Dishing It Out

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Is Becoming A Carmel Favorite

Writer / Matt Keating

Photography Provided by Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

Peter Conway, a market partner with Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, says the Carmel community has wholeheartedly embraced the new eatery.

“Overall, excitement has been the community response so far,” Conway says. “It’s been such a pleasure to meet and serve so many members of the community, and hear their stories. The Carmel community has given us a very warm welcome. We seem to have a passionate following, and we’re so excited for our new location. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is happy and excited to be here, and we love the Hoosier hospitality.”

Conway says the Carmel location is owned by Marc Malnati, the son of Lou Malnati, founder of the franchise.

“It’s an incredible product served by incredible people,” Conway says. “Our team members are family, committed to each other and creating a memorable experience for our guests.”

Conway says customers feel comfortable at Lou Malnati’s.

“It’s an inviting, fun atmosphere, and I love going to work every day,” Conway says. “It’s more than making great pizza – it’s about the company culture and being an authentic brand. We’re passionate about pizza and people, but also proud to serve our legendary deep-dish pizza to hungry fans, and appreciate the support over the years. It’s been our recipe for success.”

Conway says the company’s pizza has been distinctive since the Lou Malnati’s franchise began in the early 1970s.

“Lou Malnati’s original location in Lincolnwood, Illinois, opened in 1971, and we’re approaching our 50th anniversary,” he says. “Almost 50 years later, the foundation has never changed, and we are consistently looking for opportunities to give back to the local communities we serve, and continuing to foster relationships with our team members and guests.”

Conway says Carmel is a great location for the new restaurant.

“While this is the first Indianapolis-area location, Lou Malnati’s has several ties to the area,” he says. “Carmel is the hometown of our director of analytics, Corey Bright, who went to Carmel High School. When we started looking in the area, she suggested to our chief real estate officer, Sasha Milosavljevich, who’s also from Indiana and went to Purdue, that Carmel should be one of our first locations. Our president, Heather Stege, went to Indiana University, and our CEO, Mike Archer, has a daughter who attends there. In addition, members of the Malnati family, Marc and Jeanne Malnati, graduated from Indiana University, and have a number of close friends currently living in Carmel as well.”

Conway says the company’s signature deep-dish pizza is made from a family recipe handed down through four generations.

“It’s handmade from scratch, using the finest and freshest ingredients,” he says. “We’re passionate about our pizza – there is nothing else like it.”

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is located at 11435 Spring Mill Road, Suite 170 in Carmel. For more info, call 317-975-1980, or visit loumalnatis.com.