Discover Sweet Home Chicago
Steve Dolinsky isn’t the least bit bothered by the fact that his Chicago tours are remarkably cheesy.
Dolinsky – in Toronto Wednesday night for a Chicago promotional event – last month launched Pizza City, USA, which has four tours showcasing the city’s pizza offerings, with those types of tours being virtually unheard of in the United States, he says.
Four tours that take people to different eateries featuring the famed Italian food and showcase the districts they’re in are offered.
Dolinsky says Chicago is more closely linked with pizza than other US cities, in part because much of its population is of Italian descent.
The city has become synonymous with deep-dish pizza – known for rich crusts – but Dolinsky says that’s only one side to its pizza scene.
“People love to eat in Chicago. There so much more than deep-dish pizza,” he says.
Pizza City, USA has neighborhood walking tours on Saturdays and Sundays and a bus tour on Saturdays. The walking tours cost $49 and the bus tour $69.
The three-hour tours have participants sample four pizza styles. Vegetarians are accommodated and denoted by green rather than red badges given clients.
Dolinsky – a food reporter – likes to sample pizza when visiting other cities but doesn’t make his own as he lacks the proper oven at home.
Some may be somewhat surprised that tours that showcase pizza alone will have a following but Dolinsky says that’s only natural.
“People want to eat,” he points out.
The event was also told by Maggie McNamara of Broadway in Chicago that that city has a thriving theatre scene. “The big excitement in Chicago is we get things first,” she said.
Among summer productions is Heartbreak Hotel, a showcase for Elvis Presley music.
Melanie Mapes of Chicago’s First Lady says the Chicago-area cruises it offers among are an “awesome way to see Chicago.”
In the photo
Seen here are Mapes; Amanda Meyer of Margie Korshak Inc.; Dolinsky; McNamara; Eddie Clendening, who does an Elvis Presley routine; Michelle Revuelta and Melanie Perez of Choose Chicago; and Laura Johnston of Fathom Communications, which represents Choose Chicago in this country.
