The 35 best pizza spots in Chicago

What is it? The king of tavern-style pizza.

Why we love it: The crispy, cracker-thin crust, tangy sauce and top-quality sausage separate this pizza from its peers. The cash-only joint doesn't do delivery (a promise co-founder Nick Barracao made back in '65), so pick up the phone and call in your carryout order or plan a visit to the no-frills dining room—a pitcher of beer and an order of cheese sticks will tide you over while you wait for the main event.

Time Out tip: The wait times for pie can run a little long on weekends, so order your drinks by the pitcher, and enjoy a true Chicago scene. (Or, thanks to a glut of national attention after the Food Network blew through town, scan the walls for plenty of reading material.)

Address: 8433 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11am-8:30pm; Fri, Sat 11am-9:30pm; Sun noon-8pm

What is it? A Logan Square brewery.

Why we love it: The char-dappled pies here might just rival the beer that Middle Brow is best known for. Expect a short but sweet menu of options, like the classic margherita with fresh mozzarella and basil or the mushroom with melty fontina and caramelized onions. And because the dough's made in-house daily, there's not a dud on the menu. 

Time Out tip: The only mistake you can make is not pairing your `za with a beer: The Tackle Box lager is just right for a picnic at nearby Palmer Square Park. Drop in on Tuesdays for tavern-style pizzas.

Address: 2840 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Opening hours: Tue 2-10pm; Wed-Fri 8am-10pm; Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 9am-9pm

What is it? Champion pizza maker Anthony Scardino's popular eatery.

Why we love it: Professor Pizza has been quietly turning out some of the best pies in the city. You can order them in several varieties—including New York, Detroit and Sicilian-style—but our favorite is the grandma-style. Pep fans should definitely try the Deluxe Pepperoni, which comes loaded with cups plus whipped ricotta and hot honey. 

Time Out tip: Professor Pizza is located in Old Town and West Town, but it also provides the food for the seasonal West Loop rooftop Tetto.

Address: 1374 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Opening hours: Wed-Sat 1-9pm; Sun 1-8pm

What is it? A Brooklyn import with locations in Wicker Park and Logan Square.

Why we love it: Paulie Gee’s serves a wide selection of Neapolitan-inspired wood-fired pizzas like the signature Hellboy with soppressata picante and Mike’s Hot Honey or the vegan Fast Car with garlic, mushrooms, sauteed bread crumbs and cashew ricotta dollops. You’ll also find Logan Squares, a riff on Detroit’s thick-crust rectangular pizzas, that can be made vegan or with gluten-free dough.

Time Out tip: If you’re looking for a New York-style slice, head to Paulie Gee’s Wicker Park location, which also offers breakfast sandwiches on weekend mornings.

Address: 2451 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 5-10pm; Fri 5-11pm; Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 11am-10pm

What is it? One of the most recommended deep-dish spots in Chicago.

Why we love it: Pequod’s has two locations (Morton Grove and Lincoln Park), making it easy to get your fix of its popular pan pizza. The pizza here is known for its caramelized "halo" crust, created by sprinkling cheese edge to edge and baking it until it’s crisp and brown. But our favorite part of this pie is the sauce—refreshingly bright and undoctored, it tastes like fresh tomatoes.

Time Out tip: With a substantial crust and a generous selection of toppings, you really can’t go wrong with any combination of ingredients.

Address: 2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11am-2am; Sun 11am-midnight

What is it? A New York-style pizza joint in Ravenswood.

Why we love it: After more than a decade in Lincoln Square, Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe moved to bigger digs in Ravenswood in 2022 and now has more seating and additional ovens to keep up with demand for its New York-style pizza. Sidle up to the counter and craft your own pie or try a slice of one of their specialties like the BDW made with chopped dates, applewood bacon, crushed walnuts, gorgonzola and Mike’s Hot Honey, or the Windy City, which features housemade sausage, mushrooms and roasted red pepper.

Time Out tip: If you're just looking for a quick bite, this is one of the best spots to get a slice in Chicago.

Address: 2434 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Opening hours: Mon 5-9pm; Tue-Thu, Sun 9am-9pm; Fri, Sat 9am-10pm

This place is serious about Neapolitan 'za: A custom-built, oak-stoked oven kicks out bubbling beauties with perfectly charred peaks and valleys in less than two minutes. The hand-formed crust is paper-thin at the center, thicker toward the edges and has the unmistakable chew of a true Neapolitan pie. Aside from the simple marinara or Margherita, toppings run the gamut from anchovies to rapini to pistachio cream. Add on a bottle of Italian wine and tiramisu and limoncello to finish off your dinner, and you’ve got a great night out.

