By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jul 19, 2022 at 10:25 AM

Chicago's iconic Lou Malnati’s will open its fifth Milwaukee area location on Aug. 1 when a pizzeria fires up its ovens at 8171 S. Howell Ave., Suite 300, near Drexel Town Square.

Malnati's – founded in 1971 – has four other area locations, in Brookfield, Fox Point, Greenfield and Waukesha. Only the Brookfield restaurant offers sit-down dining. The others offer carryout, delivery and drop-off catering services.

A ribbon cutting event for the 1,700-square-foot pizzeria will be held at 3:30 p.m. and the restaurant will open at 4.

“We’re thrilled to expand in Milwaukee and bring our authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza to the growing Oak Creek community,” says owner Marc Malnati.

“As we continue to grow our presence in the Milwaukee area, we remain extremely grateful for the open arms that we’ve been welcomed with by the community and the many organizations with which we’re building meaningful relationships and mutual partnerships.”  

The Oak Creek location will operate Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  

Malnati's will also participate in the upcoming Dog Days at Drexel and annual Fall Festival in Drexel Town Square.  

Lou Malnati's is also hiring in the Milwaukee area. Apply online at loumalnatis.com/careers or by texting “Lous” to 242424.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.