I'm visiting Chicago, what's the best Pizza place?

Hi... I live down in Houston, and I am heading up to Chicago this weekend, and staying for a few days.

Of course, while i'm up there I plan on doing all of the tourist stuff, but I want to make sure I eat some authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza. Any recommendations?

Hi Ike,

Welcome to LTHForum.com

This is a topic that gets a lot of play around here, so using the 'search' function is a good idea because there's already a lot of information here for you to check out.

That said, click on the link below for some basic results that came up when I did a broad search for "pizza."

Pizza search

Perhaps others will chime in here with their opinions, as well.

=R=

Don't just eat pizza!Try an Italian beef sandwich wet with gardinera or a breaded steak sandwich in bridgeport.People from out of town love the hotdogs at the Vienna store or at other good hotdog stands.Oh man there is so many good places to eat.I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.Go to Freddie's in Cicero you won't be disappointed.Come on LTHers let's send this guy back a little fatter.Everything's BIG IN TEXAS!!!

Hi Ike. Please enjoy your stay here.

As for me I'd try (in no particular order) (do a search for more info)...

Burt's in Morton Grove
Pizzeria Uno
Exchequer Pub
Lou Malnati's

Cheers!!

John

I would add Pequod's (Burt's style, but you don't have to go all the way to Morton Grove. It's fallen a bit out of favor here from what I can tell, but I've had nothing but good experiences there) and Art of Pizza. For a baseline of Chicago deep dish, I think Uno's and Malnati's are a good place to start. I lean slightly towards Malnati's, but they're both fine examples of the style. Also, note that there are actually two different types of deep-dish pizza. I'm not sure if everyone agrees on the terminology, but what I call "deep-dish" just has one layer of dough, while "stuffed" pizza (Art of Pizza, Eduardo's, Giordano's) has a second thinner layer of dough on top, which is covered with sauce.

edit: If you happen to find yourself flying into Midway and have a rental car, it might be worth your while to check out Chicago's other indigenous, thin-crust style of pizza at Vito & Nick's, about 5 miles from the airport.

Art of Pizza
3033 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 327-5600

Pequod's
2207 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 327-1512

Vito & Nick's Pizzeria
8433 S Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 735-2050

The best pizza in Chicago has gone the way of all dough, alas. Bubamara, serbo-croatian for ladybug, was run by a man named Satko. Either he's now running a comedy show in Bosnia, or he's fled the tax authorities, or possibly he's realized he could do better by turning his storefront business into a high-priced private pizza ring. Even in this economy, there are people who would pay a thousand or more for a single taste of pizza of that quality. I can imagine Satko making assignations in parking garages or stealthily slipping personal slice-boxes into the gym bags of health club patrons. "It will show up as 'dental hygiene' on your credit card," he'd whisper.

Fortunately, even after the days of Eden have ended, there are still moments of bliss when one can feel whole again. The feta cheese and artichoke pan pizza at Gulliver's (2727 W. Howard) gives me solace in a fallen world.

ryanwc wrote:The best pizza in Chicago has gone the way of all dough, alas. Bubamara, serbo-croatian for ladybug, was run by a man named Satko. Either he's now running a comedy show in Bosnia, or he's fled the tax authorities, or possibly he's realized he could do better by turning his storefront business into a high-priced private pizza ring.

It is true that Bubamara was the best Pizza in the area---likely the single greatest food product created in the New World. It is also true that it is my fault, and the fault of a few of my more self-absorbed friends, that Bubamara is no more. We were big fans, but we noticed that despite the fantastic slices, business was slow. So we convinced Satco to change the place to a serbo-croation diner, serving the well-spiced dishes of his beloved homeland. But, nobody come! Nobody come! This led to a series of disasters in which Satco got deported and my friends and I landed in the hoosegow.

I would add Spacca Napoli, Great Lake and Coalfire to the good pizza list. However, our poster is looking for deep dish, and for me, Malnati's is the best. I also like Pizzeria Due.

Definitely my favorite pizza in the city:

Pizza Art Cafe:
4658 N. Rockwell Ave,
Chicago, IL‎
(773) 539-0645

Be more specific on where you are staying, and what style of pizza you want. I stand by having pizza for lunch as a tourist and saving yourself for a great meal for dinner.

