the basement by "3 Times One" Imprints, this little slice of heaven is sure to get your chops dripping with saliva and your stomach always wanting more!
After sitting down for an interview with a worker, Deborah, she provided the origin of the small town business. Originally from Pekin, owner and starter of the Pizza Peel, Travis M. Guthman understood how limited good food was in smaller areas. Travis eventually moved to Colorado and started opening Black Jack pizzerias all across areas of Colorado. Owning a farm in Sparland inspired him to move back and start his own business in the smack dab middle of Lacon, Illinois. The building where the Pizza Peel is today, unlike the Pizza Peel, has been around since after the Civil War. Shortly after The Pizza Peel was opened, many people from all areas came to indulge in their many tasty items from the menu.
The Pizza Peel brings a big city pizza joint feeling to the small town of Lacon. The restaurant is right in the middle of the main drag of the busy mainstreet of Lacon. As you walk anywhere near the restaurant a gorgeous, haunting smell of Italian sauces, garclic, and cheese pull your nose hairs to go towards the smell and let your stomach have all control. As you follow the aroma you walk under the yellow, umbrella-like sign above the door and head into the basement where the words love and food go together.
For such an odd location, the restaurant seems to steal the limelight of all other Lacon restaurants. The basement pizza joint has beautiful light brown wood floors and the walls and ceiling are beautifully decorated and not with a cheesy checkered print that a lot of pizza places try to do. There is many places to sit, booths, tables, etc. to rest your starving self for the arrival of a feast fit for kings and queens! The aroma that teases your nostrils comes from the elegant kitchen that is full of numerous ovens and supplies to provide with senses with pleasure.
Just taking a look at the menu might cause you to drool. The pizza peel has very many dishes that could fill your heart with a warm, cheese-filled love. The classics are "Pepperoni Passion" which has double portions of pepperoni and cheese to make any meat lover salivate like a dog that sees a steak. A "Combo" with 5 toppings of pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and red onions could satisfy you. Or chose between to rivals the "All Natural" veggie pizza with mushrooms, green peppers, red onionss, black olives, and tomatoes or the "Carnivore's Delight" that includes pepperoni, ham, sausage, beef, and extra cheese! ,Costing $12.99 for a 12 inch or $14.99 for a 14 inch pizza.
Providing more of a variety, The Pizza Peel's menu also includes their "Signature Pies" which consist of "BBQ Feast", "Bacon Cheeseburger", and "Mediterranean Chicken" pies. "BBQ Feast" is full of grilled chicken, red onions, bacon, and cheese cooked with BBQ sauce. Quite a different, unique pizza. If you are craving a burger and you're in Lacon, good luck finding a great burger place. Instead, settle for a "Bacon Cheesburger" pizza pie from The Pizza Peel. The pie's ingredients consist of beef, bacon, cheddar, and extra cheese. Hitting the spot for your burger cravings. Last, but not least, the "Mediterranean Chicken" pie crust's spread with extra virgin olive oil, is topped with Mozzarella, red onions, chicken breast, black and green olives, tomatoes, garlic, and feta cheese! These pies fill the spot and don't dent your wallet too much!
The other pizza choices include the "Ultimates" which are the loaded pizza selections. This consists of "Kitchen Sink", "Kickin' Chicken", and the "Hawaiin" pizzas. The "Kitchen Sink" is loaded with pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, beef, red onions, extra cheese, and black and green olives to satisfy your animal-like hunger! "Kickin' Chicken" provides you Colonel Sanders lovers with some spicy green chili sauce pizza that contains red onions, black olives, tomatoes, chicken, cheddar cheese, and diced green chiles. Any of these choices can make any hunger cease for quite a while!
What's great about this small town joint is that they provide other options in case you are not in a pizza mood. With the famous Cheese bread that is only $4.49 for a whole box! To even the wings that come in orders of 10 or 20. While you are there you can order from their salad selections of "Fresh Garden Salad", "Mediterranean Chicken", or their "Kickin' Chicken" salad. The Pizza Peel also has great sandwiches like "Italian Beef" or the "Chicken Bacon Ranch" sandwich that could sent your stomach into a love coma. If you are still hungry after all of your feasting of the huge proportions, check out their two deserts, the infamous "Chocolate Chip Calzone" and the "Cinna Bread" can send you in an amazing sugar rush!
What would the city of Lacon be like without the Pizza Peel? Before this place Lacon was dull and a resident would have to drive at least 40 minutes to get some good quality food. If you are looking for some good loving in the food department, stop on by to Lacon's The Pizza Peel and your stomach will never regret it!
