Chicago Pizza

Our mouths have been watering as we looked forward to our stop in Chicago. We decided months ago that when we got to the Windy City it would be time for us to put our debate to rest, which of the great Chicago deep dish pizzas is our favorite? How better to pick a winner than an ultimate taste test with all the contenders right in front of us?

We determined our fastest route, ordered and paid ahead with timed pick up, giving plenty of time for driving in between each stop. Jonathan was my getaway driver as I ran in and out of each crowded establishment, jumping back in the truck with our hot, delicious smelling pizzas. After picking up all five our pies we headed to River Shannon, a local Irish pub that allows you to bring in outside food. We ordered our beers and began our sampling.

We decided to do our taste test in order that we picked them up.

Our first bite of pizza was from Lou Malnati’s. We had custom ordered with all our favorite ingredients: basil, green pepper, onion, pepperoni, sliced tomato, spinach mix and their buttered crust. We declared it delicious.

Pizza Uno was the one I was most excited about. We had ordered an individual four cheese and pesto pizza. We typically love pesto pizzas! It was a little disappointing because the crust didn’t feel cooked all the way through. It also didn’t have the flavor that I had been hoping for. We put it aside and decided that we would reheat it in the oven later and give it a second chance.

Next up was Gino’s East. From Gino’s we had ordered the small deep dish spinach margherita pizza. If we don’t order a veggie pizza then a margherita pizza is usually our “go to” choice. We enjoyed this one more than Pizza Uno but not as great as Lou Malnati’s. I did enjoy the spinach and the fresh basil however the sauce tasted a little burnt.

Giordano‘s typically wins in a “Best of Chicago” pizza popularity poll. We ordered a small deep dish special which includes sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions. The consistency is on par with Lou Malnati’s. The crust is thinner than Pizza Uno’s and Gino’s but with the fillings, it is still an inch thick. Their small pizza was bigger than any other pizza we ordered. As usual, Giordano’s is amazing.

At Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders we ordered the classic half pound. I have only been to Oven Grinders once when I was in college in Chicago about 30 years ago so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s hard to say that this is a pizza except that it does have a crust, filling and a cheese topping. It is cooked upside down and then flipped over before serving. I would describe it as meaty spaghetti sauce in a bread bowl with cheese. I’d love to go back and try some of their other dishes but for traditional Chicago deep dish “pizza”, this wasn’t our favorite.

At the end of the night we determined that Lou Malnati’s was our favorite. This is the only one that we custom ordered and so we debated between Lou’s and Giordano’s. After much discussion, we determined that it is the crust at Lou Malnati’s that gives it the winning edge and sets it above the rest.