NEW YORK — Chili pizza in a tomato sauce, mozzarella and a smoky garlic dressing.
Chilli pizza in an eggplant and cheese sauce.
Fried chicken in tomato sauce and cilantro.
Mango salad in a cream cheese and avocado sauce.
And, a grilled chicken in red wine sauce, and roasted red peppers in a garlic dressing that’s topped with roasted red bell peppers.
For some customers, it might be too much.
Pizza Plus is a Chicago-based pizza chain that opened its first Chicago location on Friday.
The menu features fresh and pre-cooked pizzas from around the world, including California-made pizza made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and pizzas made from scratch.
The new locations include a pizza restaurant in the West Loop that will open later this year and a pizza-themed cafe in the North Loop that is opening in mid-April.
The chain plans to open more than 1,000 new locations this year in Chicago and the Midwest, with the goal of doubling the number of locations by 2019.
About Pizza PlusThe Chicago-area chain offers about 1,300 restaurants, catering to the fast-casual crowd, said company President and CEO Steve Cone.
He said the chain is also expanding its footprint in the South, with its newest restaurant in Lincolnwood and a new Chicago location.
In addition to the new Chicago locations, Pizza Plus has added more than 20 new locations in the Chicago area in recent years.
It is also planning to open a Chicago location in the Loop.
“We are building a sustainable food chain that is not just a pizza place but also a pizza chain,” Cone said.
New Pizza Plus locations are expected to open by the end of the year.
Chicago-area customers are expected the chain to be a popular choice for dining out, Cone noted.
The new restaurant in Chicago, Pizza Bar and Pizza, is expected to be open by early April.
Cone said the new locations will offer more than 200 items including salads, sandwiches, pizza, pizza plus and pizza-flavored beverages.
At the new Lincolnwood location, which will be located on the corner of Michigan and Belmont, the menu will include the first three pizza flavors: Tomato Basil, Tomato, and Cheddar Cheese, Cason said.
A selection of pre-made pizzas will be available for purchase, and the menu at the new restaurant includes chicken, pork, sausage, chicken, steak, shrimp, pork belly and a few other options.