We ended up at Oggi Trattoria, and I was a bit disappointed.

While the crust was just the right thickness (not super thin), it was on the bland side. The cheese and tomato sauce were pretty good, but we ordered pepperoni, which was so scant, some slices only had one piece, sometimes none.

I did enjoy the atmosphere, and might consider going back to try one of their pasta dishes.

But the pizza was only OK.

dashboard diner wrote:Give John's on Western a try for thin crust in anold style Chicago pizza joint setting. Very good product. If
anyone orders this to go or deliveried tell them to NOT cover
it with aluminum foil, unless you prefer your thin crust
steamed.

Tried John's last night for the first time & was quite impressed with the pie - not so much so with the minestrone & salad beforehand, or the limited beer selection. Definitely old style pizza joint atmosphere, one of those places that looks like it hasn't changed a bit in the last few decades.

dashboard diner wrote:Fellow posters tout Candlelite

Count me among them. Personally I prefer Candlelite over John's overall, but this is mainly due to a better atmosphere (and much better beer selection) at Candlelite, as the pies seem to be pretty close in quality IMHO.

We got out last night and tried Vito and Nick's for the first time. It was really very good. I'm not a fan of the super thin crust or the 'cracker' crust but I enjoyed this a lot more than I have other pizzas with the same type of thin crust. We'll probably go back again for another run at some point we enjoyed it that much.

GIORDANOS PIZZZZZZZA!!!!!!!

stevez wrote:

vervante wrote:IMO pan and deep dish are the same, just the difference in terminology the pizzeria uses.

You may want to consider Salerno's on West Grand. They call it "Sicilian" and it has a thicker, doughy crust (not like traditional Uno at all). They also make a thinner version. I love their ingredients; there's something about it that is totally unique.

Isn't Salerno's closed?

I do not think so. Although my information is circa 2005 not 2006 (who knows these days with so many places closing...)

I've always liked the pizza at Salerno's, and to me, it is one of the great underappreciated places in Chicago. These days, I go mostly to the Berwyn location, and I know of, right now, no better classic Southern-Italian-American cooked tomato sauce in the Chicago area. (Also great espresso!)

Vital Information wrote:I do not think so. Although my information is circa 2005 not 2006 (who knows these days with so many places closing...)

I think I might have had this place confused with Canella's, which has closed.

Vital Information wrote:I've always liked the pizza at Salerno's, and to me, it is one of the great underappreciated places in Chicago. These days, I go mostly to the Berwyn location, and I know of, right now, no better classic Southern-Italian-American cooked tomato sauce in the Chicago area. (Also great espresso!)

Despite having lived in the same neighborhood as Salerno's on Grand for quite a few years now, I have never tried their pizza. Tonight is the night. Do you like the thick or thin crust? (And can you think of a descriptive eqivalent for the thick?) What toppings do you usually order? Is this a pizza where a request for "less cheese, well done" is appropriate? Any guidance would be much appreciated.

In my experience, Salerno's is strictly a Thin with Sausage type of place. I don't find them to be too heavy with the cheese and they always "overbake" it a little so the cheese is very brown. Their Sausage is heavy on the fennel, which I like.

We were regulars at the Berwyn location for years, but I find the Grand Ave. location to be virtually identical in the quality of the food.

Enjoy!

vervante wrote:IMO pan and deep dish are the same

LAZ's recent post with a photo of deep dish cleared this question up for my wife once and for all.

Exhibit A (Deep Dish)


Exhibit B (Pan)

BTW, Salerno's (at least in Berwyn) will sell you a bag of their dough. When it's rolled or stretched super-thin, it makes fantastic pizza. My experience is that Salerno's really uses too thick of a crust. I like to order the pizza from them extra-thin, and even then it's still a little too thick.

Wow those pics really drive the difference home!

Does anyone know which is the pizza that Chicago is specifically famous for? Deep Dish? In L.A. the Chicago Pizza place I used to frequent 20 years ago it was definately deep dish.

