Pizzeria brings Chicago flavor

WAUPACA - Whether it’s the thin cracker crust of a tavern-style pizza with toppings stretched to the edge or beef simmered in seasoned broth and stacked on a bun, these are flavors that have defined the windy city for years as a local man brings the Chicago-style vibe to Waupaca.

Geno’s Pizzeria opened April 28 and owner, Gene Summers, said the restaurant has been met with many busy nights as he and his staff of four navigate consistent dinner rushes, even selling out of ingredients the first week they were open.

Summers started working in pizza restaurants when he was 14 years old, working in pizzeria’s off and on through college and his career, which included working in the wholesale floral industry and the buying and selling of businesses.

Through his business ventures he always seems to come back to pizza, taking pride in putting out the perfect pie and with Geno’s he has incorporated his own authentic recipes as everything is made in-house.

“I really like putting out a good pizza,” he said. “Just when it comes out of the oven, everything was done right. It was made right. Going in the oven, I could see everything coming out was right and it is right and just satisfying.”
Summers said all his ingredients, outside of the cheese, of course, come in from Chicago; from the beef to the bread.

Summers said the bread for his Italian beef sandwiches is a very important piece, as he uses Turano bread he gets from Chicago.

Summers said without the right kind of bread the beef sandwich can fall apart, especially with the big beef sandwich he sells which is 50% more meat.
Pizza comes in both 12- and 16-inch sizes with not only a build your own menu, but specialty pizza’s that include Neapolitan, Margherita and sausage and giardiniera.

In the future Summers said he is hoping to get a deep-dish pizza option on the menu. There are also a handful of garlic bread options.

Through the first month of opening, Summers said, he appreciates the patience of his customers as they were getting up and going; especially with the 16-inch deluxe which is stacked about a half an inch high and takes about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

Currently Geno’s Pizzeria, 822 West Fulton Street, is closed on Mondays, but they are open Tuesday through Saturday 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Summers said he is hoping to eventually expand into lunch hours in the future.
More information and a menu can be found on Facebook at Geno’s Pizzeria.
Summers said he is also on Door Dash after 7 p.m., carryout orders can be called in at 920-505-0911.