CHIGuide

The Chicago Pizza Delivery Guide

These are the best pizzas you can get delivered in Chicago.
The Chicago Pizza Delivery Guide image

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by Chicago’s pizza delivery options. There are almost too many different styles available—from deep dish to thin crust and everything in between. Before you start to feel like you’re suffocating under a blanket of cheese, take a deep breath. Our guide has all the information you need for a crowd-pleasing experience, whether the crowd in question is your family, your coworkers, or just you on your couch.

THE SPOTS

photo credit: Kim Kovacik

Pizza

West Loop

$$$$Perfect For:Serious Take-Out OperationCasual Weeknight Dinner
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Right now Professor Pizza is operating out of West Loop rooftop bar Tetto, and their incredible tavern and NY-style pies are the reason you should order from here this instant. The NY pie has a flavorful crust, with a puffy edge and a beautifully charred undercarriage. There are a lot of creative topping combinations worth your attention, but even their simple pies—like the cheese made with aged mozzarella, a spicy thick sauce, shaved garlic, and parm—have unexpected complexity. Their tavern-style has a thin but durable crust that holds up to toppings, and a garlicky red sauce. We don’t understand how this pizza manages to stay crispy, but it does, and it’s delicious.


Two reasons we really enjoy Bob’s is that there’s no “Bob” (the chef just likes the name) and this place boldly claims it makes “Pilsen-style” pizza (which isn’t a thing). But we love it because it’s the kind of fantastic pizza we immediately want all of our East Coast friends to try. The crust is made with beer and it’s pliable enough to fold, with a slightly-charred undercarriage and puffy outer edge. Order the pickle pizza—not only is it surprisingly delicious, but gives you the opportunity to try something new, unlike those sweatpants you’ve been wearing for two weeks straight.


photo credit: Kim Kovacik

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The pizzas at Robert’s in Streeterville have an airy, crispy crust that holds up well to toppings. And this place has a variety to choose from—like fennel with pepperoni and honey, and sausage with caramelized onions. You can also order your pies half-and-half, which is just nice.


Eating Pequod’s at home, preferably on the couch, is encouraged, because it makes your transition to the inevitable deep-dish-induced nap very easy. This is pan-style pizza, and what sets it apart is its “caramelized” crust, a.k.a. the burnt edges of crispy cheese surrounding the pie. The crust itself is thick and airy, with a great crunch, and the pies only have a little bit of sauce. It’s not a gooey cheese bomb like your classic deep dish pizza, but it’s still a hefty pie, and it’s definitely been proven to drastically reduce productivity.


If you want deep dish (and not the pan-style variety), order Lou Malnati’s. It’s the best version of classic Chicago-style pizza, meaning its sauce is on the top, with the cheese and toppings underneath. The crust is buttery and flaky, there’s a ton of cheese, and the whole thing is pretty much a gooey and delicious mess. The weight of it when the delivery person puts it in your arms might make you nervous, but just go with it. Treat it like it’s your baby and you’ll be fine.


Pizza Friendly Pizza in Ukrainian Village sells Sicilian pan-style pizza by the slice (you can also pre-order a full pie) and it’s f*cking fantastic. The thick crust is incredibly light and airy with a slight sourdough-y flavor, and the tomato sauce is rich and spicy. They have several varieties available, like the charred pepperoni (that are perfect little grease cups), miso mushroom, and specials like the Apple—which has apple, gouda, caramelized onions, and hot honey.


Paulie Gee’s, from Brooklyn, might at first seem like an unnecessary addition to the Chicago pizza scene. But if you haven’t already, you need to try these thin-crust pies. Go for any variety that comes with hot honey (and order extra honey to go with it). In case you’re also ordering for a vegan, know that the vegan options on the menu here are actually good. Just make sure not to tell anyone from New York that you like this place. Their pizza egos are big enough already.


If you’re a New Yorker missing your big, foldable slices of pizza, Jimmy’s is the solution. The Lincoln Square restaurant is a primarily by-the-slice operation serving classic New York-style pizza, but they deliver their full-size pies, too. They have all the basic options, like a plain cheese pie with red sauce and a garlicky white pizza topped with blobs of ricotta, plus daily pizza specials. If you’re a Chicagoan who’s curious about “classic” NYC pies, it’s best to try this in the privacy of your home, where no one else will see you. Order some garlic knots, too, while you’re at it—they’re really good.


Piece has New Haven-style pies, which have a soft and chewy crust, lots of red sauce, and parmesan cheese instead of mozzarella (if you do want mozzarella, you have to ask for it). The pizzas are large, and their topping list is extensive enough to allow you to create some interesting combinations. They even have “Hot Doug’s Atomic Sausage” available (from the famed hot dog shop that closed a few years ago), which is great if you like spice, or if you still haven’t accepted that it’s gone.

Phil’s in Bridgeport opened in 1960, and is still cash-only, so make sure you have some on hand to pay the delivery person. Their thin-crust pies are beautifully greasy, and generously topped with thick sauce and a blanket of cheese. It’s one of the more substantial tavern-style’s you’ll find in town. Our go-to order here is sausage with giardiniera, which adds a delightful amount of heat.

Cracker-thin crust, spicy tomato sauce, and an even disbursement of toppings are why we're fans of the tavern-style pizza at Pat’s South Loop. The cheese is generous without being overwhelming, bubbly but not burnt, and the pie has an ideal ratio of sauce to cheese to crunchy crust. If you’re lucky they’ll occasionally throw in some cans of Pepsi.

There are several locations of this iconic Southside pizza spot, which has an equally iconic ordering situation: You call a central number, a real live human being will answer the phone, you tell them which Italian Fiesta you want to get your pizza from, then they’ll place your order. Wait time varies (it can be anywhere from 25 minutes to three days—yes we’re serious), but one thing is guaranteed: The pizza will be great. The thin crust is a little soft, topped with a sweet sauce and lots of cheese. The whole thing reminds us of cafeteria pizza bread in the best way possible.


Roots is great for a few different reasons. One, the pizza is really good - it’s Quad-Cities style, meaning it has a slightly sweet crust that’s cut into rectangles, and most of the toppings are under the cheese. Their menu is extensive, with a rotating group of pies designed by local chefs, and almost everything (including their mozzarella) is made in-house. And lastly, they have giant selection of really great salads. So you can even satisfy that person in your group who keeps repeating that they “only want a salad.”


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D'Agostino's Pizza & Pub

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If the job of ordering pizza for a big group has fallen to you, D’Agostino’s is an excellent choice. It’s great office party pizza—the kind that manages to still be satisfying hours after it’s been left to congeal on a conference room table. It’s thin, cut into little squares (perfect for stacking on paper plates), and has a thick layer of cheese that still tastes good cold. The crusty pieces on the outside are the best, though, so don’t wait too long to claim your portion.


Speaking of bars, this is drunk food at its finest. Big G’s offers the kind-of-weird-but-actually-pretty-good pizzas that sound like they were made using a Chopped basket, with options like BBQ beef and french fries, s’mores pizza, and mac and cheese. They’ll also deliver by the slice, so you don’t have to wake up and face the fact that you ordered a whole pizza topped with lasagna the night before.


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