Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago's magnificent contribution to American cuisine — a cast iron-baked pizza with a high, buttery crust, a generous layer of mozzarella cheese on the bottom, toppings in the middle, and a thick, chunky tomato sauce on top that bakes into the cheese like a savory pie.
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foodDetail.mainIngredients
- pizza dough (enriched with cornmeal and butter)
- whole milk mozzarella
- Italian sausage or toppings of choice
- chunky tomato sauce (San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, olive oil)
- Parmesan
foodDetail.whereToEat
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Chicago
Giordano's, Chicago
Gino's East, Chicago
Pequod's Pizza, Chicago (caramelized crust style)
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$20-40 per pizza (serves 2-3)
foodDetail.tips
- Deep dish takes 45-50 minutes to bake — order before you're hungry or call ahead
- Pequod's 'caramelized crust' style deep dish is technically stuffed pizza but extraordinary
- One slice of deep dish is usually a full meal — plan accordingly
- Chicago locals often prefer thin-crust tavern-style pizza for everyday eating; deep dish is the tourist/celebration pizza
foodDetail.culturalNotes
Deep dish pizza was invented at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago in 1943 by Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo. The high-sided cast iron pan, cornmeal-enriched buttery crust, and upside-down layering (cheese on bottom, sauce on top) were deliberate innovations. Chicago-style deep dish sparked one of food culture's most enduring debates: whether it is actually pizza or a different food entirely. New Yorkers and Chicagoans have argued about whose pizza is superior for over 70 years.