Chicago's Best Pizza Etc.

[1ke]

The best pizza in Chicago would be about the 300th best pizza in New York or New Jersey.

False. Had New York and New Jersey pizza lots. Chicago wins every time.

Giordanos
Tedinos on Sheridan and Foster

Love em


Sent from my HTC One

 

[Tjodalv]

Personally, I hate "New York Style," floppy thin crust pizza in general, but that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of places that make solid pies in NY -- mostly the wood oven, traditional, places that most Americans would barely identify as pizza. Given, when I lived in Buffalo I didn't eat a single decent pizza the entire time (two years - and believe me, I tried), but the "best" pizza argument is always useless...because I make the best pizza.

 

[Omeletpants]

The real debate isn't between good NY and Chicago pizza because they are both good. In Chicago, there are 100 great pizza places all with their own advantages

People should really be concerned with the battle between the chains and the old time shops.Once you leave the big cities there aren't many choices. Try to get a decent pizza in the middle of Wisconsin or in Nebraska. Thier choice is one chain or another chain. They grow up on that crap and their expectations are lowered.

Now factor in rising food costs and people have to think twice about spending $20 for the real thing or $12 at Papa Johns. In the future that gap will widen and I already see the family pizza places closing down.

Same thing happened with french Fries over the years. In the 60's every place had home made fries that were completely skin peeled. Now it's rare to find home made and if you do they are likely to have skins, black spots and rotten sections on them because it's too expensive to clean up the potato and not fully peel them. Of course the restaurants call that home style to make you think it's a benefit. There are kids all over the country that have never or rarely eaten non-frozen fries.

So 25 years from now expect an even greater dominance of chains for all restaurants including pizza

 

[Sunbiz1]

The real debate isn't between good NY and Chicago pizza because they are both good. In Chicago, there are 100 great pizza places all with their own advantages

People should really be concerned with the battle between the chains and the old time shops.Once you leave the big cities there aren't many choices. Try to get a decent pizza in the middle of Wisconsin or in Nebraska. Thier choice is one chain or another chain. They grow up on that crap and their expectations are lowered.

Now factor in rising food costs and people have to think twice about spending $20 for the real thing or $12 at Papa Johns. In the future that gap will widen and I already see the family pizza places closing down.

Same thing happened with french Fries over the years. In the 60's every place had home made fries that were completely skin peeled. Now it's rare to find home made and if you do they are likely to have skins, black spots and rotten sections on them because it's too expensive to clean up the potato and not fully peel them. Of course the restaurants call that home style to make you think it's a benefit. There are kids all over the country that have never or rarely eaten non-frozen fries.

So 25 years from now expect an even greater dominance of chains for all restaurants including pizza

http://www.chicagopizzaauthority.net/locations.html

You'll have to drive to my side of town for the best deep dish, or Danny's for thin.

http://www.dannyspizzaelgin.com/

 

[FrenchieBully]

The real debate isn't between good NY and Chicago pizza because they are both good. In Chicago, there are 100 great pizza places all with their own advantages

People should really be concerned with the battle between the chains and the old time shops.Once you leave the big cities there aren't many choices. Try to get a decent pizza in the middle of Wisconsin or in Nebraska. Thier choice is one chain or another chain. They grow up on that crap and their expectations are lowered.

Now factor in rising food costs and people have to think twice about spending $20 for the real thing or $12 at Papa Johns. In the future that gap will widen and I already see the family pizza places closing down.

Same thing happened with french Fries over the years. In the 60's every place had home made fries that were completely skin peeled. Now it's rare to find home made and if you do they are likely to have skins, black spots and rotten sections on them because it's too expensive to clean up the potato and not fully peel them. Of course the restaurants call that home style to make you think it's a benefit. There are kids all over the country that have never or rarely eaten non-frozen fries.

So 25 years from now expect an even greater dominance of chains for all restaurants including pizza

So true. Wonder if this is why Giordano's was close to declaring bankruptcy a short while ago.

 

[DaaBears]

Around here, people just laugh when they hear that Chicago people think their pizza is better, it really is quite comical. I remember people there recommending Pizzeria Uno, which is a total joke. We do have those type chains here too, Papa Johns and shit like that, but that is bullshit fast food that people just regrettably buy for the hell of it. Go to a great pizza place in Brooklyn, and you will see a line out the door every time, charge whatever you want.

 

[NCChiFan]

Someone mentioned chain's vs. the original pizza place, Uno's is another good example of this. Downtown Uno is pretty damn good, but go to a chain, it is different, not nearly as good.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

Giordano's is the only place I've tried

It's good

 

[Sunbiz1]

Around here, people just laugh when they hear that Chicago people think their pizza is better, it really is quite comical. I remember people there recommending Pizzeria Uno, which is a total joke. We do have those type chains here too, Papa Johns and shit like that, but that is bullshit fast food that people just regrettably buy for the hell of it. Go to a great pizza place in Brooklyn, and you will see a line out the door every time, charge whatever you want.

