
Lou Malnati’s ships their pizza all over the country, meaning you can indulge in your favorite childhood pizza without lifting a finger. A knife and fork are required to dine, at least for the first few bites.įor those of you who have moved away from Chicago and miss this nostalgic pizza restaurant, don’t worry. You can’t just shove this pizza into your mouth, though. Lou Malnati’s uses butter to grease its pans rather than oil, which makes the crust flavorful and gives it pastry-like flakiness. With multiple locations in the city and suburbs, Lou Malnati’s is one of our favorite spots for deep dish. Lou Malnati’s, Multiple Locations Photo: place is extremely popular with Chicagoans and borders on being a tourist destination.

We prefer thicker ‘za than Uno’s offers (yes, really) but it’s still a great pizza option, especially if you’re new to deep dish. While Uno’s is a classic, it’s not our favorite joint in town. Deep dish here is carried to your table still in the piping hot pan it was baked in, your server holding onto it with a metal clamp, which shows just how fresh it is. The wait can be long, particularly so at the location downtown, but we think it’s worth it, especially since the bar is open seating. You won’t find many Chicagoans here simply because of the hype, but it’s still an excellent place to get a really great pizza pie. Uno’s Pizzeria & Grill, Multiple Locations Nationwide Photo: legendary birthplace of Chicago deep dish, Uno’s is one of the more touristy pizzeria’s in town. If you’re looking for good deep dish in Chicago, here are a few go-to places we recommend.
#Chicago deep dish pizza full#
Typically, you’ll feel full on one or two slices, which is why this style of pizza is more of a special occasion meal than a regular night feast. These thick, gooey masterpieces make for a heavy meal. Approximately 30-45 minutes later, you’ve got a beast of a pizza that’s piping hot and ready to eat. Thick, flavorful marinara is spread on top, followed by a sprinkling of parmesan before popping the whole thing in the oven. Next, mozzarella cheese is layered over the crust typically followed by sausage or any other topping. Making deep-dish starts by pressing the dough in and up the walls of a deep, well-oiled pan. Deep dish pizza reverse-engineers the design of traditional pizza with the sauce served on top of the cheese. While the lore behind who created this pizza is hotly debated, the recipe is about the same from joint to joint. Photo: start with what Chicago is known for, even if it’s not what most Chicagoans eat day-to-day. Don’t get us wrong, we love deep-dish but day-to-day Chicagoans often prefer tavern-style or even New York’s thin-crust (gasp!) Here’s our guide to pizza in Chicago, broken down by style so you can eat ‘za like a true Chicagoan. However, if you ask most Chicagoans, deep-dish isn’t something we eat regularly here. Tourists flock to pizza joints like Uno’s, Giordano’s, and Lou Malnati’s for that brick-thick crust. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.ĭivide into 2 equal portions and use as directed.Chicago is famous for its deep-dish style of pizza.

Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.Īdd 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the semolina, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Remove from the oven, slice and serve hot.

Ladle the sauce evenly over each pizza and top with Parmesan.īake until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Top each with half of the pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper rings, onions, black olives and sausage. Layer the mozzarella cheese all over the bottom of the pies. Press 1 piece of dough into each pan, pressing to the edge and stretching about 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Oil 2 seasoned 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans with the extra-virgin olive oil. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and sugar, and bring to a boil. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, and black and red peppers, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. While the dough is rising, make the tomato sauce.
