Strapoli opened its first location on Diversey Parkway in Lincoln Park in October 2023, the work of Rubén and Marlene, their sons Rubén and Marcial, and Marcial's wife, Vanessa — a family that built a pizza tradition in Mérida, Venezuela, decades before bringing it to Chicago. What started as pizzas made for friends and family, then sold at Chicago farmers markets, grew into a brick-and-mortar spot, and later a second location in Roscoe Village.
The pizza itself leans Neapolitan, known for a light, airy crust. The space is small and cozy, and regulars point to strong service and atmosphere alongside the food, though execution can vary from visit to visit.
For the family behind it, the pizza is framed as a continuation of a tradition carried from Venezuela to Chicago — a way of bringing people together around the table.
The pizza itself leans Neapolitan, known for a light, airy crust. The space is small and cozy, and regulars point to strong service and atmosphere alongside the food, though execution can vary from visit to visit.
For the family behind it, the pizza is framed as a continuation of a tradition carried from Venezuela to Chicago — a way of bringing people together around the table.