Agatucci’s is definitely a classic Peoria restaurant. It’s the oldest Pizza restaurant in Peoria and the place is loaded with charm and history. When Jay Leno came to town, he made sure to stop at Aggatucci’s to get a pizza before his trip back to L.A. They’ve been in business in Peoria for over ten decades and you can read the history of Agatucci’s right here. if you follow this blog, you know that this is one of my regular stops every couple of months and I thought I had tried everything on the menu, until the last time I was in there. I mentioned the MBIP year-long sandwich tour and Tony Agatucci told me that they have a homemade Italian Sausage Sandwich on the menu and I’ve never tried that before. Time to correct that as we enter our 22nd week of sandwiches at Agatucci’s, which serves up slices of delicious pizza along with slices of Peoria history!
Here we are at Agatucci’s, a familiar sight on University Street. Let’s go in and begin the 22nd week of sandwiches here on MIBP!
The bar in here is old school and I love it! It feels like walking back in time and the vibe in here is always friendly and inviting.
There’s Tony behind the bar with an ice-cold beer and below that is the patent-pending, Tony and Dan Agatucci photo! Always love to see these guys and hang out with them at the bar.
Here’s the view from my vantage point at the bar and photos of the beers on tap here. You’ll notice the Cardinal with a baseball bat and it’s a reminder that it’s a Cardinals bar in here. And it’s also a reminder not to be talking too much about this event this week! I love the Michelob chandelier that hangs over the bar and reminds us all that the night belongs to Michelob!
Louie Kouri was seated nearby and it was great to meet him and he comes from another legendary Peoria family who’s known for their restaurants in the area.
The dining room is almost empty as I came in near closing time and there’s the wine bottle chandeliers that I love dangling over the booths. And it wouldn’t be a complete Agatucci’s post without a photo of Meg who’s cleaning up tables with Kayla, wonderful to see both of them again!
There’s the legendary Agatucci’s backwards clock and Bob Caughey made the birthday board, happy birthday, Bob! And below that, there’s another reminder to shut up about this event this week in here!
Meanwhile, back at the bar, Tony introduced me to the newest Agatucci employee, Megan. And it turns out that Megan is the daughter of MBIP pal and owner of The Peoria Chiefs, Rocky Vonachen! Wonderful to meet Megan and you gotta love that smile!
Alright, enough fooling around, it looks like the 22nd sandwich of our tour is being served up here at the bar!
Wow, it looks so good, I can’t believe I’ve never had one of these. As you can see, it’s a patty of their homemade pizza sausage and topped with a generous portion of marinara sauce, grilled onions and rich and creamy melted mozzarella cheese. Time to dig in to this!
You can read more about this sandwich in the rating below, but if you’re like me and have never tried one of these, you definitely need to order it the next time you’re in here!
After the sandwich I had to take a few pictures of the vintage Hamm’s Beer sign behind the bar. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but there’s a message in the rolling waters of the sign, but it’s a little bit of a secret. You’ll have to stop in and ask Tony or Dan and see if they’ll reveal it to you, but here’s one clue: Just like the sign says, it was born in those sky blue waters! That’s all I’m saying, you’ll have to find the rest out for yourself!
In addition to the wonderful food and friendly atmosphere in here, they also have the best doggy bags in town! Thanks, as always, to Tony, Dan and everybody at Agatcuci’s for a delicious sandwich and another fun evening at one of Peoria’s historical and friendliest restaurants! We’ll see you all tomorrow!
Sandwich Rating
Three and a half Dagwood Bumsteads—This is really a good sandwich and a nice option if you want a bit of the legendary Agatucci pizza flavor on a bun. It’s made with the same homemade sausage used on the pizza and the marinara sauce, grilled onions and melted mozzarella cheese add dimensions of tasty flavor to this sandwich. This was a true hidden gem, at least for me, at Agatucci’s!
Agatucci’s
2607 N University Street
Peoria, IL 61604
309-688-8200
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