First, I was thinking to edit a top 5 ranking of the best food experiences Chicago has to offer. No doubt Best Deep-dish Pizza and Best Doughnut would have come first.
After trying this benchmark for a few months, I realised that:
- my arteries would be soon endangered;
- I wouldn’t be able to cover all Chicago’s food scene by myself without being completely broke!
Therefore, I have decided to highlight my favorite places when I find one: hidden gem or must-go worthy of my approval. Of course, my first crush goes to the Chicago deep dish pizza.
To the non-Chicagoans, here is a brief explanation of what a deep dish pizza is. Cooked in a deep pan like a quiche lorraine, the crust is more similar to a buttery shortcrust pastry than a pizza dough. The mozzarella cheese comes first, covered by a generous layer of tomato sauce. Optional but crucial to me: the Italian sausage on the top. This specialty is to die for. It is the number one reason that will tie me to Chicago for the numerous years to come.
And the winner is… lou malnati’s!
I’ve experienced all the “best places” and my favorite one overall is… Lou Malnati’s!
There are several restaurants in Chicago, but I prefer the one located on River North. To make the story short, Lou Malnati’s was working at Pizzeria Uno in the 1940’s the place where the deep-dish has been invented. He took his expertise with him to build his own pizzeria. Pizzeria Uno still exists today and definitely worth the visit: the place could have been used as a set for some of the Godfather scenes. Unfortunately, the taste of the pizza is not in keeping with the picturesque setting.
What about you? Have you ever tried the Chicago Deep dish pizza? Which one is your favorite one?