13 Illinois Pizzerias Turning Every Slice Into A Mini-Vacation
Illinois has earned its reputation as a pizza paradise, where every bite feels like a little escape from reality.
From Chicago’s legendary deep-dish to crispy thin-crust tavern pies, the state’s pizzerias deliver flavors that transport you somewhere special.
Whether you’re craving caramelized cheese edges or perfectly charred Neapolitan bubbles, these spots prove that pizza isn’t just food, it’s an experience worth savoring.
1. Pequod’s Pizza
This legendary spot has mastered the art of the caramelized crust, and once you taste it, regular pizza feels like a distant memory.
Pequod’s Pizza bakes cheese directly along the edges of seasoned cast-iron pans, creating a crispy, golden ring that’s basically edible heaven.
The pepperoni and sausage combo hits differently here, savory, rich, and unapologetically indulgent.
Located at 207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, this place doesn’t need fancy decor or Instagram-worthy neon signs.
The pizza does all the talking, and trust me, it’s screaming perfection.
Every slice is a mini-vacation to flavor town, where the crust crackles under your teeth and the toppings melt into gooey bliss.
You’ll find yourself scraping the pan for those last caramelized bits like a treasure hunter.
2. Milly’s Pizza In The Pan
Born during the pandemic, this pizzeria became an instant sensation, proving that sometimes the best things emerge from chaos.
Milly’s Pizza in the Pan serves thick, airy dough topped with cup-and-char pepperoni that curls into crispy little cups of joy.
House-made sausage and a drizzle of honey with Calabrian chili add layers of sweet, spicy, and savory magic.
The ‘Updog’ pizza, featuring mozzarella, ricotta, sausage, and hot honey, is the kind of creation that makes you question every pizza choice you’ve made before.
It’s creamy, tangy, and dangerously addictive.
Situated at 925 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, Milly’s captures that homemade warmth while delivering restaurant-quality excellence.
Each bite feels like a warm hug from your favorite carb-loving friend.
3. Bartoli’s Pizzeria
When your grandpa founded Gino’s East, you’ve got some serious pizza legacy to uphold, and Brian Bartoli does exactly that.
Bartoli’s Pizzeria serves both deep-dish and thin-crust tavern-style pizzas, giving you the best of both Chicago worlds.
The deep-dish features a buttery, flaky crust that shatters like delicious pastry under your fork.
Spicy Italian sausage made from a family recipe brings that authentic Chicago flavor, bold, fennel-kissed, and perfectly seasoned.
The thin-crust option satisfies those cravings for crispy, no-nonsense pizza that doesn’t mess around.
Located at 1955 W Addison St, Chicago, Bartoli’s proves that pizza excellence runs in the family.
Every slice carries decades of tradition mixed with just enough modern flair to keep things exciting.
4. Zaza’s Pizzeria
Where East Coast attitude meets Midwest charm, Zaza’s brings that authentic New York swagger to Chicago streets.
Zaza’s Pizzeria specializes in New York-style slices with 72-hour fermented dough that achieves the perfect balance between crispy and chewy.
Each slice folds beautifully without drooping, which is basically the gold standard of pizza engineering.
The white pizza with ricotta, garlic confit, and hot honey is a revelation, creamy, sweet, garlicky, and absolutely unforgettable.
No red sauce needed when you’ve got flavor combinations this brilliant.
Situated in 3037 N Clark St, Chicago, Zaza’s proves you don’t have to choose between pizza styles.
You can have your New York slice and eat it in Illinois, too, enjoying the best of both worlds.
5. Dough Daddy’s Pizza
Suburban pizzerias often get overlooked, but Dough Daddy’s in Westmont demands your attention and your appetite.
Dough Daddy’s Pizza offers Grandma-style rectangular pies with a medium-thick base that’s simultaneously crisp and tender, a textural miracle that shouldn’t work but absolutely does.
The dough has that perfect chew that makes you slow down and savor every bite.
The ‘Hot Honey Pepperoni’ has developed a cult following for its sweet-spicy-savory combination that hits all the right flavor notes.
Pepperoni cups pool with hot honey, creating little flavor bombs across the pizza landscape.
Located in 649 N Cass Ave, Westmont, this treasure proves that you don’t need downtown zip codes to deliver world-class pizza. Sometimes the best slices hide in the suburbs.
6. Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana
Certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, this place doesn’t play around with authenticity—it’s the real Neapolitan deal.
Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana brings traditional Italian pizza-making to Chicago with a wood-burning oven reaching 900 degrees.
Each 12-inch pizza cooks in just 90 seconds, emerging with those characteristic leopard spots that signal perfection.
The crust bubbles and chars beautifully, creating a tender, slightly smoky base that supports simple, quality toppings.
This is pizza stripped down to its essential elements, flour, water, tomatoes, mozzarella, and fire.
Found in 3719 N Harlem Ave, Chicago, Forno Rosso transports you straight to Naples without the plane ticket.
Every bite tastes like a vacation to the Italian coast, complete with ocean breezes and sunshine.
7. George’s Deep Dish
Operating without a storefront might seem unconventional, but George’s proves that great pizza doesn’t need a dining room, just dedication.
