Update on pizza shop moving into former Mediterranean Blue building

We told you HERE that the team behind Cavo’s Bar and Kitchen (Facebook | Website) in Thornton Park had just taken over the former home of Mediterranean Blue at 435 E. Michigan Street [GMap] and they were kind enough to reach out with some more details on the new project.

The new restaurant will be called John & John’s, A Pizza Shop, as a nod to two of the three musketeers behind it, John Cavallini and John Markaj, the latter of whom was raised on pizza while growing up in New York and his father used to run a popular spot in The City called Napoli Pizza. Markaj, who is a part-owner in Cavo’s Bar and Kitchen with Cavallini and his brother Mark, originally opened Anthony’s Thornton Park in 1997 before selling it in 2017.

John & John’s will be a family-friendly, fast-casual restaurant with everything made fresh in-house, according to the owners. They’ll be serving pizza, sandwiches, salads, and more, and they’ve assured Bungalower that they will also be making one of the best cheesesteaks in town.

“It’s everything we grew up eating. If this was a car, pizza would be our engine. These are all old family recipes, and if I couldn’t serve it to my mom, I won’t serve it to you.”

– JOHN MARKAJ

Mark Cavallini shared that they won’t be doing much to the building beside some minor aesthetic updates to the patio and inner dining room area, but “nothing crazy,” and he hopes to be open in August with a small soft-open menu that will be added to as they get more comfortable in the neighborhood.