Armand's Pizzeria to Open Third Full-Service Location in Lombard

Armand’s Pizzeria has big plans to open a full service restaurant and bar in Yorktown, named Armand’s Victory Tap.

The new location is scheduled to open Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, at 346 Yorktown Center in Lombard, where it will serve Armand’s signature square-cut, thin-crust pizza, according to a news release.

Armand’s Pizzeria first opened in 1956, and with 10 locations throughout Chicagoland, it’s honing in on its 60th anniversary.

The new restaurant will be the third full-service location, with small plates and traditional menu items, such as pastas, stuffed artichoke and baked clams. The name Armand’s Victory Tap pays homage to the original restaurant’s name.

“Our goal is to create an experience that is built around eating Chicago’s best thin crust pizza. The beer, the wine and the small plates are made for sharing, but at the center of the table will be the focus: the pizza,” said managing partners Anthony Gambino and Mark Cecola in a news release.

A second Armand’s Victory Tap is already in the works, with lease negotiations taking place in Austin, TX.

For more information about Armand’s, please visit armandspizzeria.com.

Below is the restaurant’s full history and story, courtesy of Armand’s.

Armand’s Pizza first opened in 1956 when two childhood friends Michael Caringella and Armand Christopher purchased a tavern on Grand Avenue in the western suburb of Elmwood Park. A coin was flipped, and whoever was lucky enough to win the toss would decide the name for the space. Ironically, Mike won and chose the name “Armand’s” - mainly so people would bother his partner with complaints and not him. And thus, “Armand’s Victory Tap” was born, and later simply, “Armand’s.”

During this time, the suburban post war boom was in full affect, and the Armand’s Elmwood Park tavern offered Chicagoans a sense of comfort and home. Armand’s first opened with a 16 stool bar and six booths, and over the years, it quickly grew to accommodate over 300 customers with party rooms, a full bar and entrance area as well as a separate room for pick-ups. The delivery business grew to the point where 40 delivery drivers were needed on weekends, and during 55 years of business, it is estimated that over 3,000 drivers worked for Armand’s!

Now to the pizza. Known for its thin, cornmeal dusted pizza, Armand’s sold thousands of their signature pies as well as other popular items - including their famous stuffed artichoke, baked clams and antipasto salad - over the span of 60 years. Armand’s used one of the largest revolving ovens available and even that was not enough for all the pizza orders that came through daily. A second oven was purchased, and only at Armand’s could you see two 11” by 10” deep ovens next to each other that would pump out almost 1,000 pizzas on a Friday night alone.

Armand’s became THE destination for old time residents and baby boomers flocking to the western suburbs. It was common place to see Frank Sinatra or Tommy Lasorda eating dinner with Ron Santo or some other local celebrity. Armand’s became the gold standard for pizza and Italian food in the western suburbs, and it all came down to the people behind the scenes specifically Mike’s mom Grandma Caringella, who ruled the kitchen.

Armand left the business in the late 60’s and Mike continued to grow the business over the years, bringing his roots from Taylor Street, where his father owned a butcher shop and taught Mike the family recipes for homemade Italian sausage, Italian beef and other items. Mike left the business in the late 90’s, and the restaurant was given to his children Gil, Angela and Michael Jr., who later expanded Armand’s to locations in Elmhurst and Arlington Heights. The third generation - Angela’s son Mark and Michael’s son Michael - are both active in the new stores and make sure the product still lives up to Grandma’s recipes. More recently, eight fast service locations have opened up throughout the Chicagoloand area.

Now 60 years and 10 locations later, Armand’s is adding a third full service location which will pay homage to its original name, “Armand’s Victory Tap.” A throwback to simpler times, Armand’s Victory Tap, with its full bar and small intimate dining room, will be a celebration of its original 1956 Chicago tavern offering its famous thin crust pizza in the same setting as years passed.