8 Best Chicago Pizzas And Pizzerias 2014 | Tasting Table CHI

There's no shortage of great pizza in Chicago—it's just that kind of town. And while deep dish may be the city's claim to fame, there are plenty of other pizzas worth seeking out, from newfangled Neapolitan pies to cracker-thin Sicilian slices. Here are 8 of our favorites.

① Pequod's Pizza in Lincoln Park

A departure from traditional deep-dish pies, Pequod's pan pizzas ($6.96 to $17.50, plus toppings) are baked in a seasoned cast-iron skillet and offer a crust-to-cheese ratio that leans toward the crisp, caramelized crust's favor. Keep it simple with a single topping, like pepperoni or sausage.

② Pat's Pizza in Lincoln Park

This no-frills, family-owned pizza joint has been tossing thin crust pizzas since the 1950s, and shows no sign of slowing. Cross (most of) the major food groups off with the signature Pat's Special ($15.50 to $22.45), which arrives loaded with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions.

③ Lou Malnati's (multiple locations)

One of Chicago's most quintessential deep-dish slingers, Lou's is a time-tested favorite among many pizza purists. The Malnati Chicago Classic ($14.75 to 23.95) comes with crumbly sausage, extra cheese and tangy tomato sauce on a flaky, buttery crust that's a legend in its own right.

④ Piece in Wicker Park

New Haven-style "apizza" with a thin, chewy crust is the name of the game at this pizzeria, which doubles as an award-winning brewery.  The Plain pie comes slathered in tomato sauce with garlic and Parmesan, while the Red is all that plus a layer of gooey mozzarella, and the White nixes tomatoes entirely ($12.49 to $18.94). 

⑤ Coalfire in West Loop

Keep it simple with Coalfire's thin-crust Margherita ($15) with marinara, fresh mozzarella and basil. After assembly, pizzas are blasted in an 800-degree coal oven and emerge with perfectly charred, bubbly crusts that impart a subtle smoky flavor in each bite.

⑥ Pizzeria da Nella in Lincoln Park

Da Nella's traditional wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas—stretched and topped by Naples native Nella Grassano herself—are the closest you'll get to the real deal without hopping a flight to Italy. The Sorrentina ($13.99), a sauce-free pie with creamy mozzarella di Bufala, sweet cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil is a favorite, but all of the gloriously flame-blistered pies are worth a try.

⑦ Giordano's (multiple locations)

Thanks to their ridiculously cheesy sauce-on-top 'zas, Giordano's reigns as one of the greater Chicagoland area's most ubiquitous, well-loved stuffed pizza purveyors. Sink your teeth into the appropriately named Meat & More Meat ($22.75 to $32.75), packed with pepperoni, salami, sausage and bacon, and clear your schedule for the nap you'll need immediately thereafter.

⑧ Vito & Nick's in Ashburn

This old-school institution has been serving thin-crust, square-cut pizzas to hungry South Siders since 1923 ($14.25 to $16.50). The only topping you need to concern yourself with is the rich, fennel-flecked sausage. V&N's has successfully upheld a strict no-delivery policy over the years, but the impeccably executed Sicilian pizzas are well worth the visit.