George’s Deep Dish offers an artisanal experience with sourdough crust fermented for three days, creating complex flavors that regular dough can’t touch.
Layered with Wisconsin brick cheese, house-made sauce, and meticulously sourced toppings, each pizza weighs nearly five pounds.
That’s not a pizza, it’s a commitment, a meal plan, and possibly a religious experience all rolled into one glorious pan.
The sourdough tang cuts through the richness, balancing every indulgent bite.
Based at 6221 N Clark St, Chicago, George’s operates on its own terms, proving that innovation and tradition can coexist deliciously.
Every pizza is a labor of love that you’ll taste in every single bite.
8. Pizano’s Pizza
When your dad founded Pizzeria Uno, you inherit more than just recipes, you inherit Chicago pizza royalty and responsibility.
Pizano’s Pizza, owned by Rudy Malnati Jr., focuses on both deep-dish and thin-crust excellence with equal passion.
The butter crust recipe, unchanged since 1949, creates a flaky, rich foundation that supports generous toppings without collapsing.
That buttery base adds a pastry-like quality that elevates every slice above ordinary pizza. It’s indulgent without being heavy, rich without being greasy.
Located at 61 E Madison St, Chicago, Pizano’s carries forward decades of family tradition while keeping things fresh and relevant.
Every pizza connects you to Chicago’s culinary history, one delicious, buttery bite at a time, reminding you why this city owns the pizza game.
9. Spacca Napoli Pizzeria
Authentic Neapolitan pizza in Chicago might sound like an oxymoron, but Spacca Napoli makes it a delicious reality.
Spacca Napoli Pizzeria imports ingredients directly from Italy and uses traditional methods that honor centuries of pizza-making heritage.
The wood-fired oven creates that signature char and chew that defines true Neapolitan pizza.
San Marzano tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella bring authentic Italian flavors to every pie.
The simplicity showcases quality, no hiding behind excessive toppings or gimmicks here.
Situated at 1769 W Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, this pizzeria feels like a neighborhood trattoria transplanted from Naples.
Each pizza arrives at your table steaming, fragrant, and absolutely gorgeous, demanding your immediate attention and appreciation before it cools.
10. Coalfire Pizza
Coal-fired ovens reaching 800 degrees create pizza magic that gas and wood simply cannot replicate, it’s science and deliciousness combined.
Coalfire Pizza specializes in thin-crust pies with a charred, blistered exterior that adds smoky depth to every bite.
The intense heat creates a crust that’s simultaneously crispy, chewy, and impossibly flavorful.
Toppings are carefully selected and applied with restraint, allowing the coal-fired crust to shine as the star.
This is pizza for purists who appreciate technique and tradition.
Located at 3707 N Southport Ave, Chicago, Coalfire brings New Haven-style coal-fired pizza to the Midwest with impressive results.
Every pizza emerges from that blazing oven looking like artwork, dark spots, bubbles, and all the beautiful imperfections that signal handcrafted perfection.
11. Piece Brewery and Pizzeria
Combining award-winning pizza with craft brewing creates a destination that satisfies multiple cravings simultaneously, genius, really.
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria serves New Haven-style thin-crust pizza with a crispy, charred base that provides the perfect vehicle for quality toppings.
The oblong shape and minimalist approach let the crust quality shine through.
Simple combinations like white clam pizza or sausage and peppers prove that great pizza doesn’t need twenty ingredients.
Sometimes three or four perfectly chosen toppings beat a loaded pie every time.
Found at 1927 W North Ave, Chicago, Piece has become a local institution where pizza and community intersect.
The casual atmosphere and consistently excellent pizza make it a neighborhood favorite that visitors quickly discover and locals fiercely protect.
12. Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria
Since 1946, this South Side institution has been slinging thin-crust tavern-style pizza that defines Chicago’s other pizza tradition.
Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria features a cracker-thin crust cut into squares, creating those coveted corner pieces with extra crispy edges.
The crust shatters delicately under your teeth before melting away, leaving pure topping flavor.
Sausage is applied in a thin, even layer that covers the entire pizza, no sad, topping-less bites here.
Cheese stretches beautifully, and the sauce provides just enough tang without overwhelming the delicate crust.
Located at 8433 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, Vito & Nick’s represents the tavern-style pizza tradition that locals have cherished for generations.
Every slice connects you to Chicago’s working-class pizza heritage and neighborhood pride.
13. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
No Illinois pizza list feels complete without mentioning Lou Malnati’s, the deep-dish legend that tourists and locals equally worship.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria perfected the buttery, flaky crust that has become synonymous with Chicago deep-dish excellence.
The crust provides a rich, almost pastry-like foundation that somehow doesn’t feel heavy.
Chunky tomato sauce on top protects the cheese from burning during the long bake time, it’s functional and delicious.
The sausage is patted out into a full layer, ensuring every bite includes that fennel-spiced goodness.
With multiple locations across Illinois, Lou Malnati’s makes deep-dish accessible without sacrificing quality.
Every pizza arrives piping hot, bubbling with cheese, and ready to convert deep-dish skeptics into believers with just one perfect, messy bite.
