Chicago, IL. Oh, how I love you and your unique style of the ‘Za. That’s right everyone, we’re talking DEEP-DISH, also referred to as Chicago-style. I can already hear my stomach growling from what seems like an endless wait and feel the roof of my mouth burning from digging in too soon.
As a self-proclaimed foodie and travel blogger, I had to try deep-dish from not one, not two, but three different infamous spots in the heart of Chicago.
This May marks two years since my first trip to The Windy City, so I had to reflect on some of my favorite moments of the trip: the eats!
I dare ask, but is picking a favorite deep-dish spot in Chicago like picking a favorite child? No, not at all. Chicagoans will tell you there is a right and a wrong answer to where to get the best deep-dish in the city, but they will also tell you they are from Chicago when they’re really from a suburb 45 minutes away.
So best just to listen to your heart. Or your stomach.
#3 – Lou Malnati’s
It would be difficult to mention Chicago-style/deep-dish pizza without talking about Lou Malnati’s.
Lou’s is a deep-dish restaurant chain located all over the city of Chicago, as well as other parts of Illinois.
Open since 1971, Lou Malnati’s offers tourists and locals alike the deep-dish experience. Loaded with sauce and ready for takeout, if you are looking to get your deep-dish fix in a pinch, go with Lou’s.
I got to try Lou’s via takeout from the comfort of my hotel room bed looking out over the Chicago River on the Loop. That’s a memory I won’t soon forget, but our next two locations just might outrank even Lou’s.
#2 – Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co.
Okay, okay just hear me out. This isn’t technically “deep-dish” by the standard definition. But if you’re looking for a unique pizza experience worth writing home about, take a trip a little way out of the main city to Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co.
As mentioned (more than once) on shows like the Travel Channel and the Food Network, this isn’t just your average pizza joint.
Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co. offers the unique experience of what can only be described as “pizza pot pies.”
Prepared “upside down” this pizza is an experience I can’t seem to put into words, as my words would fail. So if you ever get the chance to try it, please just do.
#1 – UNO’s
What can I say, I love a classic. If you’ve never heard of UNO’s, that only justifies my decision to rank it #1 on my list.
Located right near the Loop, UNO’s first location is now a historic landmark and supposedly the birthplace of the Original Deep Dish Pizza in 1943.
The original location for UNO’s is the kind of place you stumble upon while walking the streets and catch a whiff of something that makes you stop in your tracks and realize just how hungry you are.
This was my first taste of Chicago, as we had it on our first night, but it was a perfect night indeed. We gorged ourselves on the deep dish outside on the patio and enjoyed the rarely fair May weather in the city.
The service was great, the food was incredible and the staff was very welcoming. As a tourist, it felt amazing to have someone seem like they wanted to share a unique experience with you, which is something I can say this UNO’s provided that the other restaurants on this list wouldn’t be able to replicate if they tried.
But don’t just take it from me, as I am only one woman who had three days to try all the deep dish I could handle. If you are an avid pizza lover, I encourage you to travel to Chicago for yourself and Gallivant your way through some deep dish from the Loop and back again.
Despite what I’ve written, Chicago has so many other amazing cuisines and experiences that have me planning my next trip back, which I mayyy blog about in the future.
In the meantime, I’ll remain a Gallivanter all the same.
til next time Chicago,
-Allison
The Gallivanter 
One response to “Best Chicago Deep Dish: Ranked”
[…] Chicago, Illinois is a big city and as a result, has a beautiful blend of different cultures and foodways. Check out my other blog post dedicated to finding the Best Deep Dish Pizza in Chicago. […]
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