Blaze Pizza | Chicago

Chicagoans don't like to admit it, but not every pizza needs to be three inches thick.

In other words, we're obsessed with Blaze Pizza's thin, crispy, salty, char-spotted cracker crust.

The counter-service pizza place, which just opened in Lakeview, claims that they can get a custom-made pizza to you in 180 seconds. For fun, we timed them: Ours went from order to table in about four and a half minutes. Not too shabby.

But can a pizza made that quickly be good? Yes, it can. On top of that ideal crust, the Green Stripe ($8) came loaded with roasted red peppers, bubbly melted mozzarella and a slick of basil pesto. With a sprinkling of sea salt and a dash of oregano, lunch was complete.

The Meat Eater ($8), covered with red onions, pepperoni and crumbled meatballs that have a hint of heat, is good enough to satisfy the most demanding of carnivores.

In addition to trying the pies, don't leave Blaze without getting a S'more: They roast in the pizza oven until they're nice and gooey. When the dark, warm, marshmallow-fluff-spotted chocolate spurts onto your chin, you'll know why it's worth it.