A Slice for September

Who makes the best pizza? It’s a debate as old as pizza itself. Suggest any pizza joint is the best, and you’ll invite debate in any Chicago mixed crowd. Go abroad, and our Italian neighbors can be pretty touchy about pizza. They question whether Chicago has any legitimate claim to having the best pizza in the world.

River North Law Group celebrates pizza lovers every September. National Cheese Pizza Day is September 5, and we recognize National Pepperoni Pizza Day on September 20. But September is hardly the only pizza lover’s homage. February 9th marks National Pizza Day, and October is National Pizza Month. Meanwhile, on October 11th each year enthusiasts gather to recognition of National Pizza Sausage Day. That’s a lot of pizza loving! Our law team needs no holiday to enjoy the tastiest pizza. We enjoy pizza nearly once a week at RNLG, and we share it throughout our offices. Learn more about our team here.

Pizza Facts for Pizza Lovers

The Guinness World Record holding largest pizza was baked In Los Angeles on January 18, 2023. Sponsored by Pizza Hut, YouTube star Airrack sets a new record for the world’s largest pizza, coming in at 13,990 square feet. He even tells us how he did it! (see below)

More Extreme

Research has shown pizza can be addictive. In one study, researchers led by Ashley Gearhardt, a clinical psychologist at the University of Michigan, asked 500 people to report how they consumed each of 35 foods. Pizza turned up near the top of the list of the most addictive foods. It’s combination of fat and carbohydrates, along with its texture, color and taste profile are among the traits that make it so appealing. So if you’re feeling the urge for a slice, you’re not alone.

A Little Pizza History

Gennaro Lombardi first crafted pizza in 1905 using bakers’ skills he learned in Naples. Lombardi is credited with developing New York Style pizza. His shop was among the first pizzerias in the United States. You can learn more about the history of pizza here. Internationally, modern pizza is reputed to have started in Naples in 1889 when Raffaele Esposito created the “Pizza Margherita.” This pie features with tomato, mozzarella, and basil replicating the colors of the Italian flag.

In the Fall of 1943, Chicago restaurateur, Ric Riccardo, became partners with Ike Sewell, a liquor salesman, and Sewell’s wife, Florence, in the new venture. They opened Pizzeria Uno a few blocks from the well-known Riccardo’s on Wabash Avenue and Ohio Street where Chicago-style pizza first appeared. Yes, it’s the same Pizzeria Uno franchise operating today! Many US tourists had been introduced to pizza as they moved up the coast of Italy, and these Chicagoans anticipated they would want more when they returned home.

For the Foodie, A Chicago Pizza Book

The ABC7 (Chicago) food reporter, Steve Dolinsky, has written a fascinating book on pizza. Pizza City, USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago Is America’s Greatest Pizza Town is published by Northwestern Univ. Press. In this field guide, Dolinsky samples 101 pies, consults local historians, and even includes a glossary of pizza terminology to piece together a complete profile of Chicago’s pizza scene. He concludes that Chicago is far from a one-note pizza town that serves pan after deep-dish pan of its signature style.

In the book, Dolinsky argues that Chicago has “the most pizza variety in the country,” outclassing even New York City’s. According to his field research, ten distinctive pizza varieties hold significant ground within Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods: “tavern-style, thin, New York-style, artisan, Neapolitan, deep-dish, stuffed, Sicilian, Roman, and Detroit-style.” That’s twice as many as New York offers, Dolinsky explains: “New York has more people, and therefore more pizza places, but at the end of the day it’s a slice culture.”

We Even Have a Pizza Museum!

Further substantiating the premier position of Chicago in the pizza world, memorabilia collector Kendall Bruns recently opened the US Pizza Museum in the South Loop, to the ire of journalists and Twitter users who insist that New York is more deserving of such a place. Illustrious pizza chefs, or pizzaiolos, are also moving to the city—in August 2017, for example, Rome’s most acclaimed pizzeria, Bonci, picked Chicago for its first-ever location outside Italy.

For pizza-lovers, Dolinsky personally recommends Pizano’s or Labriola for deep-dish, Acanto for Neapolitan, and Robert’s Pizza Company for artisan-style. You’ll need to venture beyond the downtown area to find the best examples of tavern-style pizza. Pizza City, USA rates Vito and Nick’s on the South Side highest.

For ideas on how to enjoy the very best, here is Time Out’s Top Ten Pizza Places in 2024

If you’re interested in a more educational experience, every Saturday, a well-qualified team leads walking and bus tours into different Chicago neighborhoods to sample the styles of pizza described in the book. Information about the tours and additional pizza recommendations are available at pizzacityusa.com.