Recommendations for best Deep Dish pizza joint in Chicago.

[larry_stewart]

Its that time of year again. Im doing another long road trip, and will likely ( but not definitely) wind up in Chicago. I was there a few years back, but never got around to trying a Deep Dish on its home turf. For all of you who either live in or near Chicago, or have passed through and had a good Deep Dish experience, let me know. Not sure I'll be back in Chicago any time soon, so I want to make this one count.

* A few years ago, I was forced ( for health reasons) to practically eliminate carbs in my diet for about 3 months. I celebrated , at the end of my 3 month starvation, by ordering 2 deep dish pies from Chicago, had them shipped to NY, and broke my carbs fast with them. They were good, but as we all know, pizza looses a little something when not eaten fresh, right out of the pizza oven.*

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Rocklobster]

I always have good luck with Trip Advisor..
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurants-g35805-c31-Chicago_Illinois.html
The ratings are generated by the customers reviews, so that's about as factual as one can get..

 

[caseydog]

It was a long time ago, but I believe we ate at Giordano’s. The other name I hear all the time is Lou Malnati’s.

I like what Chicagoans call pizza, and I call a pizza casserole, but but I'm not a big-time fan of it.

CD

 

[Steven c]

Giordano's, Gino's East, and uno’s are all close to he cubs stadium off lakeshore drive. Lou malnati’s, I heard is very good but have never eaten there yet and not sure where it’s located near.

It’s been many years since I’ve been home. I grew up about 95 miles southwest of Chicago. I miss good Italian pizza in northern Illinois. What they call pizza in Texas isn’t.

 

[Andy M.]

Not speaking from experience but I've heard Lou Malnati's is among the best.

 

[jennyema]

I think Giordano's sort of spit the bit after their big expansion … But although Uno's is all over the universe, their Chicago outpost are better than the Boston ones.

I also like Lou Malnati's and Gino's East, they are popular choices.

Less well known outside of Chicago are Pequods and Pizano's.

Malnati the senior started Pizzaria Uno. His son, Lou, started Lou Malnati's and his other son started Pizano's.

 

[salt and pepper]

Ask the natives when you get there!

 

[larry_stewart]

Ask the natives when you get there!

Usually my ' go to sources', problem is we're just kinda passing through, so I was hoping to have a little direction/ and planning prior to going there, as not to waste any time.

 

[larry_stewart]

So I had the pleasure of my first authentic Chicago deep dish ( in Chicago) earlier.
Went to Lou Malnati's, as it was the closest to my hotel.
Ordered the basic cheese deep dish and it was very good.
I know there is always that argument of which is better Chicago vs New York Pizza.
Obviously a personal preference.
To me, they are two totally different animals.
I could eat one one night, and the other the next night and feel like Ive had two different dishes.
The deep dish is definitely more filling.
Personally, I prefer the NY as Ive lived in NY for 50 years.

Anyway, Just glad I finally got to try one in the city where its most popular.

 

[Termy]

Friend of mine drove a truck and one time did pick some up. SIXTY BUCKS per pizza !

T

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If traveling through Detroit, Detroit style pizza is pretty amazing as well. Jet's is a well known pizza chain hat makes decent Detroit style pizza.

if you ever get to Sault Ste. Marie, MI. (The Soo), you have to get a pizza, or IMHO, a pizza pasty from Upper CRUST Pizza. If passing through St. Ignace, MI., B.C. Pizza is the place to go to. For some of the best burgers anywhere, West Pier Drive in is fantastic, as is Wicked Sisters, and Clyde's Drive-In. At Clyde's, the Lake freighters pass close enough that it looks like you could throw a rock and hit them. West Pier is close enough to the famous Soo Locks, where you can enjoy the Locks par, and watch the freighters enter a lock, and rise or fall to meet the water level going up, or down-bound.

Tourists traveling through the U.P., make it a point to stop into West Pier, year after year. It's that good. And though Wicked Sisters is the new kid on the block, for a bar and grill place, the food is outstanding.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Termy]

My friend, who is out of commission now, went there and got fantastic deep pizza. He did tll me th name o the place. i can't remember but if I could get the yellow pages in front of me I might find it.

T

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Detroit pizza? Littler Caesar's is Detroit style pizza. It is tomato paste and grated cheese on focaccia!

 

[Termy]

Maybe it is tie to push in the clutch and shift gears. Into "Cook". What do you do when you can't get something - MAKE IT !

We tried to recreate Chicago pizza but didn't do it. Should be able to get closer than that. So off the top of my head here goes:

Pizza crust, normal. On the bottom there is sauce, cheese, pepperoni, sausage and maybe a few veggies.

Then a thin layer of crust, I mean thin. More sauce on that and everything. Sausage goes on first and gets a little push down. Then the veggies and like all my pizzas pepperoni on top where it can crisp.

I would say these cook longer at a lower temperature.

This almost seems like a calzone with toppings on top of the whole thing.

Learning to make it would be good - remember sixty bucks each.

T

 

[karadekoolaid]

Lou Malnati´s. I was there a couple of years back. Absolutely phenomenal deep dish pizza!

 

[Silversage]

Detroit pizza? Littler Caesar's is Detroit style pizza. It is tomato paste and grated cheese on focaccia!

That's not what's considered Detroit Style Pizza.


Detroit is known for a rectangular pizza, cooked in deep dish steel pans, that were once parts pans in the auto factories. The outside crust is coated in caramelized cheese. They use brick cheese, not mozz. The sauce is always on top - usually in 2 or 3 stripes down the length of the pie. It's similar to Sicilian pizza, very crisp yet light. The original places to get it were Buddy's, Shield's, and Loui's. No one else had it.



It's outstanding, and nothing like Little Caesar's. Little Caesar's was also started in Detroit, but it was a flat round pizza, trying to emulate NY Style. Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's, Jet's and others are all trying to make a square pizza now, but none of them make a real Detroit pizza. (Jet's is close).

 

[GotGarlic]

I was just reading that Pizza Hut is featuring Detroit-style pizza, although Janet is right that their original pizza is not Detroit-style.
https://freep.com/amp/8244499002

 

[karadekoolaid]

To be brutally honest, I would avoid Pizza Hut like the plague

 

[GotGarlic]

To be brutally honest, I would avoid Pizza Hut like the plague[emoji38][emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

We're just making conversation I haven't eaten there since one of our former exchange students wanted to take his friends there for his birthday, around 15 years ago.

 

[Termy]

To be brutally honest, I would avoid Pizza Hut like the plague

Now yes. But about 30 years ago they were good. We went, was not cheap But we also had The Villa. Better, and also expensive.

Now they have changed. All these "normal" places use the same ingredients. I mean the buy the same sauce, cheese, flour and all that from the same place. I can taste it an it is a McDonald's attitude pizza.

That attitude boils down to what the most people will eat. Regular folk who know not what a good pizza is.

T