We’re not advocating taking Roger Ebert’s advice on pizza, but we will give some credence to his claim that there’s a good thin-crust pie to be found here. Pastas, salads and a handful of cheesy, sauced chicken entrées round out the options, but we suggest sticking with the pizza, especially if you’re a fan of crispy paper-thin crust and square-cut slices. Order a vegetarian version or one topped with crumbled Italian sausage, plus plenty of beers to wash it down, and you’re in for a wallet-friendly night in a good old-fashioned family-friendly joint.

Locals may never see eye to eye with New Yorkers when it comes to pizza, but Zazas is certainly doing its best to be the great unifier. The Lakeview pizzeria makes remarkable New York-style pies that will impress even the most diehard supporters of deep dish and tavern style. The crust is brushed with herb-infused olive oil and stands up to the toppings—which include giardiniera, calabrian chili and shaved parmesan—so you won’t be getting any floppy slices. Build your own pizza or go with one of the original creations like the Truffle Mushroom Pie (garlic cream, mozzarella, cremini mushrooms, goat cheese, truffle oil, chives).

At this small Edgewater spot, the deep dish pizzas are unlike any other in town. Owner George Bumbaris uses a sourdough starter and recipe that’s based on lagana—a Greek flatbread similar to focaccia. The bottom of each pie is also dusted with cornmeal while the edges of the crust are caramelized. And instead of putting the toppings under the sweet red sauce, Bumbaris layers them over it. The menu pays tribute to famous Georges throughout history with fun creations like Clooney's ER (Ezzo cup and char pepperoni, Italian sausage, meatballs, bacon) and  Michael’s S&M (spaghetti, meatballs, ricotta, roasted garlic).

Golf ball-sized pieces of sausage are arranged in a neat grid atop thin crust at Villa Nova, which has been serving some of the best tavern-style pizza in the Chicago suburbs since 1955. Those who prefer a slightly thicker crust can opt for the double dough to load up with extra toppings like giardiniera and green olives. There’s no dining room, so order ahead for pickup.

Coalfire comes out among the top of the thin-crust pizza joints in Chicago. The little spot in West Town (with a second location in Southport Corridor) turns out blistered pies with a chewy, slightly crisp edge from its 800-degree coal oven. While the crust is a work of art itself, the toppings are inspired—soft whipped peaks of ricotta balance coins of spicy pepperoni; thin slices of fiery 'nduja, a spreadable Calabrian salami, with fresh mozzarella; and a garlicky white pie are among the standouts.

Bonci is the 31 Flavors of pizza, in a more elevated, carbo-loaded sort of way. No two visits are the same, thanks to a rotating cast of Roman pies that guests are invited to order by the strip. The crust eats like focaccia, and you can expect to find classic and imaginative toppings like crispy potatoes, spicy eggplant, silky lox and creamy ricotta. Three or four strips is the perfect serving for a hungry adult, and the staff at Bonci is happy to heat them up on-site or give you detailed instructions to do it at home.

The Chicago-New York pizza rivalry runs deep, but every once in a while, us Midwesterners fall in love with an East Coast import. So is the case with New Yorker Robert Garvey's riverfront Streeterville pie shop. You see, Garvey is a certified pizzaioli who spent nearly 20 years developing an anatomically perfect crust. Cooked in a brick oven, these thin-crust pizzas boast the right crunch-to-chew ratio and are dressed up in a slew of creative toppings. You can create your own, but why bother? Garvey has dreamed up a laundry list of delicious pairings, like the duck prosciutto with calabrian chile, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce.

Since 1971, My Pi Pizza has been serving deep dish made with dough baked fresh each day with three rises, so the crust is sturdy enough to contain the layers of Wisconsin cheese, secret tomato sauce blend and other toppings like roast beef, giardiniera and artichokes. The restaurant also offers a full vegan menu featuring deep dish and a thin-crust pie perfect for one, plus white chocolate chip cookies made with flaxseed. Get your pizza to go or eat it straight from the pan in the tent out front.

There are two kinds of Chicagoans: Giordano’s people and Lou Malnati’s people. Lou's has been slinging deep dish pies since 1971 and is known for its flaky, buttery crust. Each pizza is stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese from Wisconsin, vine-ripened California tomatoes and an exclusive sausage blend. Don't fuss with anything else on the menu—including pasta dishes or thin-crust 'za. A large deep dish pizza easily serves (and fills) four hungry adults.

Bob’s Pizza executive chef/partner Matt Wilde developed his own Pilsen-style pizza by replacing water in the dough with Old Style beer. The result is a 16-inch pie that has the thickness of a New York-style slice but the puffy crust found in Neapolitan pizzas. With locations across the city and suburbs, Bob’s serves quirky creations, including the Pickle Pizza made with garlic cream, mortadella, sliced pickles and fresh dill, and the Spinach Pesto and Stracciatella Pizza featuring prosciutto, spinach pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, stracciatella cheese, house-blend cheese and baby arugula.

