CBA Record May-June 2023

back and stay awhile. Although the tavern-cut gospel gradually spread to the North Side – and there are many fine tavern-cut establishments on the North Side – because of history and tra dition, the most iconic tavern-cut establishments are usually located on the South Side. Toppings can also be a controversial topic when it comes to Chicago pizza. Nationwide research indicates that in the United States, the most popular pizza topping is pepperoni. In my own experience, this research appears to be true. For example, if you visit New York, every pizza joint you walk into will, at a mini mum, offer three types of slices: cheese, margarita, and pepper oni. Similarly, Detroit-style pizza establishments often will offer multiple types of pepperonis: traditional, small cups, or spicy. But – while pepperoni is delicious and is one of my personal favorite toppings – in Chicago, crumbled (never sliced) sausage is king. And rightfully so, as each Chicagoland pizza spot’s sausage is a little different and often a source of pride. Many Chicagoland pizza establishments either make their sausage in house, or they source it from a long-time, unique, sometimes limited source. If you go to a new place and you don’t try their sausage as a topping, you haven’t really tried their pizza. Literally hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants and bars serve tavern-cut pizza across the Chicagoland area. Perhaps because of the overwhelming number of options, and perhaps because Midwesterners are famously loyal people, any Chicagoan you ask about tavern-cut pizza will have their own favorite estab lishment. In fact, to write this article, I asked many Chicagoans what their favorite tavern-cut establishments are. And while it was a difficult job to drive across the city and eat pizza so that CBA members could be well-informed about some of the tavern cut pizza options available, someone had to do it. Below are some of the highlights of the many tavern-cut pizza establishments in Chicago I enjoyed after months of careful research. Please note that due to time constraints and the sheer amount of pizza that was consumed, some had to be consumed away from the establishment itself, with the assistance of delivery services. Additionally, despite the over-emphasis on North Side establishments in this article, this author remains convinced that the best tavern-cut is found on the South Side.

pepperoni-giardiniera pizzas we ordered and washed down with a pitcher of Old Style were outstanding. The crust was cracker thin with the perfect amount of crispness to hold up to the top pings. The sauce was flavorful and not too sweet or too acidic. The toppings were fresh and delicious, as was the perfectly gooey and caramelized cheese. The crust, sauce, toppings, and cheese blended with one another in the perfect proportions. This truly is the height of tavern-cut pizza. Vito & Nick’s absolutely lived up to the hype and is a must-visit for any tavern-cut pizza fan.

Pat’s Pizza & Ristorante, 2679 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago Pat’s is located on Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park, between Diversey and Ful lerton. Another pizzeria that has been operating since the 1950s, in this author’s opin ion, Pat’s is the finest tavern cut pizza on the North Side.

Like Vito & Nick’s, the crust is cracker thin, and and unlike certain establishments, it provides more than sufficient undercar riage for the toppings that sit above it. The sauce is well-balanced and has excellent flavor. Pat’s is quite generous with the toppings and the cheese (and they do not load it up to excess, like certain establishments that will remain unnamed), making the toppings well-cooked and the pizza easy to eat. However, given that Pat’s is generous with the cheese, ordering Pat’s well done is essential to give some texture to the cheese. The sausage is excellent, with well-balanced flavored and spices, and is one of the best sausage pizzas anywhere in the city. Another Pat’s signature is that when carrying out or ordering delivery, the pizzas come in iconic paper bags, which prevent the pizza from steaming in a box and soften ing the crust. Overall, Pat’s is a highly recommended, can’t-miss North Side institution.

Marie’s Pizza & Liquors, 4127 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago Located on the border of Mayfair and Albany Park on the Northwest Side of the city, Marie’s is well-known on the Northwest Side but fairly unknown elsewhere. Marie’s is one of the most “Chicago” of all the pizza establishments in

Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria, 8433 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago

Located just west of Beverly and north of Evergreen Park, Vito & Nick’s has been in busi ness since the 1950s and is arguably the most iconic and hyped tavern-cut pizza joint in Chicago. When you walk

that it is a “slashie”: half of the building is a packaged liquor store, and the other half is a top-notch Italian restaurant and pizzeria. Marie’s has an old-school dive bar vibe like Vito & Nick’s, but it is less well-lit, so it feels like even more of a dive. Marie’s is one of the best kept secrets in Chicago: the pizza is phenomenal. Among

in, the old wood paneled walls give it the feel of a Wisconsin dive bar or your grandmother’s living room, and it appears as if you are entering a bygone era. The well-done sausage-onion and

CBA RECORD 25