Deep dish, stuffed pizza, tomato pie, pan pizza, whatever you want to call it, Chicago is home to the famous deep dish pizza! Asking a Chicagoan where to find the best deep dish pizza in Chicago is like asking them a serious and deeply personal question. Chicagoans are loyal and firm in their beliefs on everything from their favorite baseball team right down to their favorite pizza joint. If you ask 10 Chicagoans for their best deep dish pizza recommendation, you will get 10 different answers.
I’ve enjoyed my fair share of deep dish slices, each pizzeria giving it their own flare with small, subtle differences. While I do have a favorite, however, I want to tell you why you need to try, embrace, praise, and enjoy each bite. When in Chicago, eat deep dish!
The way Chicago deep dish was created allows for maximum sauce, toppings, and ooey gooey cheese, perfect for pulling into long dramatic cheesy strings. Baked in a pie or cake pan, the pizza sides stand tall, holding all the pizza goodness inside. Like a true Chicagoan, I always eat my deep dish pizza with a fork and knife.
The only bummer about ordering a deep dish pizza is the wait time, which can range from 30 – 45 minutes once your order is placed. Knowing this, I always come prepared and arrive with a small appetite, and by the time our pizza comes I am ready to dig in! Otherwise, you will be tempted to order an appetizer, and then not have as much room for the main attraction.
Living in Chicago for the majority of my life I have tried all of the major deep dish spots, which include:
All of which are pretty dang delicious. My absolute favorite deep dish is Lou Malnati’s with Pizzeria Duo coming in at a close second. The butter crust of Lou’s is just to die for. However, you can’t go wrong with a deep dish pizza.
While there is some debate about who created the original deep dish pizza, one thing is for sure, if you haven’t already, you must try a slice! They all claim to be the best and have the original, so just go ahead and give ’em all a try. This pizza experience is unlike any other, guaranteed and is my absolute favorite.
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