

Other Types of Chicago-Style PizzasĬhicagoans are passionate about their deep dish pizzas. If it’s too thin, it won’t hold the ingredients, but if it’s too thick, it will not cook properly.Ĭhicago deep-dish pizza is also assembled in an upside-down fashion: a thick layer of cheese on the bottom, then meat and vegetables piled on top of the cheese, and finally everything is covered with fresh tomato sauce on the top.ĭeep-dish pizzas are assembled this way because these hefty pies require longer baking times than flat, thin pizzas, and as the mozzarella cheese on the bottom melts, it acts as another barrier that prevents the sweet tomato sauce from leaking through to the crust and making a soggy mess. The pizza must have a thick crust-but within limits. Crisp crust is a must! A hint of buttery flavor is just a fortunate byproduct. This flaky crust is better at keeping the fresh tomato sauce from soaking through during baking. The butter also creates a pie-like crust. Unlike New York crusts, which use olive oil or just plain water, Chicago crusts need butter.īuttery crust has a stronger structure that gives the dough the strength to line the sides of deep-dish pizza pans without giving way. The dough is worked with at room temperature and pressed into the bottom of the pan and up onto the sides of the pan.īecause the deep dish pies hold so much more pizza sauce than New York-style pizza, their crust is key. Semolina is usually mixed in with the flour for the dough to provide it with a distinctive yellowish hue. The deep pan is coated with oil to prevent sticking. You may be asking yourself “What is Chicago deep-dish pizza, anyway?” Knowing this is, of course, mandatory to play the time-honored Chicago pizza vs New York pizza game.Īs the name suggests, Chicago deep-dish pizza is thick like a pie, and it is quite different from the traditional New York thin-crust pizzas, which are, however, also sometimes called pies.Ĭhicago deep-dish pizzas are typically cooked in an iron skillet or in a round steel pan. And if you want to know where to find the best Chicago deep-dish pizza, read on! What Is Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza? While the question of who thought up pan pizza first may never be settled, it is absolutely without question that deep-dish pizza is among the most popular foods in Chicago. Other sources claim that Rudy Malnati, the head chef at Pizzeria Uno, developed deep dish. Some sources claim that Ike Sewell, owner of Pizzeria Uno, first invented deep-dish pizza. And the question of who invented Chicago’s iconic deep-dish style pizza is still open to debate. The classic Chicago-style pizza is deep-dish pizza, sometimes called deep-pan pizza or Chicago deep dish. The first pizza joints in Chicago opened in the early 1920s, and the first Chicago-style pizzas were served in the 1940s.

There’s lots of debate over which is better, New York or Chicago pizza, but there is no question that pizza arrived later in Chicago. Lombardi’s in Manhattan, New York, which was first licensed to operate in 1905.

According to, the first American documented pizzeria was G. Pizza first came to the United States in the early 20th century.

The brand garners frequent media coverage and continuously tops “Best Pizza” lists and dining guides.Although the Windy City is one of the most famous locations for pizza in the United States, it wasn’t always so. Giordano’s is constantly making headlines, both in Chicago and nationally. Over the next 40 years and counting, millions of happy and loyal fans as well as hundreds of critics call Giordano’s the city’s “best” stuffed pizza! The rest is history you can still taste today, along with our other great starters, fresh salads, outstanding pastas and unique sandwiches. In 1974, on Chicago’s historic south side, Efren and Joseph opened the first Giordano’s in the world. The brothers introduced their Mama’s recipe for stuffed pizza. Years later, Italian immigrants Efren and Joseph Boglio moved to Chicago to start their own pizza business. This pizza pie became a sacred tradition in the Giordano family and a legend in the town of Torino. Mama Giordano would serve this double- crusted, cheese stuffed masterpiece on special occasions. Of all her renowned dishes, her most beloved meal was her “Italian Easter Pie”. Mama Giordano was famous around town for her exquisite cooking. Its creation began in a small northern Italian town near Torino, Italy. The recipe for Giordano’s now-famous stuffed pizza is one that has evolved over 200 years. Serving up their famous stuffed deep dish pizzas, as well as other pizzas and classic Italian favorites, Giordano’s on Navy Pier is a great spot to enjoy the flavors of Chicago with family and friends.
