There is some relationship between two Chicago-based chains, Rosati’s and Papa Saverio’s, but there aren’t any clues to that online. I don’t think they share any ownership, but they both list the same Italian immigrant Papa Saverio Rosati,as their inspiration and recipe source. Probably some sibling or cousin dispute, but no matter.
Rosati’s has really taken off in the past few years and now has over 200 locations around the country. Papa Saverios started in a Chicago suburb in 1997 and is up to 15 locations, all franchised except the original location.
The pizza recipes are similar, but for my personal tastes, I’m now giving Papa Saverio’s a slight edge.
The crust is a wee bit thicker than Rosati’s, the sausage more flavorful, and they use more cheese. The cheese is so evenly distributed in thickness, I’m almost tempted to say they used sliced product, instead of shredded. They use the ‘spiced Silician’ green olives, which I prefer as well.
You can find a Papa Saverios here, and learn all about owning one, too. Check out their menu.
Papa Saverios Pizza Review