The Best Pizza Restaurants in Chicago

At Robert's Pizza and Dough Company, the pursuit of great pizza is a journey, not a destination. Their artisan pies, perfected through a twenty-year quest to fine-tune a dough recipe, are baked in a brick oven, resulting in a thin crust that evolves in flavor from the soft center to the crunchy heel. The menu is a testament to creativity, featuring pies with homemade toppings like duck prosciutto, Calabrian chiles, and fresh mozzarella, as well as a pie garnished with fennel in four stages - roasted, pickled, fronds and pollen.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Artisan pies with a 3-day ferment, homemade toppings and a delicious range of flavors. Duck prosciutto, Calabrian chiles and fresh mozzarella on one pie; fennel in four stages (roasted, pickled, fronds and pollen) on another. Great craft beer list too.

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Enjoy a unique deep dish experience at George's Deep Dish, where the dough is based on a Greek pastry and uses an all-natural starter, a rarity in deep dish pies. The pie's balance and ratio of bottom crust to cheese are notable, providing a texture and flavor that hint at a sourdough tang. It's a thick, hearty slice that you can pick up and eat, no knife and fork required, reminiscent of a robust Sicilian slice.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

I love the flavor and texture of his crust, and I like that there’s a hint of a sourdough tang. George Bumbaris, a Greek boy from Chicago, bases his dough on a Greek pastry and uses an all-natural starter, which you rarely see in a deep dish pie. I love the flavor and texture of his crust, and I like that there’s a hint of a sourdough tang. He has the right ratio of bottom crust to cheese, and understands balance. You don’t need a knife and fork, you can pick it up and eat it. It’s almost like having a thick Sicilian slice. Photos by Azuree Wiitala.

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Labriola Chicago is an Italian restaurant known for its unique Chicago-style deep pan pizza. The pizza, inspired by local favorites, features a crust spread to the edge and left to rise a third time in the pan, topped with Russo sausage that renders its fat and fennel into the pie during baking. Aside from pizza, the restaurant also offers a variety of Italian dishes, catering services, and a loyalty program for regular visitors.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Chicago-style deep pan pizza Chicago-style deep pan pizza (wait, what’s the difference between deep-dish and deep-pan?) Deep pan is inspired by legendary joints such as Burt’s or Pequod’s from the suburbs, and usually have a browned, maillard reaction along the outer, upper edge, consisting of excess mozzarella. Also, unlike deep-dish, a deep pan pizza doesn’t necessarily have a pronounced wall around the perimeter, but rather, a crust that is simply spread to the edge and then left to rise a third time in the pan. Rich Labriola uses Russo sausage (always raw, bulk sausage that’s pinched and pressed onto the pie) so that when it bakes, the fat and fennel render into the pie.

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With a history dating back to 1971, My Pi Pizza is known for its old-school Chicago deep-dish pizza. Their signature pies are characterized by a seasoned tomato sauce that provides a hint of fennel and oregano, even if you don't opt for a sausage topping. The crust is light and somewhat flaky, offering a unique dining experience that requires no utensils, just lift and eat.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Old school Chicago deep-dish, off the beaten tourist track. This old school deep-dish slinger started in 1971, and shows no signs of slowing down, even though they have just one location in Bucktown, about a 15 min. cab ride from downtown. Currently run by founder Larry Aronson’s son, Rich, the pies are highlighted by a seasoned tomato sauce, so that even if you don’t choose a sausage pie (the preferred order in Chicago), you’ll still get some of the trademark fennel and oregano seasoning by virtue of the sauce. The crust is light and somewhat flaky, not at all what the tourists are eating downtown on Michigan Avenue. These are slices that require no utensils; just lift and eat! Photos courtesy of My Pi.

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Offering NYC-style pizza slices, Pazza Pizza stands out in its own unique way. The pizza here is known for its sturdy crust and tight crumb, with a perfect blend of low-moisture mozzarella and evenly applied tomato sauce. The slices are so well made that you can easily do a three-finger fold without any tip sag, giving you an authentic East Coast pizza experience.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

NYC-style pizza slices with a sturdy crust and a tight crumb. There aren’t that many NYC-style slice shops in Chicago as we just don’t have the same portable pizza culture here, but the few I’ve found seem to really know what they’re doing. Pazza is one of them. With a sturdy crust and a tight crumb, the low-moisture mozzarella blends superbly with the even-handed tomato sauce application. You can easily do a three-finger fold here and have zero tip sag on your East Coast-worthy slice.

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Jimmy's Pizza Cafe offers an authentic NYC style pizza experience. The pizza is served in wide, 20” pies cut into 8 slices, always presented within a display. It's located in Lincoln Square, a fantastic neighborhood, and is easily accessible by the Brown Line CTA train.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe is located in Lincoln Square, a fantastic Chicago neighborhood on the North Side, but rarely visited by tourists since it’s a good 25-30 min. cab ride from downtown. It is easily accessible on the Brown Line CTA train. Jimmy Kang has the city’s best expression of NYC style slices - wide, 20” pies cut into 8 slices, always presented within a display

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Milly's Pizza In The Pan is known for its thicker, deep-pan pizzas, all made by Robert Maleski himself, and modeled after Burt's Place and Pequod's. However, the composition of these pizzas is considered to be far superior. The restaurant only makes a limited number of pizzas each day, sourcing all of their fresh ingredients from local farmers and purveyors, so it's recommended to place an order online or call ahead to ensure availability.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Milly’s Pizza in the Pan is located in Uptown, along Argyle Street, where the city’s Little Saigon is located. After your bowl of pho, walk over to see Robert Maleski making every pie himself. These thicker, deep-pan pizzas are modeled after Burt’s Place and Pequod’s, but are far superior in composition.

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Pizza Matta is a small, cozy pizzeria known for its thin, East Coast style and Midwestern tavern style pizzas. The menu also offers big salads, with ingredients such as manchego, bacon, and pumpkin seeds, and extras like chicken from Slagel Farm, and vegan mozzarella from Miyoko’s. Alongside its pizza and salads, Pizza Matta offers a variety of toppings and sides, including Italian sausage, pepperoni, and a range of vegetables.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

From Chef Jason Vincent (Giant, Chef’s Special), this tiny, 12 seat pizzeria next to Giant started off just doing a thin, East Coast style pie, but quickly added an even thinner Midwestern tavern style pizza cut into squares (party cut).

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Bungalow by Middle Brow is known for its exceptional artisan pizza made with small batch flour. On Tuesdays, they offer a fantastic tavern-style pizza. The restaurant also functions as a natural winery and brewery, and offers sourdough pizza and baked goods.

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Steve Dolinsky

Food Writer – Chicago, USA

Middlebrow Bungalow always have an exceptional artisan pizza made with small batch flour, but on Tuesdays they also do a fantastic tavern style pizza.

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