Strapoli was born from two words: “Strada,” meaning street, and “Napoli,” the birthplace of pizza. Its name is a tribute to the origins of pizza itself — a food that began in the streets of Naples and became a universal symbol of simplicity, tradition, and bringing people together.

Our story begins in the 1980s in the beautiful city of Mérida, Venezuela, where Rubén and Marlene built a family legacy around pizza, hard work, hospitality, and love for the craft. More than 40 years later, that same legacy was reborn thousands of miles away in Chicago, Illinois, through Rubén, Marlene, their sons Rubén and Marcial, and Marcial’s wife, Vanessa.

In 2023, before opening our first restaurant, we started making pizzas for friends and family. What began as a small passion project quickly grew into something bigger. That summer, we took our pizzas to Chicago farmers markets, sharing our dough, our story, and our family tradition with the city. Finally, in October 2023, we opened our first Strapoli location in Lincoln Park.

Together, the family brought back the traditions they grew up with — the discipline, the sacrifice, the passion for dough, and the belief that pizza is more than food. It is a way to gather people, create memories, and make others feel at home.

Today, Strapoli continues that story with two locations in Chicago: Lincoln Park and Roscoe Village. What started as a family tradition has become a new chapter of Venezuelan roots, Neapolitan inspiration, and Chicago hospitality.

In 2026, Strapoli was proudly recognized by 50 Top Pizza USA as one of the “Excellent Pizzerias in the USA,” a distinction from one of the most respected pizza guides in the world. For our family, this recognition is more than an award — it is a reminder of where we come from, how far we have come, and the legacy we continue to build through every pizza we make.