So, you’ve got a friend in town, a family member visiting or are hosting a guest for a few nights. They want to go out to eat and, being the good host that you are, you direct them to the best spots in town for Chicago's most famous fare.
This is for all those times you’ve wondered where the best places to get a Chicago-style hot dog or deep dish pizza are, and why they are so worth the trip.
Top places to get Chicago hot dogs and deep dish pizza
Best deep dish pizza in the city
There’s no way to talk about food in Chicago without talking about the quintessential meal that’s become as much of a symbol of the city as its nicknames or its flag!
Unlike a typical pizza that’s constructed with dough, then sauce, then cheese and then toppings, Chicago’s deep dish pizza is constructed almost backward. First comes the dough, which is layered around the bottoms and sides of a deep round pan. Then comes the cheese — usually sliced mozzarella — and the toppings, which usually include sausage, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni and bell peppers. Finally, the entire thing is covered with a layer of tomato sauce.
Why the inverted assembly? Well, a pizza so deep needs longer to cook, and a longer cooking time meant that if there was cheese on top, it would surely burn. This way, the tomato sauce on top gets all roasty-toasty and the cheese buried inside gets perfectly gooey.
It is, in simple words, utter perfection.
Where to get deep dish pizza in Chicago
There are plenty of places to choose from when it comes to deep dish pizza selection, but if you’re looking for the best of the best, you have to try out these local eateries.
Uncle Jerry’s Pizza Company
Though a 45-minute drive out of the city, Uncle Jerry’s is your one-stop shop for deep-dish and pan-style pizza outside Chicago’s downtown.
Pizzeria Uno
29 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611
Where better to find deep dish deliciousness than at the place where it all started? Pizzeria Uno first introduced Chicago to deep dish pizza in 1943, and it’s still going strong today!
Labriola
535 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
This Magnificent Mile restaurant is no mere tourist trap. Its authentic Italian fare features a host of tasty dishes, including an in-house take on the deep dish pizza made with a focaccia-like dough that gets oh-so crispy and sweet.
The best, BEST Chicago-style hot dogs
Each city has its token street food, and there’s no doubt that the Chicago-style hot dog is a part of city culture that will go down in gastronomic history.
The Chicago-style hot dog is a perfect (and tasty!) representation of the city’s early diversity. Immigrants and visitors from all over the world came to the city in the late 1800s, culminating in the 1893 World’s Fair that attracted thousands of visitors. These people brought their foods, ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques to Chicago, and the hot dog that came as a result is a fascinating product of a multitude of influences.
The hot dog itself was a German creation, and it was usually eaten with mustard. The all-beef sausage came from the Jewish community, and the tomatoes and onions were additions from hot-dog-eaters in Little Italy. Pickles arrived in Chicago when Mexican tamale vendors arrived for the World’s Fair, and relish was an addition from the English community from Britain. Celery salt was, at the time, considered to be the latest in fad-diet trends in neighboring Lakeview, and poppy seeds were an addition from the Eastern European community.
All these ingredients are attributed to real people, real communities and real cultures that shaped Chicago’s early history. They came together in a hot dog that was sold on street corners and roadsides to busy workers going about their daily lives, and so it’s no wonder that the best place to find these pieces of history is in the very same place — street vendors and hot dog stands.
Where to get Chicago-style hot dogs in Chicago
Devil Dawgs
Simple, authentic and superbly delicious, this hot dog joint is THE place to go for a Chicago-style hot dog in the city. There are four locations to choose from, including this South Loop spot, one in Lakeview, one in Wicker Park and one in Gold Coast.
Dave’s Red Hots
3422 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60624
For a hot dog stand that’s been open since 1938(!), Dave's Red Hots has certainly kept up with the times in terms of quality. Nearly a century of experience in hot-dog-making has made this hole-in-the-wall stand one of the best in the biz, so to say, and making the trip to the location in Lawndale is certainly one for the books.
Vienna Beef Factory Store & Cafe
3847 S. Morgan St., Bridgeport
This South side staple has been slinging hot dogs to patrons for decades, toting itself as one of the very founders of the Chicago-style hot dog. Located just across the street from the Vienna Beef factory where the sausages are made, the stand offers some of the freshest hot dogs you could find around.
Next time you have visitors to your luxury Chicago apartments or are just itching for a taste of the real deal, check out these hot dog stands and pizzerias for some of Chicago’s tried-and-true delicacies.
Enjoy!
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Featured photo courtesy Unsplash/Filmio
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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