If you're downtown in the loop then hit Pizano's.

I'd go with Malnati's if I was just visiting. Excellent deep dish.

It's not Fuzzy's, but it'll do!

Fuzzy's
823 Antoine Dr
Houston, TX 77024
(713) 682-8836‎

Wow. I certainly enjoy me some Pizza Art Cafe, but in no way is it the best in the city. It's not even the best wood-burning-stove pizza.

If someone is coming in from out of town and wants a Chicago Deep Dish (everyone does once, I guess), hie thee to the River North Uno's or Due. Then the real pizza conversations can begin.

Before you leave Chicago, make sure you try other fine foods the city has to offer such as Italian Beef sandwiches, Polish sausage (get it it charred) and gyros sandwiches in Greektown.

nicinchic wrote:Be more specific on where you are staying, and what style of pizza you want. I stand by having pizza for lunch as a tourist and saving yourself for a great meal for dinner.

He did say that he wanted deep dish. I prefer deep dish that isn't too bready. My top favorites are Pequod's, Burt's, and Lou Malnatti's. If you are visiting for the weekend, I suspect he'd prefer to stay near the city. There are a few Lou's around town. Pequod's is not far from downtown.

Most people associate Chicago style with deep dish. But as Binko said, stuffed pizza is also a local favorite. I prefer it to deep dish because of the thinner crust. My person preference is for Art of Pizza.

Coalfire, Piece, Spacca Napoli, Pizza Art Cafe are all great. But the OP asked for deep dish recommendations.

Well, a poll on Chicago tribune showed Lou Malnati's as the winner.

I have to agree that Lou Malnati's is a sure-fire way to get an a fine exemplar of "classic" Chicago pizza. Uno's and Due's are the originators, but unless you're in the River North, it is seldom a convenient choice. I am surprised that there's been no love on this thread for Gino's East, which is very similar, and like Lou's, has several city and suburban locations.

Whatever you do, do NOT go into an "Uno Chicago Grill" and expect to get the original Chicago pizza recipe. In fact, don't go in at all, in my opinion. There's better to be had in many places.

The Stuffed variety of Chicago pizza is a little more mysterious and subject to a lot of variety. I'm fond of Edwardo's (although it doesn't seem as awesome as it used to since they stopped growing basil in the foyers), Giordano's, and Viccino's -- although the latter is only in the burbs.

Pizano's should be mentioned for its convenience to tourist areas. The Loop location is close to Millenium Park, comfortable, and not too shabby. Particularly for the Loop.

JoelF wrote:Whatever you do, do NOT go into an "Uno Chicago Grill" and expect to get the original Chicago pizza recipe. In fact, don't go in at all, in my opinion. There's better to be had in many places.

That's how I feel about GE.

Cogito wrote:That's how I feel about GE.

Ditto.

stevez wrote:

Cogito wrote:That's how I feel about GE.

Ditto.

Thirded. Its always nice to be able to hit a switch, have the appliance work, and have it be domestic-made even if not the best-around... Thank God for General Electric I say.

As for pizza...IMHO, for any tourist, Ive done the Spacca Napoli and Ive done the Burt's and the rest, and the best pizza in Chicago is probably still Lou Malnati's on a good day, I think. Thats where Id send any tourist to, personally.

c8w

c8w wrote:best pizza in Chicago is probably still Lou Malnati's on a good day, I think. Thats where Id send any tourist to, personally.

I agree with this as well (at least for a first taste of deep dish).

JeffB wrote:Pizano's should be mentioned for its convenience to tourist areas. The Loop location is close to Millenium Park, comfortable, and not too shabby. Particularly for the Loop.

While Pizano's sausage is quite tasty, and I like their thin crust, I really did not think their deep dish was good. I lived across the street from Pizano's but would order my deep dish from Lou's or grab one from the Gino's on Rush before it closed while always getting thin crust from Pizano's. Sausage and giardinera pizza, yum.

I think Lou's is the best of the big names (Lou's, Uno/Due, Giordanos, Gino's East) and generally have found Gino's East to be my least favorite. My wife and I alternate ordering from Lou's and Pequods these days when we want deep dish, it's nice to have two quite different takes on the Chicago deep dish with both of them being very good. Although I found Pequod's sausage to be very bland and do not order that, while I will order sausage from Lou's.