Pipe Organ Music Comes with Dinner at Beggar's Pizza in Lansing

Since I am a foodie who also writes a food blog, restaurants are destinations for me - whether I'm on the road or close to home. I love when I can find a restaurant that is more than a place that serves food. Beggar's Pizza in Lansing would be one of those.

Known for their hearty pizza with toppings piled high, the Beggar's Pizza chain has close to two dozen locations in and around Chicago and into Northwest Indiana. The Lansing location is my favorite. Decades ago it was a movie theatre before becoming Pipes and Pizza, a pizzeria that features a pipe organ. When Beggar's took over the building, the owners continued the tradition of live organ music and you can still visit on a Tuesday or Friday night to hear the big pipe organ played.

On a visit you'll hear a lot of Disney songs along with other movie and television themes and nostalgic tunes. And sometimes you'll hear a top 40 song you might not expect. On our most recent visit as I was trying to identify a song, my son said "That's 'All About That Bass' by Meghan Trainor." The organist has a pretty big repertoire of music and can accommodate a lot of requests.

The pizza is pretty awesome and that's reason enough to go, but I'd plan to go when I can have some entertainment while I dine. There aren't many places you can go to hear and see something like this - the organist also controls a number of other instruments while simultaneously playing the organ (symbols, tamborine, xylophone, etc.) Glen Taller, the organist, has been playing there since he was a teen and you'll find him there on Tuesdays from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 5:30 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.

Visit beggarspizza.com for more on their locations and menu.