In the gustatory landscape of Chicago, a new contender has stepped into the limelight with National Tavern-Style Pizza Day, giving long-due recognition to what some argue is the true gustatory emblem of the city. Notably, Home Run Inn has been declared as the "founder" of this new celebration, as NBC Chicago reports. The brand, a staple in the Chicago area with more than nine decades under its belt, is commemorating the event with deals for pizza enthusiasts, including a large pizza for just $13.99 and an opportunity to win a retro-themed pizza party.
The term "tavern-style" might bring some contention among the locals. According to Eater Chicago, there's an ongoing debate about whether this style is overshadowed by Chicago's more famous, albeit less authentically local, deep-dish pizza. Nevertheless, tavern-style pizza with its crispy, thin crust and signature square cuts, has woven itself into the fabric of Chicago’s culinary tradition, standing apart from the pizzas of other regions with its unpretentious roots and local favoritism.
Scratch beneath the cheesy surface, however, and one finds that Chicago's pizza identity is a complex one. As Food & Wine notes, the city is home to three distinct styles — deep dish, stuffed, and tavern-style. While the deep dish is often what comes to mind nationally when Chicago pizza is mentioned, many locals might point to the thin, square-cut tavern pies as their true daily bread. Despite the division, there's unanimous agreement on one aspect: sausage reigns supreme as the essential topping, rooting Chicago’s pizza preferences in its deep history with the meatpacking industry.
