pizzawareIf I could eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be pizza. Specifically – Chicago-style pizza.
Maybe it’s the midwesterner in me talking, but there is just something about the combination of a thick-walled, crispy cornmeal crust, gooey mozzarella, sausage, and tangy tomato sauce that makes my tastebuds sing.
As much as I love Chicago-style pizza, the area is full of pizza joints that specialize in other styles of pizza, from authentic Italian pies to Detroit and New York-style slices.
I can guarantee that no matter what you’re craving, there is a pizza joint in the Chicago area that caters to it.
I recently made a trip to Chicagoland and took the opportunity to try out the best Chicago pizza joints in the area. Keep reading to find out more about these amazing pizza places and the delicious pies they serve.
Best Pizza in Chicago
- Burt’s Place
- Paulie Gee’s Logan Square
- Pequod’s Pizza
- Spacca Napoli
- My Pi Pizza
- Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante
- Pizza Friendly Pizza
- Lou Malnati’s
- Five Squared
- Coalfire Pizza
- Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe
- Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
- Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company
Burt’s Place
8541 Ferris Ave, Morton Grove, IL 60053
Phone: (847) 965-7997
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Burt’s Place is one of the best pizza parlors in the entire city. It’s a small restaurant with a hole-in-the-wall feel, covered in neon signs, leather booths, and an incredible patio bar made of corrugated metal.
Burt’s Place is known for their pan pizza, but they also serve a variety of tasty fried appetizers like cheese curds and jalapeno poppers.
Pizzas come in 10” to 16” sizes with ½ dough options for people watching their carb intake.
All of their pizzas are customizable and come with all the traditional toppings you’d expect from a classic pizzeria.
Finish off your dinner with a cannoli and an ice-cold beer or glass of wine for a complete dining experience.
Paulie Gee’s Logan Square
2451 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Phone: (773) 360-1072
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Located at the corner of N. Milwaukee Ave and W. Fullerton Ave in Logan Square sits Paulie Gee’s pizza place. This delightful Chicago pizza joint is a full-service bar and pizzeria, serving up wood-fired Neapolitan and Detroit-inspired pies.
Paulie Gee’s has a variety of unique pizzas made with fresh ingredients. My personal favorites are the Delboy and the Red Hot Cherry Jones, made with dried Bing cherries and Mike’s Hot Honey.
They also serve vegan pizzas for those with dietary restrictions, as well as soups, salads, and their signature dessert, the Pie Pie My Darling Cake.
All pizzas are only $15 on Mondays, and patrons who participate in Thursday Trivia nights can enter to win a Paulie Gee’s gift card.
Pequod’s Pizza
2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 327-1512
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Pequod’s Pizza is located in Lincoln Park and has been in business since 1970.
They are an award-winning restaurant featured in a variety of prominent publications and are rated as one of the top 5 pizza places in the United States.
The pizza here is truly delicious and is a favorite among locals. They are known for the caramelized crust edge of their pan-style pizza, an effect achieved by melting mozzarella cheese along the edge of a cast-iron pan. You can buy the pizza by the slice or a full pie.
Not in the Lincoln Park area but craving a Pequod’s pizza? They deliver frozen pizzas in cheese, pepperoni, or sausage nationwide, in addition to local carry-out for their other sandwiches, pasta, and appetizers.
Spacca Napoli
1769 W Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: (773) 878-2420
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Fans of authentic Neapolitan-style pizza will love Spacca Napoli. Not only are all of the ingredients fresh and sourced from trusted vendors, but the atmosphere makes you feel as though you’ve traveled into an Italian piazza.
It’s the perfect place to enjoy a date night with your partner or to host an anniversary or birthday celebration with family.
Neapolitan pizza, which is traditionally made with San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, is incredible.
They offer variations of this signature dish, with toppings ranging from olives and anchovies to sausage and sweet salami. However, every dish rings true to the kind of pizza you’d taste on a trip to Naples.
In addition to their pizza, Spacca Napoli offers a variety of desserts, including my personal favorite – tiramisu – as well as a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.
My Pi Pizza
2010 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Phone: (773) 394-6900
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My Pi Pizza is a family-owned restaurant that has been serving the same delicious family recipes for decades.
Their signature spice packs enhance the taste of their vine-ripened San Marzano tomato sauce, and their fresh homemade dough gives the final product a crisp but tender bite.
Each of their pizzas is made with unique ingredients that are specific to that style of pizza to help enhance the characteristics of a deep dish vs. thin-crust pie.
Everything is also made-to-order, so you can be sure you’re getting the freshest pizza in town.
Pizza may be the shining star at My Pi Pizza, but they also serve up tasty sandwiches, daily soups, homemade desserts, and fresh smoothies.
There are daily specials, including $5 off a large deep dish pizza on Wednesdays and $4 off a medium deep dish pizza on Thursdays.
Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante
2679 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 248-0168
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Located on the corner of N. Lincoln Ave and N. Seminary Ave, Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante is a neighborhood favorite that has been in business for over 65 years.
This is one of the best Chicago pizza places to go if you’re craving thin crust pizza.
You can create your own pizza at Pat’s, with a choice of thin or gluten-free crust. They also have a variety of specialty pizzas to try.
