When it comes to pizza, I certainly prefer the old school Neapolitan style pizza, and I love New York style pizza as well. That said, I love all types of pizza as long as it’s well made, so when I’m in Chicago I try to enjoy some Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
Chicago-style deep dish pizza is one of the most iconic (and most debated) types of pizza in America. It’s less of a “pizza” in the traditional sense and more of a savory, cheesy, tomato-topped pie baked in a deep, high-sided pan. It’s really nothing like traditional pizza. The crust is usually thick, buttery, flaky, and almost pastry-like. The bottom layer typically has yhick slices of mozzarella cheese directly on the dough. The toppings often include sausage, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc., and the sauce is usually chunky, crushed tomatoes, or a bright red tomato sauce, that goes on TOP of everything, not underneath the cheese like most pizzas. It’s sort of a glorious mess that would probably offend most Italians, but if done well it can be delicious.
This year I made a stop at Moretti’s, a family-owned chain of casual Italian-American restaurants that’s been a Chicago staple since the original location opened in 1992 on the city’s northwest side. The vibe was casual and fun, with plenty of televisions to watch sports. I ordered a classic deep dish pizza with all the traditional toppings, and then did my best to finish the whole thing (I failed).
Overall, I enjoyed it very much. It wasn’t the best deep dish pizza I’ve had, but it certainly hit the spot. The menu at Moretti’s is loaded with other options, but there was no way I would have room for anything else besides the monster pizza.
If you haven’t tried deep dish pizza, you should definitely try it the next time you’re in Chicago. If you like this style of pizza, Moretti’s is a solid option.
