Whether it’s from people coming from out of town to visit Chicago, or local friends looking for new spot to try, I’m often asked for my favorite restaurants. That’s a hard question for a foodie! There are so many amazing restaurants in Chicago, so it really depends on the cuisine, atmosphere, and price point that you’re looking for.
I previously shared my favorite bakeries (you can add Bad Butter to that list, if you can get in!), so I thought I’d offer another rundown of an equally important carb…pizza! If you’re wondering about my official qualifications to provide you with this list, I grew up just 15 miles from New York City, I currently eat pizza at least once a week as it’s a top request from my three-year-old daughter, and I used pizza to celebrate her monthly milestones during her first year, so I’ve consumed a lot of pizza in the last few years!
When I moved to Chicago, almost 20 years ago, I was glad to find a variety of crust options in addition to the deep dish that Chicago is so well known for. Tavern-style, which is a cracker thin crust, typically cut in squares, is also popular in Chicago and derives its name for being sold in bars to entice people to drink more, and was cut in squares to make it easy for serving on a napkin if plates weren’t readily available.
Deep dish pizza
Tavern-style pizza
Chicago also has excellent Neapolitan pizza, new York style pizza, and even Detroit style pizza. Chicagoans are lucky with the endless options for delicious pizza, but here are my top 10 picks:
Best Neapolitan: Spacca Napoli (1769 W. Sunnyside)
This is my favorite Neapolitan pizza in Chicago and a great option if you’re shopping with us at The Chopping Block, as it’s nearby! It’s been open for 20 years. It’s the closest I’ve found to the pizza I loved when I studied abroad in Italy during college. They use a wood fired oven, and the owner is a certified pizzaiuolo trained in Naples. The restaurant is recognized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN) and the Academia Italiana Della Cucina!
Best Tavern-Style: Pizz’Amici (1215 W Grand)
You’ve got to plan in advance! Reservations open on Open Table at midnight, 30 days in advance. Set your alarm and thank me later. Reservations are gone within 5 minutes because they seat fewer than 50 guests at a time. In addition to the pizza (try the Italian beef), the Caesar salad is a standout. This place is the speakeasy of pizza places. It’s small and dark, and totally worth planning ahead!
Best Roman-Style: Bonci (1855 W. Diversey)
Bonci is a great option if you’re looking to try several flavors, and there are a few locations in the city. You can’t plan in advance as the menu changes daily (even hourly) based on factors such as seasonality, but their potato pizza is a regular and among my favorites! They use scissors to cut the slices in whatever size you’d like.
Best Deep Dish: Pequod’s (2207 N. Clybourn)
I’m not a huge deep dish fan regularly but when guests are visiting and are willing to stray from the usual suspects (Giordanos, Lou Malnati’s, etc.), I always suggest Pequod’s because I love the caramelized crust. It’s been around for 40 years and for good reason!
Pro tip: visit at lunch Monday through Friday from11am-3pm for a 7-inch personal deep dish pizza for $8.95.
Best Detroit Style: Sharpies (1721 N. Elston)
Sharpies gets extra points for the fun space-themed atmosphere with vintage arcade games. They also have delicious cocktails and chicken wings!
Best New York Style Pizza (I couldn’t choose just one!)
Zaza’s Pizzaria (3037 N. Clark)
Going to a Cubs game? This is a great spot to stop by before or after! There are a few other locations, and pro tip: On Tuesdays, they offer a $15 cheese pizza. Their beef pepperoni is my favorite topping.
Jimmy’s Pizza Café (2434 W. Montrose)
They’ve been around for 15 years and moved from Lincoln Square to Ravenswood a few years ago. The slices are big and this was the first pizza that curbed my craving for true New York style pizza.
Lusha Pizza (2825 N. Lincoln Ave)
I love that you can order by the slice, if you don’t want a whole pie. It’s a great way to try different flavors too. The buffalo chicken and prosciutto e rucola are two of my favorites here!
Most Unique: Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company (465 N McClug Ct)
Robert’s is my go-to spot for out of the ordinary pizza. I love the brick oven crust and delicious toppings! My favorites were from a Chinese New Year inspired dinner where we tried a peking duck pizza, a mapo tofu pizza, and a char siu pork pizza. These dinners are a great way to try multiple pizzas that you might not ordinarily order. It’s a perfect meal when downtown on the Magnificent Mile or exploring the lakefront and Navy Pier, and if you work downtown, they have a great Happy Hour Monday through Friday 3:30pm-5:30pm. They also have a fantastic patio in warmer weather!
Best Overall: Zarella (531 N. Wells)
Zarella is relatively new to the scene, having opened in March 2025, and they put out some incredible pizzas. I love that you can choose from artisan or tavern-style, and they even have a few tables outside if the weather is nice. I’ve had both the artisan and tavern pizzas and they’re both spectacular. It’s hard to choose, so go with a group, and get one (or more) of each! The garlic ranch is worthy of dipping anything and everything. In addition to the pizza, the appetizers, salads, and pasta are all delicious. The fried zucchini is paper thin and crispy, the calamari is near perfect, the gnocchi is pillowy soft, and my favorite salad is the Sunday Salad.
My quest for amazing pizza has been labor of love, and always a work in progress! I’ve got lots more eating to do, but I hope this list has you excited to get out and try a new-to-you spot for pizza in Chicago. Maybe it’s even inspired you to try making your own! If you’re not sure where to get started, The Chopping Block can help. Our retail store has pizza peels, stones, cutters and more. Our Neapolitan pizza class will likely be back in July, but in the meantime, we have several classes on our May and June calendars that will help you master the ins and outs of pizza.
Want to explore grilling pizza? We cover this technique in Grilling 101 this Saturday, May 23 at 11am as well as Grilling Boot Camp on Saturday, May 30 at 10am. Don't miss my previous post about BBQ Hanger Steak Pizza.
Looking to really up your cooking game? We cover pizza (and other dough) in our Culinary Boot Camp 2 class.
Looking to have an epic pizza party? Reach out to me to plan your next private event with our Chi-Town Pie menu. Your guests will make deep dish pizza, Caesar salad, parmesan zucchini fries, and cannoli.
Do your kids love pizza? Get them booked into the last few seats in our upcoming kids and teen summer cooking camps:
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Teen Boot Camp: Mastering the Basics Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 24 9am-3pm
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Teen: The Gluten Free and Veggie Kitchen Monday, June 29 through Friday July 3 9am-1pm
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Kids Camp: Summer in the City Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 10 1pm-3:30pm
Looking to travel for the best pizza? Grab the last two spots on our Cook Like a Tuscan culinary tour this October!
