There are a few things the Windy City does right, and pizza is one of them. So whether you envision a deep dish filled with melty goodness or you believe authentic Chicago-style pie is flat, crispy, and cut into squares, we’ve got you covered. When only marinara sauce, cheese, and toppings will satisfy your craving, use our guide. Here are our favorite places to fill up on Chicago pizza near home.
Pequod’s Pizza
Is it a pizza or a casserole? Here in comfort food country, Chicago pizza is a bit of both. This thick and hearty concoction tops the menu of the city’s best spots for deep-dish varieties, like Pequod’s. These folks at this Lincoln Park pizzeria have pumped out mouthwatering food since 1970. Of course, not every pizzeria lives up to the hype, but Pequod’s always delivers on its reputation.
Locals have named it the area’s best pizza location numerous times because of its pan pizza’s crispy caramelized crust. Pequod’s talented cooks elevate the classic gooey style to something nearly transcendent. If you love sausage, this restaurant’s offer is especially tasty, with a bold touch of fennel to cut through the meat’s richness. It’s the best in Chicago, if not the country.
- Location: 2207 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago
- Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday
Paulie Gee’s Logan Square
One of the best small businesses to support in Chicago is Paulie Gee. This award-winning spot opened in 2016, and its owner offers a bit of a gourmet take on classic Chicago pizza. Its upscale Logan Square neighborhood location is a popular gathering place for the city’s trendy crowd.
Paulie Gee’s focuses on interesting flavor profiles by incorporating a breadth of ingredients you wouldn’t imagine putting on a pizza, from kimchi to dried Bing cherries. This pizzeria offers a number of unusual flavor combinations, too. You can get one of its Sicilian pies topped with housemade bacon jam or Mike’s Hot Honey or pick something off its robust menu of vegan options if you’re more grazer than carnivore.
- Location: 2451 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
- Hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well as Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria
Chicago is a pizza wonderland thanks to neighborhood establishments like the Original Vito & Nick Pizzeria. The dynamic duo established the eatery in 1923, and it now resides in the city’s south-side Ashburn neighborhood. Its terrific location makes it a budget-friendly place to visit for date night or a family dinner.
For almost a century, its cooks crafted its pizzas with closely guarded family recipes handed down through the generations by Nick Barraco’s mother. This family-owned restaurant uses only the highest quality ingredients to make its traditional Sicilian dishes, including its specialty thin crust pizza. With nearly 20 ingredients to pile on the dough, like shrimp and spicy giardiniera, the potential flavor profiles are endless.
You can even get your favorite pie par-baked and finish cooking it in your oven. It’s the best way to treat yourself to hot and fresh, restaurant-quality pizza conveniently at home. Stop by this pick for fine Italian entrees too, like baked mostaccioli with salad and bread.
- Location: 8433 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago
- Hours: 11 a.m. to close Monday through Saturday and noon to close on Sunday
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria
Chicago or “tavern-style” pizza dates back to the 1940s, when it became a popular dish at many of the city’s corner bars. These watering holes mastered the art of square-cut slices that fit neatly on the napkins of places like Piece Brewery. Whether it was a way to keep patrons drinking suds at the bar or not, the tradition stuck at this pizzeria.
This bustling Wicker Park destination offers something a bit different for Windy City foodies. It’s New Haven-style pies originated in Connecticut. It’s a crispier, greasier version of traditional Neapolitan pizza that’s fired in a real coal oven. You can even get a tomato pie without cheese at all or one with honey-buttered chicken.
One of the best things about Piece Brewery is that local icon and Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen has a stake in its ownership. So if you’re lucky, you might see him and bandmate Dave Grohl munching on a slice and sipping a brew at the bar.
- Location: 1927 W. North Ave., Chicago
- Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company
When you’re looking for pizza joints, Robert’s is one of Chicago’s best. The cooks here are not just pumping out boring pizza, like you’ll find at the big chains. Owner and certified pizzaiolo Robert Garvey brought his New York-style pies with him to this stop’s Streeterville neighborhood location.
This pick is new to the area, compared to staples like Vito and Nick’s, and it’s a solid bet for anyone who craves classic brick-oven pie. Each culinary creation Garvey brings to your table, from his specialty pizzas to pasta, soups, and sandwiches, melts in your mouth.
Garvey loves crust, and you can cash in on his obsession here. It folds but never breaks, ensuring all the melty goodness makes it to your tastebuds. When you browse his menu, you see some surprising choices, like the seafood pizza. If you like mushrooms, the Funghi pizza is the pick for you, or bite into a slice of pie with duck prosciutto and Calabrian chile. You can even opt for a vegan pie on gluten-free bread at Robert’s.
- Location: 465 N. McClurg Court, Chicago
- Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
Chicago’s cast of talented culinary experts created two incredible styles of pizza. No matter which one you prefer, either deep-dish or thin crust, the staff at American Auto Insurance knows where you can find it. What do you think of our list? Did we miss a favorite pizzeria of yours — one Windy City locals will love? If we did, let us know! Drop us a line, so we can share your picks with friends and neighbors.
