Leona's Pizzeria & Restaurant

Leona's Pizzeria & Restaurant is a Chicago-based pizzeria and Italian restaurant brand founded in 1950 by Leona Pianetto Molinaro Szemla. The business originated after Leona worked with her brother Pat Pianetto at Pat's Pizza. Following a disagreement, she established her own restaurant at 928 West Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. From that first location, the brand developed into a locally recognized restaurant operation serving Chicago-style pizza and a broader selection of Italian food. A defining part of Leona's early identity was its investment in delivery. During the 1950s, the restaurant acquired a small fleet of automobiles and equipped them with neon signs for deliveries. This approach helped make the business an early participant in Chicago's organized pizza-delivery market. As demand grew, Leona's reportedly employed more than 140 delivery drivers at its peak, giving the restaurant a substantial operational footprint for a regional independent chain. The business expanded during the 1970s and 1980s under the direction of Leona's grandson, Leon Toia. During this period, the family developed the restaurant beyond its original Lakeview base, eventually operating more than a dozen locations in Chicago and nearby suburbs. The expansion positioned Leona's as a regional rather than single-unit restaurant brand while preserving its family-operated identity and focus on pizza and Italian-American food. In 2013, the family began looking to reduce its involvement and sought a buyer. The brand was sold later that year to Tania Makrakis. During the subsequent period, the operating footprint contracted considerably. By 2021, Leona's had been reduced to two locations, with the decline attributed to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other changes affecting the restaurant industry. In May 2022, local businessman Billy Marino acquired the Leona's brand. The transaction had a personal connection to the restaurant's history: Marino's father had worked for the original Leona's and had driven one of its delivery cars during the 1950s. Under Marino family ownership, the brand remained associated with Chicago-style pizza, Italian dishes, neighborhood restaurant service, and community activity. Leona's also hosts fundraisers and contributes to veterans' and first-responder organizations. Publicly available reference material does not provide a current complete store list, financial information, official website, or a detailed account of post-2022 expansion.

Leona's Pizzeria & Restaurant was founded in Chicago in 1950 by Leona Pianetto Molinaro Szemla. Before opening her own restaurant, Leona worked with her brother Pat Pianetto at Pat's Pizza. A disagreement led her to establish an independent business, which opened at 928 West Belmont Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The original restaurant built its identity around Chicago-style pizza and Italian food. It also became associated with an early and unusually visible delivery operation. In the 1950s, Leona purchased a small fleet of cars and fitted them with neon signs for deliveries. The investment helped the restaurant develop a sizable delivery business at a time when pizza delivery was becoming an important part of urban restaurant service. At its height, the operation reportedly included more than 140 delivery drivers. During the 1970s and 1980s, Leona's expanded under the direction of Leona's grandson Leon Toia. The family business grew from its original location into a regional chain with more than twelve restaurants in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Although the expansion increased the brand's reach, its identity remained tied to family ownership, Chicago pizza, and Italian-American dining. In 2013, the family began seeking a way to reduce its involvement and explored a sale. The brand was sold to Tania Makrakis in late 2013. Over the following years, Leona's became smaller. By 2021, it had contracted to two locations. The contraction occurred in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and wider pressures affecting the restaurant sector, although the available reference material does not provide detailed store-by-store or financial information. Billy Marino acquired the brand in May 2022. The new ownership had a direct historical connection to Leona's: Marino's father had worked at the original restaurant and had driven one of its neon-sign delivery vehicles during the 1950s. Leona's continued to operate as a Chicago-area pizzeria and Italian restaurant under Marino's ownership. The brand is also associated with community fundraising and donations to veterans' and first-responder organizations. Available sources do not establish a current official website, exact number of locations after 2022, revenue, or a detailed expansion plan.

• 2022

  Billy Marino acquires the brand

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Billy Marino acquired Leona's in May 2022, bringing ownership to a family with historical ties to the original restaurant.

• 2021

  Brand footprint reaches two locations

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  The chain had contracted to two locations after the pandemic period and other industry-related pressures.

• 2013

  Ownership transfers to Tania Makrakis

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Following the family's effort to downsize, the Leona's brand was sold to Tania Makrakis late in 2013.

• 1980

  Regional chain reaches more than twelve locations

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  At its expanded peak, the brand operated more than twelve locations in Chicago and nearby suburbs.

• 1970

  Expansion under Leon Toia

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Leona's expanded during the 1970s and 1980s under the direction of Leona's grandson Leon Toia.

• 1950

  Leona's is founded in Chicago

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  Leona Pianetto Molinaro Szemla founded the restaurant at 928 West Belmont Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood after leaving her work at Pat's Pizza.

• 1950

  Early delivery fleet is established

  [1]Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant purchased cars and fitted them with neon signs for pizza delivery, helping establish its early delivery identity.

A locally rooted Chicago pizzeria and Italian restaurant emphasizing family heritage, neighborhood service, delivery, and community involvement.

• Pizza · 1950

  Chicago-style pizza

  Chicago-style pizza is the brand's central offering and its primary source of identity. Leona's developed as a Chicago pizzeria rather than as a general-purpose national restaurant chain, with pizza served through dine-in, takeout, and delivery channels. The available reference material does not specify particular crust formats, sizes, toppings, or current menu formulations.

• Italian-American restaurant food · 1950

  Italian food

  In addition to pizza, Leona's serves Italian food as part of its broader restaurant proposition. This positions the business as a pizzeria and Italian restaurant rather than a single-product pizza outlet. Public reference material does not provide a complete current menu or identify individual signature dishes beyond the brand's pizza focus.

• Restaurant delivery · 1950

  Pizza delivery

  Delivery is a longstanding operating capability and part of Leona's historical significance. In the 1950s, the restaurant used a small fleet of cars decorated with neon signs and eventually supported more than 140 delivery drivers. The modern delivery model and its current channels are not specified in the available source material.

• Community fundraisers

  Chicago metropolitan area

  Leona's hosts fundraising activities connected with local community organizations and charitable causes.

  Outcome. Specific campaign dates, partners, fundraising totals, and measurable outcomes are not identified in the available reference material.

  Source
• Support for veterans and first responders

  Chicago metropolitan area

  The restaurant donates to organizations supporting veterans and first responders, reinforcing its local-service and community-oriented positioning.

  Outcome. The available source does not state donation amounts, recipient organizations, or campaign-specific results.

  Source

• 2022

  Acquisition by Billy MarinoM&A

  Background

  Leona's was a smaller Chicago-area restaurant brand following the contraction of its location base. Billy Marino, a local businessman whose father had worked for the original Leona's, became the new owner.

  Action taken

  Marino acquired the Leona's brand in May 2022.

  Aftermath

  Leona's continued as a Chicago-area pizzeria and Italian restaurant under Marino family ownership. Detailed post-acquisition operating results are not publicly established in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2013

  Sale to Tania MakrakisM&A

  Background

  After decades of family operation and regional expansion, the family sought to downsize and began looking for a buyer.

  Action taken

  The Leona's brand was sold to Tania Makrakis in late 2013.

  Aftermath

  The brand subsequently operated at a smaller scale and had declined to two locations by 2021.

  Source

1. 1Leona's Pizzeria & Restauranten.wikipedia.org