Really bad: Giordano's on Belmont

Called for delivery tonight and the guy (robot?) on the other end of the phone was such a dry emotionless asshole you wanted to get off the phone as soon as possible. The pizza really sucked big time too! Too much cheese, not enough sausage - they were tiny and very few, too thick of crust for thin. The sauce was good though.

Never again - too many better places around!

I had a fight with the phone guy at that Belmont Giordano's once-- I had a coupon from a Giordano's calendar, and he absolutely denied, in condescending tones of dealing-with-a-crazy-person on the phone, that they had ever issued or accepted such a coupon, or could ever have, in any imaginable universe. I tipped the delivery guy extra to take the calendar back to him and show him where I had circled my coupon and their frickin' address. They called the next day to apologize...

Greasy Spoon wrote:LAZ's recent post with a photo of deep dish cleared this question up for my wife once and for all.

Exhibit A (Deep Dish)

That's actually a photo of a stuffed pizza, which tends to be even taller than deep-dish.

Pan pizza has a thicker crust than deep-dish, as your photo shows.

italo-americana wrote:Wow those pics really drive the difference home!

Does anyone know which is the pizza that Chicago is specifically famous for? Deep Dish?

Yes, as introduced at Pizzeria Uno, ca. 1943.

My apologies LAZ, I got a bit confused by the stuffed pie photo on your deep-dish post.

You made a helpful point about "tallness" vs "thickness": deep-dish height is due to the piled-on toppings, pan is due to the crust.

Exhibit C: Uno's deep-dish


However, I always pictured deep-dish much taller than this, and with the sauce on top, like your stuffed photo. (Can you really tell before you cut into it?) Uno's may have invented deep dish, but surely it's evolved since 1943 to accomodate Chicago's current standing as the fattest city in America?

Anyway, while I'm at it, here's a photo of Salerno's pizza, not sure if this is the "Sicilian" style referred to earlier.

Greasy Spoon wrote:

vervante wrote:IMO pan and deep dish are the same

Exhibit A (Deep Dish)


Exhibit B (Pan)

it seems that this whole debate should be about a number of things... "deep dish" versus "stuffed pizza" ... "deep dish" versus "pan" .. etc... i've been to pizza places that have both deep dish AND stuffed pizza, as two different things... to me stuffed is really the "chicago" style and deep dish (as defined by the places that serve both) is really just pan pizza... some places serve stuffed pizza but call it deep dish (giordannos being one?)... i suppose this is 'ok' because stuffed pizza is made in a deep dish... but it does make it confusing... so i guess technically stuffed is a form of deep dish, but deep dish does not have to be stuffed.

Due south of Maries is a restaurant called La Villa, great thin crust pizza. Lived in the area for years and equally divided the ordering between the two. La Villa is on the 3600 block of North Pulaski. Perhaps for the next pizzathon you should try there. Lots of fennel in sausage.

Greasy Spoon wrote:Anyway, while I'm at it, here's a photo of Salerno's pizza, not sure if this is the "Sicilian" style referred to earlier.

Lo, here is pizza of the Sicilian variety, imported from Bruccolina:

Antonius wrote:On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

...Hannukah Harry gave to us...



...a Fresh Pie from Brooklyn with a Sicilian Crus'!

Antonius

gleam wrote:BTW, Salerno's (at least in Berwyn) will sell you a bag of their dough. When it's rolled or stretched super-thin, it makes fantastic pizza. My experience is that Salerno's really uses too thick of a crust. I like to order the pizza from them extra-thin, and even then it's still a little too thick.

D'amato's will also sell pizza dough by the pound. Have used it in the past and it's a nice shortcut to homemade pizza on a weeknight or when your apartment is too cold and drafty to get anything to proof!

