Pequod's Pizza in Chicago is the Lincoln Park pan-pizza institution on Clybourn since 1971, the caramelised cheese ring around the crust copied across the city.
Signature dishes: Caramelised-crust pan pizza, Sausage and mushroom
Must order: Medium pan pizza, sausage and mushroom, with extra cheese around the rim.
Tip: Walk in at 16:30 to beat the queue; tables fill before the kitchen opens for dinner service.
Address: 2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Pat's Pizza in Chicago is the Lincoln Park tavern-cut thin room on Lincoln Avenue since 1950, with the cracker-crust pies locals send out-of-town visitors to first.
Signature: Tavern-cut thin, Pat's Special with everything
Order: Medium Pat's Special, party-cut; the meatball sandwich as a backup.
Tip: Delivery is the locals' move. The dining room is small, the carryout window quick.
Pizano's Pizza & Pasta in Chicago is the family-owned Loop deep-dish room founded in 1991 by Rudy Malnati Jr., son of Pizzeria Uno's original cook Rudy Malnati Sr.
Signature: Cheese deep-dish, Thin pepperoni
Order: The cheese deep-dish, no toppings, the way Rudy Sr. baked it at Uno.
Tip: The Madison location is the original; State Street is the bigger pre-theatre spot.
Pizzeria Uno in Chicago is the original deep-dish pizza shop, opened by Ike Sewell on Ohio Street in 1943, where the city's pan-baked pizza was invented and named.
Signature: Numero Uno deep-dish, Sausage and pepperoni
Order: The Numero Uno, the canonical deep-dish from the original menu.
Tip: The pies bake 45 minutes; order on arrival. The nearby Due (Pizzeria Due) is the same kitchen if Uno is full.
Bonci Chicago is Gabriele Bonci's West Loop pizza al taglio counter on Sangamon, the first US outpost of the Rome bakery, with rectangular pies cut by weight.
Signature: Pizza al taglio by weight, Mortadella and pistachio
Order: Mortadella and pistachio cream; potato and rosemary; whatever seasonal vegetable is current.
Tip: Walk up at 11:30 for the widest selection. By 14:00 the popular cuts are gone for the day.
Vito & Nick's in Chicago is the Ashburn tavern serving the canonical tavern-cut thin pizza on South Pulaski since 1949, family-owned across four generations.
Signature: Original tavern-cut thin, Sausage and onion
Order: Large sausage tavern thin, party-cut, with a side of giardiniera.
Tip: Cash and the bar are the rhythm; first come first served. The kitchen closes at 22:00 sharp; arrive by 21:00.
Pat's Pizza in Chicago is the Lincoln Park tavern-cut thin room on Lincoln Avenue since 1950, with the cracker-crust pies locals send out-of-town visitors to first.
Signature: Tavern-cut thin, Pat's Special with everything
Order: Medium Pat's Special, party-cut; the meatball sandwich as a backup.
Tip: Delivery is the locals' move. The dining room is small, the carryout window quick.
Portillo's in Chicago is the Ontario Street flagship of the chain founded 1963 by Dick Portillo, with Chicago hot dogs, Italian beef and the chocolate cake shake.
Signature: Chicago hot dog, Italian beef sandwich, Chocolate cake shake
Order: A Chicago dog, an Italian beef dipped, a small chocolate cake shake.
Tip: Drive-thru is faster than the counter. The chocolate cake shake is a chocolate shake with a slice of chocolate cake blended into the cup.
