Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co., one of Chicago’s most acclaimed pizza shops, will introduce a new dinner series this month, starting with a four-course meal and a partnership with Heaven’s Door Distillery on August 23.

The intimate dining experience will feature a unique one-night-only menu, the company said.

“We can’t wait for the community to join us for these special dinners,” said Robert Garvey, owner of Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co., in a press release. “We’ve wanted to offer a more intimate dining experience with guests for a while, and this is a great way to get started. It also allows us to showcase our culinary team’s creative chops, which has been fun for [Chef] Nelli [Maltezos] and I.”

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For August’s inaugural event, each course will be paired with a creative riff on a classic cocktail that has been barrel-aging at Robert’s Pizza since early this spring. The culinary adventure begins with an Amuse Bouche and glass of prosecco. The menu includes:

1st Course: Meatball & Arancini in Arrabbiata Sauce paired with The Chicago Sour (Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and a drizzle of dry red wine)

2nd Course: Fennel Vichyssoise topped with Five-Spice Toasted Pine Nuts paired with The Fennel & Fig (Heaven’s Door Straight Bourbon, Heaven’s Door Fig & Fennel Bitters, orange twist essence, and charred fennel sprig)

3rd Course: Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Italian Buffalo Mozzarella, house-made red sauce, fresh basil, and finished with red wine vinegar, paired with the Manhattan-Italian Style (Heaven’s Door Rye, Casals Vermouth, and walnut bitters)

4th Course: Chocolate Cherry Clafoutis dusted with Espresso Powder and topped with Vanilla Bean Gelato, paired with The Dylan Espresso Martini (Heaven’s Door Double Barrel Whiskey, demerara, Café Borghetti Espresso liqueur, and Mr. Black Espresso)

Those unable to make the Dinner Series can still take advantage of the Heaven’s Door Distillery partnership. Throughout August, select cocktails from the event menu will be offered at Robert’s Pizza, including The Chicago Sour ($20), The Fennel & Fig ($17), Walnut Tree Italian Manhattan ($21), and The Dylan ($22).

The dinner series will be held once a month at 6 p.m. Each dinner will feature a four-course menu with pairings included for $85 per person.

Food & Ingredients