And to follow up, our first time with Salerno's pizza was OK. I too thought the crust was too thick (for a thin crust) and kind of chewy in a not so nice way. And the crust seemed undercooked, even though the cheese on the top was nicely browned. Sausage was tasty, as was the tomato sauce. Probably will continue to order from II Jack's or Oggi for neighborhood pizza, but it was nice to try something new.

Kristen

kl5 wrote:And to follow up, our first time with Salerno's pizza was OK. I too thought the crust was too thick (for a thin crust) and kind of chewy in a not so nice way. And the crust seemed undercooked, even though the cheese on the top was nicely browned.

Yeah, that's basically the reason I prefer to just buy dough from them.

Thanks for the D'Amato's info! I usually make my own dough for pizza, but sometimes I'm just too lazy or impatient.

What is a pizza thon??.. And how about creating a pizza reference guide or something? I really never knew pizza was this technical.[/img]

In my lexicon...

Deep-dish aka Chicago-style:

A thin layer of dough laid into a deep, well-seasoned pizza pan and pulled up its sides, then topped with an inch or two of mozzarella cheese, meat and vegetables as desired, and then a layer of seasoned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.

Stuffed pizza:

A subset of the Chicago-style that adds a thin layer of dough above the cheese and below the tomatoes, creating a somewhat firmer pizza, allowing for greater heights of cheese. (Another photo here.)


Everything else is flat pizza, which may be thin-crust, thick-crust, pan pizza (thick-crust pizza baked in a pan), square pizza or Sicilian pizza. Variations on thin-crust include the cracker-crust and the so-called "gourmet pizza," which Himself refers to as "crap on a cracker."


Detroit-style square pizza


Crap on a cracker

Ok, Crap on a Cracker looks really disgusting except for the avocado!

LAZ wrote:
Crap on a cracker

HAH!
Yes, LAZ, I believe that is the technical term.

I've got to vote for the original Pequod's in Morton Grove for the best pan pizza. I love the carmelized cheese on the crust. They also don't go overboard with the cheese like some pan/deep dish joints. It is worth the trip up there just for the (lack of) ambience.

I am not a big fan of stuffed pizzas, but I sometimes get a "greek" stuffed pizza from Tedino's. The pizza is stuffed with Feta cheese, spinach, olives and onions. It is kind of a cross between spankopita and pizza. The feta cheese gives it a wonderful flavor. I just wish they used Kalamata olives to complete the effect.

Another non-traditional pizza I used to like was the Candlelite's turkey club pizza. Do they still make those? The pizza had smoked turkey and bacon, and they would throw chopped lettuce on it right before serving. The cool lettuce contratsed well with the hot cheese. For years I refused to try one, but when I did, I was really suprised at how good it was.

Humboldt Pie on California and Augusta - newly opened... thin crust is light, crackery, and delicate, yet holds up. The toppings were moderately applied as I like it; not overwhelmed with a gooey mess. Cheese has nice pungent tastiness and toppings were fresh.

Barcello's on Milwaukee -- excellent thin crust, a little more rustic and saucy than Humboldt pie. Kind of expensive.

Also, D'amato's on Grand; pan pizza, delicious buttery soft and tender on top, crunchy outside. Its sold by the rectangular slice, you must pick up, and they close early.

Chop wrote:Also, D'amato's on Grand; pan pizza, delicious buttery soft and tender on top, crunchy outside. Its sold by the rectangular slice, you must pick up, and they close early.

I don't think I'd characterize D'Amato's as "pan pizza." It's much too bready and spongy. It's good nevertheless, but strikes me as the sort of thing you get midday when you want a quick bite, but not when you want pizza, per se.

