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#4) Gabatoni's (300 E Laurel St. 217-528-9629)

Locals just call it Gabby's and everyone -I mean everyone- knows who they're talking about. On weekends you can find a crowd lined up for Gabby's thin crust pizzas, but the wait is always warranted. It's not just locals, either. Folks have been known to drive for several hours to eat here, and some even take home extras to freeze for out-of-town friends. If that seems hard to believe, then you have to try a large pie with sausage. If you think you've had sausage, you're wrong. This is the real deal: authentic, aromatic, spiced sausage that smacks of old Italy. Hint: the garlic rolls are equally amazing.

#5) Luca Pizza (2937 W Iles Ave. 217-787-8884)

One of the ways to know a pizzeria has authentic handmade taste is if the person whose name is on the sign is making your pizza. Have you ever met Papa John? How about Mr. Domino? If you go to Luca, though, Luca himself will toss your pizza and make sure you have just the amount of toppings you want. It takes a lot for a restaurant to go from being a little booth at the mall to being one of the most popular pizza places in town, but Luca has done it by making quality pies for decades.

For some unknown reason, people still go to chain pizza places, and Springfield definitely has its share of Godfather's and Pizza Hut franchises. If you're looking for frozen dough and sauce that comes in a bucket from a semi truck delivery, by all means, go. But if you want real, fresh, Italian pizza made from handed-down recipes, then go see my friends: Luca, Joe, Mr. Gallina, Mr. Gabatoni, or Sam.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Kelly.
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