We got a Chicago debate for you, pizza edition! We are sure you have heard that we are known for our Chicago style deep dish pizza no matter where you come from.
The assembly of the pizza is a little flipped flopped. First order of business is the delicious buttery flakey crust first. Then layered with cheese on top and stuffed with your choice of meats or vegetables. Last, its finished off with tomato sauce on the top.
This debate has two contenders, Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s. Both deep dish pizza spots in Chicago, while different, are the most popular and frequently discussed among locals. Other places in the city also serve deep dish pizza these two just happen to be talked about most!
Remember that making a deep dish pizza takes time and some patience. Plan for around 45 minutes or more on busier days for the kitchen to create this delicious masterpiece, that way you can avoid the hangry mood! Once it comes out of the oven they are hearty and hefty, you will definitely have to to let it cool down some. You can either get your hands dirty and let the slices be handheld or a lot do like to use a fork and knife to leave the mess behind. Keep reading to find out a little more about each place and what about their pizza makes them stand out!
Giordano’s
Plenty of Giordano’s locations are scattered throughout the Chicago area and suburbs. If you decided to spend the day with us and are at Navy Pier, there is a Giordano’s located at the front of the pier at your convenience! There is a location close to our dock on Michigan Avenue, just a short five-minute walk south of the bridge.
You can browse through the Giordano’s menu on their website and also to find a location closest to you!
As you can see in the picture provided, we went ahead and added giardiniera to our deep dish pizza. The world is yours with whatever toppings you may want to add, so get creative!
Although we’ve had Giordano’s on multiple occasions, the first bite is always a reminder of how delicious it is. The way they make their pizza is with a heavy hand, the pizza is thick and hearty.
You will get a good slight crunch from their crust and the sauce is more so on the savory side. The cheese pull on this pizza is something you’d have to see for yourself. Here’s an idea, your arm will almost not be long enough if you didn’t want to break the cheese pull from grabbing a slice with the serving spatula!
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
Like Giordano’s, remember to consider the wait time for cooking a Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza.
There are quiet a few locations throughout the Chicagoland as well. But if you do ride with us on an Architecture Tour departing from Michigan Avenue, there is a location right across the street. So right after you learn some facts about Chicago architecture, you can indulge in some culture and head over to Lou’s! You can also browse the Lou Malnati’s website to find more locations and browse their menu for what else they have to serve.
This deep dish pizza is up your alley if you prefer a lighter and thinner version of the Chicago style pizza.
One thing that makes them different is their sauce, a lot say their sauce is on the sweeter side compared to Giordnano’s. The sauce also has a chunky texture to it, instead of a finer sauce you’ll find bits of tomatoes! The crust is definitely on the crunchier and crispy side, which again just like their sauce, adds texture to the slice!
Other Honorable Mentions
Although its not a contender for this well-known debate, we felt the need to share and give this place some spotlight, Labriola Chicago. Labriola is only a five minute walk from our Michigan Avenue dock. They too offer their take on the deep dish style and other courses on their menu.
For the pizza connoisseurs, other well known spots claim to be the best pizza in Chicago for deep dish are Pequods, Pizzeria Uno, Milly’s Pizza In The Pan, Gino’s East, and Connies Pizza. Again these are just some highlights and there are a vast variety of pizza places.
While we specifically celebrate National Deep Dish Pizza Day, we also have a reputation for our Chicago tavern style pizza. A huge difference exists between these two types of Chicago style pizzas.
Deep dish pizza has a thicker buttery crust with cheese and toppings stuffed inside and tomato sauce covers the goodness. Tavern style pizza has a thin, crispy crust and can be topped with any toppings you like. Its more of a thin crust pizza that is usually cut into squares.
This is our two cents put into this debate amongst the many other opinions out there. Some may agree and some may disagree! You will never know what you like better and what you have to say about each place until you try for yourself, so come down and decide what your best deep dish pizza place in Chicago is, and try tavern style during your time here!
