When Coz’s Pizza and Pub moved from
Curran to Springfield nearly five years ago, it brought with it
cold beer, sports memorabilia, and, most important, its thin-crust
Chicago-style pizza.
It also brought several traditions to the
capital city, such as the bowls of salted peanuts at each table for
patrons to snack on as soon as they’re seated. There’s
a homey picnic-style feeling here. Paper towels are provided on
holders nailed to the wall; silverware comes in plastic bags.
“We’re a friendly place.
We’re not stuffy,” says manager Steve Wand.
“Anybody could come in here and talk to the person next to
them and have one of the coldest beers in town.” Wand defends
this claim by explaining that the pub’s cooler is set close
to 32 degrees. He’s right — the draft beer is served in
frosty mugs so cold you need a napkin to wipe the ice off as it
melts.
Most of the appetizers are the usual fried
fare — cheese fries, fried mushrooms — but there are
also a few unique items such as fried pickle spears and Coz’s
pub fries, which are thick waffle fries drizzled with homemade
chicken-wing sauce, Monterey Jack cheese, and bacon. Another new
addition is the garlic cheese crust, which is the pub’s
original pizza dough, coated with garlic and butter and topped with
mozzarella cheese, then served with marinara sauce.
When I dined at Coz’s recently with my
friend Stefany, we started our meal with an order of the chicken
wings, which won a people’s-choice award at a local charity
cook-off event. The meaty wings were coated with a dark, tangy
sauce. The tasty appetizer was served with standard ranch dressing,
but I think blue-cheese dressing would have made the wings even
better.
The pub’s main attraction is the
thin-crust pizza, which may be ordered with a variety of toppings
ranging from sausage (prepared especially for Coz’s by
Turasky’s each week) to pineapple. We ordered a medium pie
topped with four vegetables (tomato, green pepper, mushrooms, and
black olives). The crust was crunchy and the toppings plentiful and
fresh. I especially liked the large slices of fresh tomato. A
double-decker version is made by stacking and braiding togethertwo thin-crust pizzas.
The menu also offers a good selection of
salads, chili, and sandwiches, such as Italian sausage, Italian beef,
cheeseburgers, and pork tenderloin. My waitress suggested the popular
grilled chicken. The large, flavorful seasoned breast was topped with
pickle, onions, and lettuce and served on a bun. Unfortunately, the
skinny fries that accompanied it were mediocre.
The pub, owned by John Costello, was a popular
hangout and pizza joint in Curran for four years. That location
closed its doors when a new restaurant was built on the
city’s west side and opened in June 2000.
The place seems to be suffering from an
identity crisis of sorts, but in a fun, interesting way. The walls
are covered with a mishmash of sports memorabilia, framed newspaper
articles and Irish knickknacks, sprinkled with stuffed dead
animals. (A dusty, unhappy-looking stuffed ferret, which the
manager says was donated by a customer, sits on a high shelf near
the bar.) Many of the quirky items were purchased by Costello
during his travels or donated by customers.
Coz’s offers tables, booths, and the bar
area for dining. We sat at an enclosed booth near the fireplace,
which was a little confining because of the tall seat backs.
You’ll never miss the game at Coz’s, no matter where
you’re seated: Televisions are mounted in nearly every corner
on the first floor, and patrons on the second floor loft area may
watch a massive 9-foot TV screen near the entrance. An outdoor
patio area with a few tables and umbrellas was added last year.
The atmosphere is friendly. Most people
sitting around the bar seem to know each other. During our visit,
we ended up in a conversation about real-estate taxes in Florida
with a man at the bar who was watching a ball game with his wife
and daughter.
For those who want a taste of Coz’s
pizza at home, frozen pies are also sold at area golf-course
clubhouses, taverns, and grocery stores.
Coz’s Pizza & Pub is located at 4441
Ash Grove Dr.; 217-726-7700. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Mon.-Fri. and 4-10 p.m. Sat. and Sun.
Taste the fair
The Illinois State Fair may be still a few
months away, but you can still dine on corn dogs, funnel cakes, and
lemon shake-ups in the open air.
Pat and Mike’s Corner, which is located
on Coliseum Lane at the fairgrounds, has opened its doors for the
season. The stand will be serving up pork chop sandwiches, grilled
ribeyes, and fried walleye, in addition to fair favorites.
It will be open through October for events
held in the grandstand and horse shows, as well as the state fair,
which opens Aug. 12.
This article appears in May 5-11, 2005.