Jamieson22 wrote:I don't see how Oggi Trattoria can't be near the top of most lists for best pizza in the city. Pretty much always stick with basil and tomatoes as the topping, and also usually order it well-done and it has never been anything but fantastic.
A huge bonus is the quality and variety they offer on their menu (never had a bad pasta dish here), and the restaurant itself is in such a great part of town: well worth the visit. We usually get delivery but the pizza is twice as good if eaten there.
Jamie

Oggi Trattoria
1378 W Grand Ave
Chicago IL 60622
Located at the Corner of Grand & Noble
312-733-0442
http://oggitrattoria.com/

Anybody have any idea of Oggi's delivery radius? Yes, I could just call them myself and ask, but rather than risk dissapointment, I thought I'd ask y'all before I got my hopes up...

I godda throw in my 2 cents.

Born and bred in Chicago I love the pizza. All types.

I love the pan pizza that can be got at Uno's, Due and Lou Malnati's as they do make a great pizza but when I think of ordering a pizza I think more of places like Home Run Inn, Albano's or Grand Slam.

The pan pizza ia almost too filling, what joy is there when you eat just one piece (and with a knife and a fork at that) and you are full, or not hungry enough to tackle another piece.

The regular crust at the other places allows you to really dig in and have a feast. 5 pieces, 10... That is fun!

If you are on the west side please do give some of my favorite spots a try (Albano's or Grand Slam) as they are trying really hard to make a great pizza.

Be sure to try the 'Pizza Puff' (IE: Calzone) at Albano's too. It is a 14" pizza, folded in half and deep fried. A good deal at 8 dollars or so,

Salerno's is great and somewhere inbetween pan and thin...

Pizzeria Uno
29 East Ohio
Chicago, IL 60611
312-321-1000

Pizzeria Due
619 North Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-943-2400

Lou Malnati's
439 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone 312.828.9800

Home Run Inn
4254 W. 31st Street
Chicago, IL 60623
phone: 773-247-9696

Salerno's Pizza
3250 Grove Ave
Berwyn, IL 60402

The above chains have many location. Check the website.

Albano's Pizzeria
5913 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Cicero 60804-1140
708-863-0060

Grand Slam Pizza
6856 W. North Ave.
Elmwood Park 60707-4412
773-637-8375

Vito has recently sold Grand Slam but the new owners have committed to keep the same recipes. I have ordered delivery once since and it is still quite good.

I had a bizarre pizza experience yesterday. I work in Itasca and I've tried a few of the local pizza places. Of the places we've tried, they've all had two things seemingly in common. First, they all seem to use really good fresh ingredients, except for one. The other thing is that they all tasted completely bland, except one. No flavor at all. The one place that didn't seem to be high quality ingredients was also the only one of the four that had any flavor. Unfortunately it just wasn't to my liking, which is odd because it's a chain and the one by my house was pretty good the one time I tried it.

So we (our group of 6) decided to try a new place. The first strike was the name, At's a Nice. We walk in about 11:20 in the morning, second strike, nobody in the place. We waited 20 minutes or so for the pizza, not a single person walked in nor did I hear the phone ring. Strike 3, they have menus on the table that are merely laminated carry-out menus.

Strike 4 is probably just my own prejudice, but everybody in the place spoke Spanish. I just find that strange in a pizza place, maybe I shouldn't. Strike 5, I notice a dough machine, nothing hand-tossed here.

Anyway, we get the pizza back to the office and the first thing I notice is the oregano and crushed red peppers I asked them for since they had shakers on the tables. The containers must have held 6 fluid ounces, and they were filled to the brim. We ordered about $30 worth of pizza, but that's still a lot. That's more red pepper than I go through at home in a year.

But the pizza itself was great. They were a little heavy on the sauce, but the sauce was spicy and flavorful. The crust was crispy yet not cracker thin. And the cheese was plentiful and had just that little touch of orange grease on top. It was also evident that they sprinkled oregano on top of the cheese before cooking. The only thing really lacking was no fennel in the sausage.

Maybe it was just my low expectation, but I really loved this place. I will definitely be back again.


At's A Nice Pizzeria Pastaria
380 W Irving Park Rd Ste E
Wood Dale, IL 60191
(630) 766-5200