Best Pizza Restaurants in Chicago

Chicago pizza is synonymous with deep-dish pies that have cheese on the bottom and sauce on the top. But Chicago pizza restaurants serve every kind of pizza you can imagine - from Neapolitan pies baked in a wood-burning oven to gourmet pizzas with fancy toppings.

Whether you're craving a thin-crust, Chicago deep dish, or tavern-style pizza, there's a Chicago pizzeria that will satisfy your longing.

Breakfast Pizza

The preeminent Chicago pizza restaurant is Pizzeria Uno. In business since 1943, their deep-dish concoction was an immediate hit. And Pizzeria Due opened not long after a block away. If you don't want the full deal, you can order a relatively healthy flatbread with toppings like spinach, eggplant, and feta cheese. These days, you don't have to come to Chicago to enjoy one. With 165 locations in 27 states, there may be one near you.

The other famous Chicago pie maker is Lou Malnati. His dad, Rudy, used to be the chef at Pizzeria Uno, and some think he is the actual inventor of the Chicago style. Lou opened his restaurant in the suburbs in 1971, and nearly 40 years later there are 30 locations in the Chicago area. They're noted for the flaky, buttery crust. If you can't get to Chicago to enjoy one, they'll ship one to you on dry ice.

If you've never tried a stuffed pizza, Bacino's is a great place to start. Dan Bacin, the owner, is committed to fresh ingredients, so his pies are healthier than most. Spinach, broccoli, and mushroom is one of the most popular. You can sample it at their restaurant or at the Taste of Chicago, where they've had the top selling pizza for the last 30 years.

For gourmet, thin-crust pies, Bricks Chicago has out-of-the-ordinary choices with fun names like Sweet Heat, which has barbecue sauce, mozzarella, chicken breast, bacon, and smoked gouda. With spicy shrimp, red peppers, and basil pesto, Creole Shrimp is another favorite. There's a good selection of draught and bottle beers to accompany your meal too.

Coalfire makes the best Neapolitan pizza in Chicago. The coal-fired oven delivers a pie with a crispy, but chewy crust that has some charring on the bottom. Because of the intense heat, they cook very quickly, so three or fewer pizza toppings are recommended. The Margherita and the white pizza with mozzarella, ricotta, Romano cheese, and fresh basil are best sellers. They've recently added beer and wine.

Crust cooks up innovative, flatbread pizzas that are made with organic ingredients. The menu here is more ambitious than most with cocktails created with house-made vodka infusions, and starters like winter beet salad and Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon. The Carbonara pie with bacon, egg, and caramelized onions, and the special made with braised beef brisket, pepper jack cheese, and barbecue sauce are real standouts.

In business since 1974, Giordano's is famous for their pies stuffed with cheese. When the Giordano brothers came to Chicago from Italy, they couldn't find a pizza as good as mama's. So they set out to make their own double-crust pies. They're topped with everything from sausage to shrimp. But it's the stringy, chewy mozzarella you'll remember.

Sapore di Napoli is another great choice for Naples-style pies. Many of their ingredients, including the flour, buffalo mozzarella, and salami, are imported from Campania, Italy. And they ship Stanislaus tomatoes in from California. With gorgonzola, mozzarella, fontina, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, the four cheese pie here is a real winner. The gelato is a delicious end to your meal.

Best Pizza Restaurants in Chicago

Find more Chicago pizza restaurants here. Or pizzerias in New York here.

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