The Great Pizza Debate: New York vs. Chicago

Something clicked when that delectable cheesy concoction frisbeed across the Atlantic from Italy more than a century ago.

Pizza is beer’s best friend, a warm cardboard box on your lap as you drive home, a greasy slice folded in half, and shoved into your mouth at 2am. It embodies mozzarella and tomato sauce arousing a perfect frisson from your taste buds. Pizza simply is.

Having risen from its humble origins, today pizza serves as a battleground for piazzolo (pizza chef) patriots who sprinkle everything from truffle oil to salsa chips over the pimple-faced pie. Among cities that deeply embrace pizza, Chicago and New York stand out as headliners. Consequently, the competition is fierce between New York’s sumptuous “slice” and Chicago’s “deep dish” delight.

The Founding Fathers of Pizza in the US

Gennaro Lombardi opened the first official US pizzeria at 53 1/2 Spring St in New York in 1905. Lombardi, part of the wave of Neapolitan immigrants who settled on the East Coast, imported Naples-style pizza (a thin, casalinga/homestyle crust topped simply with basic ingredients such as tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella) to the Big Apple.

Italian workers would stop by Lombardi’s and purchase whatever they could afford, but at five cents a pie, the whole pizza was often too steep. They would receive a proportionately sized slice in a paper bag tied with string: better than mom’s packed lunch any day.

Lombardi’s closed in 1984, but it reopened 10 years later a block down from its original location, now a dine-in and delivery style pizzeria with queues often stretching around the block.

Legend has it that a Chicago street peddler in the late 1800s, balancing a metal tub filled with baked tomato pies on his head, sold pieces for two cents in Little Italy. The first pizzeria, Pizzeria Uno, opened in 1943 by Ike Sewell, an American soldier stationed in Italy during WWII.

Sewell ingeniously capitalized on returning troops’ appreciation for the dish they had savored abroad. Uno’s pioneered the deep dish style of pizza, where various ingredients (e.g., sausages and tomatoes) are piled inside a hearty apple pie-sized base.

Unlike New Yorkers, Chicagoans indulge in the whole pie, which they eat in restaurants or get delivered. Typical of the Windy City’s big business culture, Pizzeria Uno has expanded into an empire known as Uno Chicago Grill, with franchises worldwide.

Crust Lust

When a Chicagoan and New Yorker discuss pizza, tensions can rise when the conversation turns to crusts. New York, true to the elongated narrow form of Manhattan, favors a thin, crunchy crust that offers a flat, almost rimless plate of pastry for layering ingredients. A thin crust, coal- or wood-charred to perfection, should be singed slightly on the bottom, providing a crunchy texture and smoky flavor.

The only way to eat a slice is to fold the crust in half, letting the grease squeeze out the back while enjoying it from the bottom.

Chicago, a city where size is paramount (after all, it’s the birthplace of the first skyscraper), emphasizes a tall, buttery crust that rises inches high above a dense layer of mutz (mozzarella). Unlike the slice, which can be easily handled, Chicago pizza often requires a knife and fork to navigate through the indulgent, gooey goodness.

The Verdict

“I just think it’s more refined. More effort goes into making it,” comments Chicago local Michael Rau, waxing lyrical about the joys of deep dish.

Conversely, New Yorkers scoff at such notions, contending that the mountains of dough and filling are excessive. An emphatic “bleeeugh,” was the response of Davina Cohen, an avid New York pizza connoisseur, to deep-dish doughiness.

In the end, fat or thin, crispy or squidgy, meaty or cheesy, the distinctions may seem irrelevant. As Rau stated, “It’s a tribal thing. It’s considered defecting to join another tribe.”

Ultimately, as long as it will comfort you at 4am, it’s amore.

The Best of Both Worlds

In New York, it’s impossible to walk without encountering a hole-in-the-wall pizzeria. Likewise, Chicago is peppered with pizza joints on every corner. Here are a few establishments to consider:

Classics

Di Fara – New York

These crunchy pies, made with fior de latte (fresh cow’s milk mozzarella), are crafted by the one-man showstopper Domenico DeMarco, who has been spinning the wheel for over 40 years.

Lou Malnati’s – Chicago

One of the most traditional pie places in the city, known for authentic, bready deep-dish pizzas. Judging by the number of frozen pies shipped nationwide as “care packages,” they clearly have perfected their craft.

Cheap & Greasy

Koronet Pizza – New York

One of the best deals in town offers a jumbo, somewhat gooey piece of pie the length of your forearm—perfect for late-night cravings.

Chicago’s Pizza – Chicago

Famous for delivering until the wee hours, Chicago’s Pizza serves up dense deep dish just the way you need it at dawn.

Rebels

Artichoke Basille’s Pizza – New York

Who knew that artichoke hearts on a slice, topped with spinach, cream sauce, mozzarella, and pecorino romano cheese, could taste so exceptional? Operating since 2008, these newcomers have become a sensation in a city filled with pizza enthusiasts.

Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream – Chicago

With a bold name like Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream, they deliver on each specialty. Try their unique Korean-inspired pizza, featuring Polish sausage and kimchi, adorned with mushrooms, onions, scallions, and drizzled with mustard.

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Travelers are urged to check with local authorities for current guidance before proceeding.

This article was first published on June 16, 2009, and updated on February 4, 2022.