Edition: Toasts of the Town
Dining: Deep Dish vs Thin Crust
Author: Theresa Page
While Chicago is known as the town that conceived deep-dish, there’s always been a thin-crust contingency. In fact, Chicagoans are almost as divided on their pizza as they are on which local baseball team they support, the White Sox or the Cubs. Although the recent wave of thin-crust Neapolitan-inspired pizzerias would make you think we’re swinging towards thin-crust, the old-school deep-dish legends are holding their own.
PIZANO’S PIZZA & PASTA
Although Pizano's is a relative newcomer to the pizza scene (they opened in 1991) the pizza-prolific Malnati family also has a hand in this operation (Rudy Malnati, Jr. helms the pizzeria). The dough for the pizza crust is still made daily by Rudy’s 81-year-old mother—she’s the keeper of the secret family recipe.
PIZZERIA UNO
Founders Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo Sr. are credited with introducing deep-dish pizza to Chicago, though the actual inventor of the pie is hazy. Some credit Sewell, others Riccardo and there’s also the oft-told story that Rudy Malnati Sr., a Riccardo employee at the time, came up with the concoction. Signature pies include the Numero Uno, with fresh Italian sausage, pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, onions and green peppers and extra cheese.
LOU MALNATI’S PIZZERIA
This Chicago-based family-owned chain, which launched in the early 1970s, has a Pizzeria Uno connection: founder Lou Malnati (son of Rudy Malnati Sr.) worked for Ike Sewell before going solo. Lou alnati’s Pizzeria boasts a flaky buttery-crust deep-dish topped with California vine-ripened tomatoes, custom blended Italian sausage and freshly sliced mozzarella cheese.
GIORDANO’S
Two brothers from a small town near Torino, Italy opened the first Giordano’s in 1974 with a secret family recipe that’s been passed down through the generations. The brothers modified the recipe slightly for Chicago taste buds and their signature stuffed pizza was born. Best-bets include the Special with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions, and the Spinach with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
COALFIRE
The owners of this spot hail from Massachusetts; they opened this West Town spot to sate their coal-fired East Coast-style pizza cravings. As the first coalfired pizzeria in Chicago, they’ve been packing in throngs of folks looking for a top-notch pie with a foldable, chewy-crispy, slightly charred crust.
A MANO
The name translates to “by hand” and yes, that hand-made touch applies to the preparation of the crispy thin-crust pies. Try pretty pizzas like the shell-on roasted clam with garlic confit, parsley and capers.
LA MADIA
The River North spot promotes itself as a “contemporary pizzeria,” and the wood-fired crispy crust still packs some chew. Selections include the triple pepperoni finished with white truffle oil, a thin-sliced salami with mozzarella and torn basil, and spinach and speck with toasted pine nuts and extra virgin oil.
CRUST
Organic-loving chef Michael Altenberg is behind this Wicker Park certified organic spot. Go for choices like the wild boar Italian sausage with shaved fennel, provolone and tomato sauce and pesto, or the Basilico with tomato sauce, béchamel, fresh-pulled buffalo mozzarella cheese and basil.
