Whether you prefer it deep-dish or thin-crust, hot-from-the-oven or leftover-out-of-the fridge, there are few things better in life than a quality slice of pizza. When it comes to top-notch pizza, Chicago serves it up in all kinds of shapes, sizes and styles, but how does Chicago compare to the truly standout pizza establishments across the country?
To find out, we turned to Yelp, combining the company’s user ratings with our own secret (pizza) sauce to find the 50 most popular pizzerias in America.
Chicago may not have as many top pizza places as New York City, Los Angeles or San Francisco, but Chicago’s pizza scene is anything but lacking.
Which Chicago pizzeria nabbed the city’s highest ranking? North Clybourn Avenue’s Pequod's Pizza landed on our national list at #20, one spot ahead of Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, to claim deep-dish supremacy in the Windy City.
What makes Pequod’s so special? Sure, the crust, the cheese, the sauce and the toppings have all been described as “perfection,” but what really separates Pequod’s Pizza from the rest is how it manages its popularity. Avid pizza enthusiasts who are waiting in line for a table are invited to pass the time at Whale Tale (just 22 steps away) for a complimentary soda, coffee or hot chocolate. If that wasn’t enough, Pequod’s hosts a weekday lunch special from 11am-3pm where $4.95 gets you a 7-inch cheese pan pizza and a drink.
Coming in at #21 on our list is Lou Malnati's, with its house specialty (and fan favorite) Malnati Chicago Classic, made with lean sausage, extra cheese, vine-ripened tomato sauce on Lou’s signature Buttercrust™. It’s Chicago deep-dish in all its glory, but if you’re looking for something low-carb or gluten-free, Lou’s also serves up a crustless pizza that’s gotten rave reviews from eaters.
Rounding out Chicago’s representation on America’s top 50 pizzerias is Piece Brewery & Pizzeria, which landed on our list at #33. Proving that there’s more to Chicago’s pizza scene other than deep-dish, Piece dishes up New Haven-style pizza. The handful of pizzas on the menu are formidable enough (not to mention its beer list), but not nearly as imposing as the host of toppings, which include “premium toppings” like mashed potatoes, bacon, clams, meatballs, chicken and something called “atomic sausage.”
Want to know where to grab a pie of America’s best pizza? Here’s our roundup of the country’s top 50 pizzerias:
- 786 Degrees (Los Angeles)
- Joe Benny's (Baltimore)
- Home Slice Pizza (Austin)
- Bronx Pizza (San Diego)
- Base Camp Pizza (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
- Zachary's Chicago Pizza (Oakland, CA)
- Little Star Pizza (San Francisco)
- Golden Boy Pizza (San Francisco)
- Lombardi's Pizza (New York)
- A Slice of New York (San Jose, CA)
- Barbuzzo (Philadelphia)
- Bestia (Los Angeles)
- Arizmendi Bakery (San Francisco)
- Ciao! Pizza and Pasta (Chelsea, MA)
- Cibo (Phoenix)
- Pupatella (Arlington, VA)
- Buona Forchetta (San Diego)
- Juliana's Pizza (New York)
- Moose's Tooth (Anchorage)
- Pequod's Pizza (Chicago)
- Lou Malnati's (Chicago)
- Flatbread Company (Paia, HI)
- Pizzeria Mozza (Los Angeles)
- Cheese Board Pizza (Berkeley, CA)
- Tony's Pizza Napoletana (San Francisco)
- Secret Pizza (Las Vegas)
- Vesta (Redwood City, CA)
- Artichoke Basille's (New York)
- Cortina's Italian Market (Anaheim, CA)
- Serious Pie (Seattle)
- Prince Street Pizza (New York)
- Masa of Echo Park (Los Angeles)
- Piece Brewery & Pizzeria (Chicago)
- Pizzetta 211 (San Francisco)
- Beretta (San Francisco)
- Pizzamaniac (Vista, CA)
- The Goat & Vine (Temecula, CA)
- Paulie Gee's (New York)
- Little Deli & Pizzeria (Austin)
- Zero Zero (San Francisco)
- Lucali (New York)
- Colosseum New York Pizza (Milpitas, CA)
- L&B Spumoni Gardens (New York)
- Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana (Henderson, NV)
- Matchbox (Washington, D.C.)
- Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana (Fullerton, CA)
- Baonecci Ristorante (San Francisco)
- Di Fara (New York)
- Antico Pizza (Atlanta)
- Uncle Tony's Pizzeria (North Hollywood, CA)
