Lombardi Pizza & Ice Cream also offers great subs
Lombardi Pizza & Ice Cream offers two of America’s top food choices under one roof — and that’s not all.
How about fried oysters or fried shrimp ($7.95 per plate), or a combination of both ($7.95 for four of each), served with cocktail sauce?
The South Side restaurant also is known for its fried pork tenderloin sandwich ($6.95), a gargantuan bite that is topped with mayo, lettuce and tomato.
“It’s a huge seller and it is big,” owner Tom Lombardi said.
The place started as an ice cream parlor about 50 years ago by Mike Lombardi, who stayed in the business for about five years before selling it to his cousin, Tom Lombardi, who’s owned it ever since.
Tom Lombardi said he added pizza and other savory items as way to extend the ice cream season.
“Our pizza is as competitive as the best of them,” he said.
Pizzas are made on-premises, starting with the hand-tossed dough and a sauce mixed in-house. Lombardi said he uses a premium provolone-mozzarella mix, pepperoni and sausage.
“It builds a great pizza when you do that,” he said.
All build-your-own pies start with cheese; additional toppings extra. They are 10 inches ($8.95), 12 inches ($10.45), 14 inches ($12.45) and 16 inches ($15.95).
Of the signature pies, the “owner’s favorite” ($11.95, $14.70, $17.95 and $21.95) is simple but satisfying, Lombardi said,
using a layer of cheese over the sauce, pepperoni in the middle and another layer of cheese on top.
“Dominic the Destroyer” ($13.95, $17.50, $22.45 and $26.95) is amped up with pepperoni, Italian sausage, jalapenos, peppers, onions, sauce and cheese.
The house-made meatball sub ($6.95) uses a mix of ground beef and pork sausage cooked to tender, drenched in tomato sauce and topped with provolone cheese.
Customers can finish the sandwich but “it’s not easy,” Lombardi said. “It’s a nice-sized sub.”
Coney dogs (a 6-inch for $3.50 and $4.50 for a footlong) are a favorite among customers. Lombardi credits the homemade sauce, which comes from a 45-year-old recipe, and the 100% beef dog.
“We top it with cheese on request, shredded cheddar,” he said. “A lot of people like coleslaw on their dogs. We
do that also. My personal preference: coney sauce, mustard and onion.
Lombardi’s started with soft-serve and added hand-dipped ice cream 20 years ago, offering 28 flavors total from Johnson’s Real Ice Cream in Bexley and Perry’s Ice Cream in New York. One scoop is $3.95 and two are $5.50.
Lombardi recommends the banana cream pie and pumpkin, which is off to a good start prior to the holidays.
Sundaes, banana splits and other frozen confections are available.
“We’ve added a lot of items over the years,” he said. “We’ve got something for everybody.”