The Siberian American: What Is the Best Deep Dish Pizza Place in Chicago?

Monday, August 22, 2016

What Is the Best Deep Dish Pizza Place in Chicago?

A few months after moving to Chicago, I started getting emails asking me for restaurant suggestions, and deep dish pizza was always on top of the list! I made it my mission to try the “big three” deep dish pizza, so I could report back to y’all. It’s the kind of research I really don’t mind!


Gino’s East

What I Thought:
I know a lot of people like Gino’s East, but it was by far my least favorite of the three. The tomato to cheese ratio was off. They did have some great appetizers, though. We enjoyed the Bavarian soft pretzels and the cheesy pizza bread.

Go Here If:
You want a lot of toppings on your deep dish pizza. Gino’s East has the largest list of topping options. Also, Gino’s East has started to build franchises outside of the Midwest. There are even several in Texas!


Giordano’s

What I Thought:
I love Giordano’s, but I always throw in a caveat when I recommend it: it is not “traditional” Chicago deep dish pizza. It’s actually a stuffed deep dish pizza, which just might make it even more delicious. I definitely miss having pepperoni stuffed deep dish pizza whenever I want it.

Go Here If:
You don’t care if you are eating traditional deep dish pizza and just want some delicious food!


Lou Malnati’s

What I Thought:
Lou Malnati’s wins the deep dish battle hands down for me thanks to its Buttercrust™. I’m one of those people who doesn’t usually eat the crust of the pizza, and I absolutely love Lou Malnati’s Buttercrust™. Plus, Lou Malnati’s brother Rudy Malnati is said to have invented deep dish pizza, so this is as authentic as it gets! You won’t find a lot of options for toppings, but it doesn’t matter because the choices they have are all great. Plus, Lou Malnati’s makes one of the best tiramisus I’ve ever had in my life. I may or may not have asked Chris to pick it up on his way home from work several times during our year in Chicago.

Go Here If:
You want the best! Just be prepared to wait. Since deep dish pizza takes 45 minutes to cook, you can order your pizza while you wait, and they will start cooking it for you before you get a table!


Have you been to Chicago? What is your favorite deep dish pizza place?


20 comments:

  1. My mouth is watering just looking at these!

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  2. Giordano's is the only place I've been. I'll have to try Lou Malnati's next time I'm in Chicago.

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  3. Oh my, they all look so good. I wouldn't mind trying them all. I love deep dish pizza.

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  4. I totally agree! After going to Chicago every year for work for the past several years, I've gotten to try each of the three a few times, and I always say Lou Malnati's is my favorite! While Gino's is my least favorite of the three, I still think it's good enough to go wait for at the location five minutes away from us! It's better than any other deep dish in Texas. :)

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  5. Ohhh now I want pizza and some delicious tiramisu. That's reason enough for me to go to Chicago! Ha!

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  6. I just want to go to Chicago just for the pizza

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  7. I am not a pizza girl =/ The cake (?) looks lovely, but deep dish pizza isn't my cup of tea. haha!

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  8. Definitely eating some deep dish pizza when I go to Chicago next year! Thanks for the suggestions!

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  9. When my husband and I visited Chicago a few summers ago we went to Gino's. He had tried it the summer before when he was in town for a wedding and raved about it. I know a lot of people may hate me for this comment, but I'm not the biggest fan of Chicago-style. Just the thought of all that sauce gives me heart burn. I much prefer more cheese!

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  10. So Gino's East is the only place we haven't tried in Chicago because every time we go we either eat at Giordano's (my fav) or Lou Manalti's (Christopher's fav). Glad to know we aren't missing out there!

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  11. YUMMMMM! Chicago has the best food, and deep dish pizza was no exception! I had Giordanos twice while there for a long weekend, and it was delish and worth the wait!
    Green Fashionista

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  12. I think this might be one of my favorite posts you've done!! I went to Chicago a couple years ago and had deep dish pizza for the first time and certainly not the last! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  13. So deep dish pizza isn't my favorite, but I'm glad that we tried your favorite when we visited last year! I definitely thought that the crust was the best part too! I still have yet to make it to Gino's East, but I'm thinking that I need to do that at some point!

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  14. I really want to try Gino's East next time I am in Chicago. Last time we went somewhere else that wasn't great (I can't even remember the name it was so mediocre).

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  15. Chicago deep dish is so delicious and so worth the wait!! I've had Gino's and will make sure to try the other next time I'm in Chicago!

    Ashley // acutelifestyle.blogspot.com

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  16. mmmm these all look so good! i will keep these in mind if we ever make it back up there. i am torn on which one to try so i will have to try all of them haha. i love crust, typically i either do no toppings or lots of toppings, there is no in between for me. KC would love that pepperoni stuffed pizza!

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  17. Ok, I totally want to try them all now. And now I'm hungry. Thanks. Grr. HAHA jk

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  18. Everything sounds and looks so good! :) I think I went to Giordano's once and I remember really enjoying it... I used to have family in Chicago so I visited often, but only went out for deep dish pizza once.

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