Ideal for the indecisive, Five Squared Pizza lets you select four different Detroit-style slices per box, and the flavors available are anything but ordinary. The Spacca is loaded with pistachio cream sauce, Italian sausage, burrata, hot honey and basil, while the Tie Dye comes topped with homemade red sauce, vodka sauce and pesto. A new menu goes live every month, and pickup and delivery is available Wednesday through Saturday. You can also find Five Squared pies at Off Color Brewing Thursday through Saturday.

Every Chicago neighborhood has its favored thin-crust pie, and for decades, Bridgeport’s preference has been Phil’s. Regulars will tell you all about the former dining room, which was located on Halsted and exuded a bit more charm (and plenty of wood paneling), but the recipe hasn't changed. The owners took their old-school Blodgett ovens with them, and the crispy exterior crust, chewy interior crust and hunks of fennel-flecked sausage honor the tasty tradition of the original.

Forno Rosso owner Nick Nitti studied in Naples to learn to make traditional Neapolitan pizza before opening restaurants in Dunning and the West Loop. Pies bake for about a minute in a wood-burning oven and are typically eaten with a fork and knife, with red and white options including the Carbonara with pancetta, egg and cracked black pepper, and the Barese with rapini, locally sourced sausage and imported burrata. Save room for dessert and order a pizza topped with nutella, bananas, strawberries and powdered sugar.

Two things keep this place from going the route of sports-bar-beer-bong culture: excellent house brews and expertly executed pizzas. The crispy pies hold a lot of weight, so after you choose your pizza style—red, white, BBQ or New Haven–style “plain” (red sauce, no mozzarella)—start piling on the toppings. (If you’re really going New Haven–style, try one with clams and bacon.) Wash it down with a pint of the crisp Golden Arm, and you’ll never disparagingly say “pizza and beer joint” again.

Naudi Signature Pizza offers pasta, salads and wraps, but you’re here for the namesake. Keep it simple with a square pan or thin-crust white or red pizza topped with fresh basil and a blend of four cheeses, or get more out there with french fries and chicken pizza. You can also try pide, a Turkish flatbread pizza. While you can get the pies delivered or for pickup, it’s best to dine in at the BYOB spot and enjoy a wood-fired pie that’s just been pulled out of the oven.

Regularly packed with locals watching sports or playing pool, Side Street Saloon offers the full neighborhood dive bar experience complete with some excellent tavern-style pizza. It’s cash only, so come prepared and you’ll be rewarded with cracker-thin crust loaded with pepperoni, sausage and giardiniera. It’s cut into tiny pieces, which are perfect for sharing alongside fried pickle chips, cheese curds and a pitcher of beer from a local brewery like Begyle or Half Acre.

In a flip that epitomized 2020, Bite Cafe transformed into Pizza Friendly Pizza, a scrappy but hopeful collaboration between friends Noah Sandoval (Oriole, Kumiko) and Bruce Finkelman, the managing partner of 16" on Center (Empty Bottle, Bite Cafe). Like its name suggests, the star of the menu is pizza—more specifically, thick Sicilian-style 'za that sports a bubbly crust that's anchored by crispy, caramelized edges. During patio season, head to the alley behind the building, where you'll find a small window plus several tables with plants hanging overhead.

Beloved Morton Grove pizzeria Burt’s Place specializes in deep dish pies that boast a signature caramelized crust developed by late founder Burt Katz, who also previously launched both Gulliver’s and Pequod’s. Stuff yours with whatever you want (we're fans of sausage, onions and mixed bell peppers) and toss in some jalapeño poppers and cannoli for good measure.

Billy Lawless of Gage Hospitality Group and Ryan O’Donnell of Ballyhoo Hospitality teamed up to bring a taste of Southern Italy to the Southport Corridor with Coda di Volpe. Order a Neapolitan pizza topped with squash blossoms, garlic and mint, or opt for a square cut Sicilian-style pie which can also be made gluten-free. Watch the action from the chef’s counter or imagine you’re vacationing in Italy by having a glass of rosé or a spritz at one of the sidewalk tables.

Welcome to the “Nine Levels of Hell”: poblano peppers, pepperoni, giardiniera, bacon, fresh garlic, jalapeño, sausage, red onion and banana peppers, together forming the “Inferno.” This pizza sounds terrifying, but trust us, it won’t hurt. The heat’s present but mild-mannered, the thin crust is pleasantly chewy, and the thing is huge. There’s also a vegan version made with sausage and pepperoni from Palermo’s Unreal Foods. If that’s too intense, just stop in for a jumbo slice of pepperoni.