The New Pizza Place In Town

For Maria Garza, co-owner of , making a pizza does not simply require placing toppings on a crust. It is about finding the right combination of toppings and ingredients to create a great taste.

“I’ve tested so many doughs and have tried beer, powdered yeast, honey, and sugar because these ingredients all affect how the pizza will taste,” Garza said. “Your oven, your topping and the combination of cheese and sauce will make a difference in how the crust tastes, too.”

To fine-tune her recipe, Garza worked with a mentor and taste-tested a number of pizzas in the area before formulating her own. Her sauce is made on-site, and she uses fresh ingredients.

While Garza has never owned a pizzeria before, she has extensive experience in catering and working for franchisees, including those within the Rosati’s Pizza chain.

DeLuca’s opened Aug. 1, which Garza explained was right before the “pizza season” picked up. People tend to barbecue in the warm summer months, but when school starts, they buy more pizzas. “When it gets cold and parents are busy taking their kids to practice, they don’t want to cook. They get delivery,” she said. The holiday season is also around the corner, when companies hold employee appreciation lunches.

Garza’s co-owner and domestic partner, David Rios, had never made pizza prior to DeLuca’s opening. Now, he can make a pizza and have it in the oven within three minutes.

Competition from other pizza places is close — literally. is kitty-corner from DeLuca’s, and , , and are within two miles of the pizzeria.

Garza acknowledged these competitors, saying, “I know there are other pizza places in Buffalo Grove. But I also know that my sauce, cheese, and dough are good. I have to push more to get people to try DeLuca’s.”

Prior to opening DeLuca’s, Garza, who previously lived in Cicero, had never heard of Buffalo Grove. “My broker found this location, and since it came with pizza equipment, I took it,” she said. DeLuca's is the fourth pizzeria to open in that location since 2006.

“I know there have been other pizzeria places here before me,” she said. “I’m up against the fact that people might see my sign and think, ‘Here’s another pizza shop. How long will it last?’”

She already has modified some of her pizza offerings to accommodate local tastes. “People in Buffalo Grove like to eat healthy, and they don’t really want thick crusts. I’ve had to make my thick crust a little thinner,” she said.

Mark Groves, director of member services at the , was impressed with Garza’s experience and expertise. “She really knows her stuff, and I think her background will distinguish DeLuca’s from the other restaurants that opened in that location,” he said.

Garza conceded the restaurant had a “rocky start,” and said that her team wasn’t completely prepared. “We had some negative comments on Yelp (an online review site) in the early days, but we have improved greatly since we first opened,” she said, adding that one of the commenters who originally posted a negative review since has tried DeLuca’s again, and liked it.

Garza took a moment to pause, then said, “It’s different to be an owner than to manage a franchise. I think a lot of people think that having a pizzeria means you’re rolling dough, but there’s a lot more to it than that.”