By D. W. G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
Beyond Deep Dish, Exploring Chicago’s Pizza Heritage
Steve Dolinsky, a 13 time James Beard Award winning food journalist, is on a mission to broaden our understanding of Chicago style pizza. Known for his "Food Guy" reports on NBC 5 News and his books "Pizza City, USA" and "The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide," Dolinsky is also the host producer of the Pizza City podcast and the founder of Pizza City Tours and Pizza City Fest. He asserts that Chicago’s pizza scene is far more diverse than the deep dish stereotype suggests.
Outside of Chicago, "Chicago style pizza" often conjures images of deep dish pies, humorously dismissed by some as "lasagna in a bread bowl." However, Dolinsky highlights that Chicagoans and the city's suburbs are home to three iconic styles, deep dish, stuffed, and the lesser known Chicago thin, also known as "tavern style" pizza.
The story of Chicago pizza began in the 1940s with tavern style pies. Bartenders, aiming to increase beer sales, began offering salty snacks, including thin crust pizzas cut into squares and served on cocktail napkins. In 1943, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo pioneered deep dish pizza using cake pans to create a doughy, cheesy dish topped with a chunky tomato sauce. In 1971, Rocco Palese introduced stuffed pizza at Nancy's, inspired by his mother’s Italian stuffed pie.
Dolinsky’s favorites highlight the breadth of Chicago’s pizza offerings. From Pat’s Pizzeria’s thin crust pies, which have been a staple since 1950, to Vito & Nick’s cracker thin pizzas with charred undercarriages, the variety is extensive. Chef driven options like Pizza Matta offer modern twists with unique toppings, while places like My Pi and Lou Malnati’s provide quintessential deep dish experiences. Labriola’s deep pan pizzas and George’s Deep Dish’s sourdough crusts further showcase the innovation within Chicago’s pizza scene.
Tasting Chicago, Steve Dolinsky’s Top Pizza Picks
1. Pat’s Pizzeria: Known for its iconic thin crust pizza since 1950, Pat’s uses a dough sheeter to create a remarkably thin crust, proofed overnight and cured for three days. Topped with fennel sausage and giardiniera, Dolinsky describes it as "a salty cracker dipped in tomato sauce."
2. The Original Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria: This South Side institution has been serving thin crust pizza since 1946. Their pizzas are baked on a hot stone deck, creating a crispy, charred crust. The sausage topped pies are cut into squares, offering a delightful mix of crackly edges and cheesy centers.
3. Pizza Matta: Chef Jason Vincent’s Pizza Matta serves both East Coast style and tavern style pizzas. His tavern style pies are thin, crispy, and finished with SarVecchio cheese, adding a salty, nutty flavor.
4. My Pi: Founded in 1971, My Pi offers deep dish pizza with a secret spice mix that adds a unique flavor to its tomato sauce, making it an excellent choice for vegetarians.
5. Lou Malnati’s: With over 70 locations, Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizzas feature a sturdy crust, mozzarella cheese, and a tangy tomato sauce. Opt for the Buttercrust for an extra rich experience.
6. Labriola: Known for its deep pan pizza with a dough fermented for two to three days, Labriola’s pies incorporate corn oil and cornmeal, creating a crunchy, textured crust.
7. George’s Deep Dish: Inspired by Greek flatbread, George’s Deep Dish uses a sourdough starter and cold ferments the dough for at least two nights. The result is a flavorful crust, with creative toppings and names like Orwell's Farm and Clooney's ER.
8. Nancy’s (West Loop): Nancy’s is famous for its stuffed pizza, a sub category of deep dish. These pies are filled with cheese and toppings, covered with a second layer of dough, and topped with tomato sauce. Heavy and indulgent, Dolinsky advises savoring just one slice.
Steve Dolinsky's exploration of Chicago’s pizza scene reveals a rich tapestry of styles and flavors, far beyond the deep dish stereotype. From tavern style to stuffed, each pizza tells a story of innovation and tradition, making Chicago a true pizza city.
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