Uno's originally created the deep dish back in the 1940's, and chained out in the early 90's...the restaurants were horrible from Lombard IL to Orlando FL.

Pizza is an art, chains only serve to degrade the original imho.

Lou Malnati's in Lincolnwood IL is still good...original location.

 

[Omeletpants]

So true. Wonder if this is why Giordano's was close to declaring bankruptcy a short while ago.

Here is my take on Giordanos. Of all the quality pizza placed mentioned it is last on my list. There pizza is a gelatinous, gooey, lifeless and tasteless mess, thick or thin. There is no character or flavor. The crust is always soft and flavorless. Their non-pizza menu is blah also. Like Unos it's a tourist trap.

If you go to Schaumburg at lunch there is no one there. People will go to malnatis in Elk Grove or god forbid Unos on Meecham first. I would never go to Giordanos unless forced.

One very underated place is Dues downtown.

 

[Omeletpants]

http://www.chicagopizzaauthority.net/locations.html

You'll have to drive to my side of town for the best deep dish, or Danny's for thin.

http://www.dannyspizzaelgin.com/

It takes a pizza thread to finally get us to a common point of agreement.

Danny's is very underrated. It' used to be my favorite but the quality has suffered. The crust is terrific. That said, I think the place has gone downhill the last 5-7 years. Since the father died and the son Danny no longer comes to work the pizza has suffered the sin of too much cheese. Yes, you can have too much cheese if it overwhelms the pizza. I used to complain and they finally put a button on the cash register called "wide crust" just for me. Otherwise, they will run the cheese off the pizza and a 1/2" thick. Just too much. But now if I ask for wide crust they dont listen. So I stopped going there.

Truth is I have kinda given up on pizza except for Malnatis which I believe is the best in the world.

 

[Dogstar]

IMO if you like chain pizza you've never had good pizza

There's not many of them around any more, but Barnaby's makes a pretty damn good thin crust pizza.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Uno's originally created the deep dish back in the 1940's, and chained out in the early 90's...the restaurants were horrible from Lombard IL to Orlando FL.

Pizza is an art, chains only serve to degrade the original imho.

Lou Malnati's in Lincolnwood IL is still good...original location.

We had one for awhile in Lake Mary. And now it's a Tilted Kilt. Heh.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Here is my take on Giordanos. Of all the quality pizza placed mentioned it is last on my list. There pizza is a gelatinous, gooey, lifeless and tasteless mess, thick or thin. There is no character or flavor. The crust is always soft and flavorless. Their non-pizza menu is blah also. Like Unos it's a tourist trap.

If you go to Schaumburg at lunch there is no one there. People will go to malnatis in Elk Grove or god forbid Unos on Meecham first. I would never go to Giordanos unless forced.

One very underated place is Dues downtown.

Honestly, I feel the same way about Gino's East.

 

[nvanprooyen]

Around here, people just laugh when they hear that Chicago people think their pizza is better, it really is quite comical. I remember people there recommending Pizzeria Uno, which is a total joke. We do have those type chains here too, Papa Johns and shit like that, but that is bullshit fast food that people just regrettably buy for the hell of it. Go to a great pizza place in Brooklyn, and you will see a line out the door every time, charge whatever you want.

My guess is you haven't had good Chicago pizza.

 

[FrenchieBully]

I had Lombardi's in NY once. Hope that is not the best NYC had to offer. The pizza was good... not memorable. We had a table next to the cool coal oven, then a roach climbed on the table and said hi to me. The staff was nice though, moved us, and didn't charge for the extra ingredients.

Gray's Papaya on the other hand was a damn fine hot dog!

 

[DaaBears]

My guess is you haven't had good Chicago pizza.

That is probably a good point. I am Italian (and Irish) and eat Italian food more than anybody I know. I consider myself an expert on pizza here in the Metropolitan area. But you are right, I probably need to try the best Chicago pizza before making this pretty much obvious call that New York pizza is better. My bad.

 

[brett05]

There's not many of them around any more, but Barnaby's makes a pretty damn good thin crust pizza.

They are all over. Perhaps not in the hay day but I can think of three quickly that delivers to me on tge south west end of plainfield. Aka the boonies

 

[brett05]

That is probably a good point. I am Italian (and Irish) and eat Italian food more than anybody I know. I consider myself an expert on pizza here in the Metropolitan area. But you are right, I probably need to try the best Chicago pizza before making this pretty much obvious call that New York pizza is better. My bad.

Yep italians are the only ones that know pizza. Our bad.

On a serious side not is there anything from a positive perspective that New York does better than anyone? The place is a dump.

 

[DaaBears]

Yep italians are the only ones that know pizza. Our bad.

On a serious side not is there anything from a positive perspectivr that New York us better than anyone? The place is a dump.

I was just joking around with the pizza comments last night. I can't quite figure out what your question is there.