Our Story
Named After
“Little Pop”
Bringing back memories and creating new ones.
Little Pops Pizzeria was born in 2014 out of a simple dream: bring the kind of New York pizza Mike and Vicki grew up with to the western suburbs of Chicago. The name is deeply personal — it comes from Vicki's grandfather, a man the family affectionately called 'Little Pop.' He embodied everything the pizzeria stands for: warmth, generosity, and the belief that a great meal is really just an excuse to gather the people you love. From day one in Naperville, everything at Little Pops has been made from scratch — hand-tossed dough, house-made sauces, and recipes passed down the way food traditions should be.
Over the years, the Little Pops family has grown. Aurora joined in 2020, followed by the Lisle flagship — the first full-service restaurant — in 2023, the same year The Washington Post named Little Pops the Best New York Pizza in Illinois. North Aurora became the newest member of the neighborhood in 2026. Each location carries the same soul: a mom-and-pop place that happens to make exceptional pizza.
“Memories, Moments, Traditions, Family and Neighborhood... that's the Little Pops Way!”
The Journey
Mike and Vicki open the first Little Pops in Naperville — a carry-out and delivery spot built on hand-tossed dough, real NY-style recipes, and the simple belief that great pizza should feel like home.
The Aurora location opens, bringing Little Pops to a new corner of the western suburbs and proving the neighborhood pizzeria model could travel without losing its soul.
Lisle opens as the flagship full-service restaurant — the first Little Pops with a full dining room, an expanded menu, and late-night hours on weekends. A new chapter for the brand.
The Washington Post names Little Pops the Best New York Pizza in Illinois, bringing national recognition to what the neighborhood already knew.
North Aurora joins the family — a welcome addition that continues Little Pops' commitment to being a true neighborhood spot for every corner of Chicagoland.
Awards & Press
The Washington Post · 2023
Best New York Pizza in Illinois
Yelp · 2022
Top 100 Pizzerias in America
Yelp
Top 40 Pizzeria in the United States
NY Pizza Dreams
Our story has been captured in a professional documentary series produced by Social Frequency. Follow Mike & Vicki's journey from a single Naperville pizzeria to a Chicagoland pizza movement — told through faith, hope, love, and a family legacy.
