Road Topic Tourism & Travel
Chicago deep dish pizza is one of the most recognizable dishes from the Windy City. It’s a hearty meal that packs a lot of flavor and can make for a great evening with friends and family. But did you know that Chicago deep dish pizza actually originated in a single restaurant in the city?
The city of Chicago holds the proud distinction of being the birthplace of Chicago deep dish pizza. The pizza was created by Pizzeria Uno founders Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo in 1943. The two men wanted to make a pizza that Chicagoans could relate to and would be a true Chicago pizza.
The pizza was made with a thick, buttery crust and layered with generous amounts of cheese, sauce, and other toppings. It was an instant hit in the city and quickly became a local favorite. To this day, Chicago deep dish pizza remains popular in the city and across the country.
If you’re looking to get your hands on a slice of Chicago deep dish, there are plenty of restaurants and pizzerias in the city to choose from. Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional cheese pizza or something a bit more adventurous, you can easily find a spot to enjoy this delicious meal.
So next time you’re in the Windy City, don’t forget to get a slice of Chicago deep dish. It’s a classic dish that you won’t soon forget.
Discovering the Birthplace of Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago-style deep dish pizza is one of the most popular and iconic pizzas in the world. It’s a deep-crust pizza, loaded with plenty of cheese, sauce, and toppings, that has been popular among pizza fans for decades. But where did this delicious pizza come from? It’s actually believed to have originated in the city of Chicago, in the U.S., and is now an international sensation.
It all started in the 1940s when a pair of Chicago brothers, Ike and Dick Sewell, opened a small pizza joint called Pizzeria Uno. They had a unique idea for their pizza; instead of a classic thin crust, they opted for a thick crust, with the toppings placed on top instead of underneath. With their delicious creation, the Chicago-style deep dish pizza was born.
The Sewell brothers had stumbled upon a winning combination: a thick crust made of buttery dough, filled with a blanket of melted cheese, topped with chunky tomato sauce, and loaded with plenty of toppings. This unique pizza quickly caught on in the Chicago area, and slowly spread across the country and the world. It’s now one of the most popular pizza varieties in the world, and it all started right here in Chicago.
Today, Chicago-style deep dish pizza is available all over the world, but there’s nothing quite like eating a slice in the city where it all began. Whether you’re visiting Chicago for the first time, or you’re a local, it’s worth checking out some of the city’s best pizzerias to experience the real thing. Here are a few of the most popular spots in Chicago to get your hands on authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza:
| Name | Address | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Pizzeria Uno | 29 E. Ohio St., Chicago, IL | $11-$20 |
| Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria | 1120 N. State St., Chicago, IL | $11-$20 |
| Gino’s East | 166 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL | $11-$20 |
| Giordano’s | Multiple Locations | $11-$20 |
| Edwardo’s Natural Pizza | Multiple Locations | $11-$20 |
Whether you’re looking for a classic Chicago-style deep dish pizza or something a little more inventive, there’s something for everyone in the birthplace of this delicious pizza. So next time you’re in Chicago, don’t forget to make a stop at one of these classic pizza joints.
Tracing the History of Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago-style deep dish pizza is renowned for its thick crust and heaps of gooey cheese. But where did this iconic dish originate? Surprisingly, the birthplace of Chicago deep dish pizza is up for debate. While there are a few contenders, the most revered is the original deep dish pizzeria, Pizzeria Uno, founded by Ike Sewell in 1943.
Ike Sewell was a former University of Texas football star who moved to Chicago after Prohibition was repealed. Sewell had a vision to bring his Tex-Mex style of cooking to the city of Chicago. He teamed up with his friend, Ric Riccardo, to open Pizzeria Uno on Ohio Street in Chicago’s River North neighborhood in 1943. The original Chicago-style deep dish pizza was created at Pizzeria Uno and it quickly became a popular item on the menu.
The main difference between Chicago-style deep dish and the more familiar thin-crust pizza is the thickness of the crust. While thin-crust pizzas have a thin, crispy crust, deep dish pizzas are made with a thicker, doughier crust that is usually around an inch thick. The crust is layered with a generous amount of cheese, toppings, and a tomato-based sauce. The combination of the thick crust, cheese, and sauce creates a rich, gooey slice of pizza that is unlike any other.
Today, Chicago-style deep dish pizza can be found in restaurants all over the world. Whether you’re in the Windy City or across the globe, you can enjoy a slice of this iconic dish. Take a bite and you’ll taste the rich history of Chicago deep dish pizza.
| Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza | Thin-crust Pizza |
|---|---|
| Thicker, doughier crust | Thin, crispy crust |
| Cheese, toppings, and a tomato-based sauce | Cheese and toppings |
| Rich, gooey texture | Crispy texture |