During my visit here, I tried Pat’s Special Pizza with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, as well as the Margherita Pizza. Both were unbelievably delicious.
They are a full-service restaurant that serves other incredible dishes like pasta, sandwiches, salads, and Italian-inspired cuisines like chicken marsala and chicken parmigiana.
Pizza Friendly Pizza
1039 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: (773) 395-2483
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Pizza Friendly Pizza is a fairly new Chicago pizza joint that opened in 2020. They are a casual neighborhood restaurant with a rock and roll theme, exposed brick walls, and cozy booths that add to the friendly atmosphere.
The pizza here is a Sicilian-style pan pizza, which can be ordered by the slice or by the pie.
They have both traditional specialty pizzas, such as the Pepperoni & Basil, as well as pies with a twist, like the Fig & Pig. This pizza features confit pork, figs, caramelized onions, and a delicious drizzle of balsamic.
They have several weekly specials to keep in mind, including The Combo, which includes a slice, a shot, and a beer for $10.
They also have the Dinner for Two (Or Just You) which includes four slices of pizza, a salad, breadsticks, and a side of vegan cheese.
Lou Malnati’s
410 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 858-5600
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Not far from the Chicago Riverwalk and the DuSable Bridge sits Lou Malnati’s. If you’re from the Chicago area that name might sound familiar to you.
Lou Malnati is a big name in the pizza world – known since the 1940s for their incredible deep dish.
The business is currently run by Lou’s sons, making it a treasured family business that locals have been flocking to in droves for years.
Their loyalty can be attributed to not just the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the pizzeria, but to the high-quality pizzas, they produce.
Everything is made with the freshest of ingredients and crafted with care. From the buttery homemade crust to the unique sausage blend, each bite is a wondrous experience you won’t soon forget.
Five Squared
135 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
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Five Squared Pizza started as a food truck run by a husband and wife duo but now functions as an award-winning pickup and delivery business.
They pride themselves on using organic ingredients and focus on making everything they serve from scratch.
They are known for serving up mouthwatering Detroit-style pizza and a weekly rotating menu that includes up to 15 different varieties.
During my visit, I was able to mix and match 4 slices to be heated up at home later. I chose Spinach & Artichoke, Buffalo Chicken, The Burrata Caprese, and the Meat Lovers.
If you’re not in the mood for pizza, they often have 6” stromboli varieties as well as house salads and garlic cheesy bread.
Coalfire Pizza
1321 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (312) 226-2625
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As the name suggests, Coalfire Pizza is known for making thin crust pizza in their 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit clean-burning coal oven.
They don’t serve a style of pizza particular to any specific region, but rather combine all of the different elements of each into their own unique take on pizza.
Each pizza is between 14-15” large, with a variety of specialties to choose from.
During my visit, I tried the Bacon Jam and the Arugula Tomato, which came with goat cheese, fresh arugula, and chives.
Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe
5159 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Phone: (773) 293-6992
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You can find Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe at the corner of N. Lincoln Ave and W. Foster Ave. It is a charming pizzeria that serves up delicious pies and tasty sides.
Here you can enjoy a slice of pizza or a full pie in addition to garlic knots, wings, or even a large meatball.
All of their pizza is made with non-GMO unbleached flour, hand crushed in-house tomato sauce, and topped with only the freshest of ingredients.
They have several traditional pizzas, as well as specialties like the Bianca or the Carne, a meat lovers pizza dream.
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
1927 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: (773) 772-4422
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Is there anything more classic than the beer and pizza combo? Piece Brewery and Pizzeria doesn’t think so.
This Chicago institution serves incredible craft beers that pair well with their signature New Haven-style pizzas.
Pizzas here come in small, medium, or large, and can serve between 1 to 5 people. I recommend the Tomato Pie if you’re in the mood for a cheeseless pizza, as well as their BBQ pizza.
They are also known for their Honey Butter Fried Chicken Pizza, a white pizza with fried chicken, scallions, blue cheese, and buffalo sauce.
All of their pizza comes topped with oregano, olive oil, and greeted Pecorino-Romano cheese.
Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company
465 N McClurg Ct, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 265-1328
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The pizza at Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company is both crispy and chewy, made from years of experimentation by people passionate about crafting the perfect pizza crust.
They have been serving the Chicago area since 2016, and have attracted a bevy of loyal customers and out-of-towners.
Start your meal at Robert’s Pizza with a choice of small plates, such as marinated olives, mussels, or fried calamari. They have 20 specialty pizzas to choose from.
The Funghi is perfect for mushroom lovers, while traditionalists will probably like the Cup & Char Pepperoni. They offer several vegan and vegetarian options, as well as a gluten-free crust for an extra cost.
You can also enjoy non-pizza dishes here, including penne, gnocchi, chicken parmesan, or burgers.
Final Thoughts
Chicago has a rich pizza history, so it’s no wonder there are so many amazing pizza places to choose from.
Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional Chicago-style deep-dish or want to sample the thin crust or Detroit styles, there is a pizza joint here for you.
Want to make Chicago-style pizza at home? Check out our other articles for all of the tools and tips you need to make the best homemade pizza you’ve ever tasted.
Did we leave a Chicago pizza joint off of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment and we’ll check it out!
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