Chicago: The Pizza Capital of the World

There's no food Chicago is better known for than its deep-dish pizza. Invented in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno, now a famous nation-wide chain, the Chicago-style pizza recipe is defined by its thick, buttery crust, massive amounts of cheese and sauce, and layered toppings, piling up to three inches high. Chicago has hundreds of pizzerias located throughout the city, with menus that feature stuffed pizza, pan pizza and even thin-crust pizza, but only a select few names offer a taste of the authentic Chicago deep-dish.

Pizzeria Uno- Located at 29 E. Ohio St. in Downtown Chicago, the original Pizzeria Uno was opened by deep-dish inventor Ike Sewell in 1943. Sewell's Italian-inspired meal, featuring recipes from the Old World mixed with fresh local ingredients, is credited today as "The Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza." The pizzeria still offers a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere, where handmade dough is crafted daily on-site. Not only was Pizzeria Uno the first place to serve Chicago's world-famous deep-dish pizza, but it's still the only pizzeria where you can get the Numero Uno--a works pizza with sausage, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushrooms and chunky tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella and grated Romano. While there are more than 160 Uno Chicago Grill restaurants world-wide, there's only one original Pizzeria Uno!

Pizzeria Due- About one mile down the street from Pizzeria Uno sits Pizzeria Due at 619 N. Wabash Ave. Opened by Sewell in 1955, Due is the second oldest pizzeria dishing the pizza out deep. Both Uno and Due are local treasures to Chicagoland, so you can expect a crowd at either of these sister pizzerias every day of the week. The food is well worth the wait, so make sure you try the signature pizza, loaded with pepperoni, sausage, plenty of veggies, tomato sauce and Romano and mozzarella cheese.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria- One of the oldest family names in the history of Chicago-style pizza, Rudy Malnati and his son Lou were right there with Sewell, making deep-dish pizza and co-managing Pizzeria Uno in the 1940s and '50s. It wasn't until 1971 when Lou Malnati and his wife Jean decided to set up shop in Lincolnwood, Illinois. The original Lou Malnati's Pizzeria opened that year on March 17, and soon became a staple in the signature Chicago dish. Today Lou Malnati's owns and operates 31 stores in the greater Chicago area. Every pizza is handmade from scratch, and customers can expect the best in fresh and local ingredients. Their mozzarella cheese still comes from the small local dairy farm that supplied Lou during his humble beginning. Visit any of Lou Malnati's locations and try "The Lou"--a spinach, mushroom and tomato pizza, covered with a blend of mozzarella, Romano and cheddar cheese.

Giordano's Pizzeria- Specializing in Chicago-style pizza since 1974, Giordano's Pizzeria was introduced to Chicago by Italian brothers Efren and Joseph Boglio. Based on a secret family recipe, passed along from their mother Giordano, the pizzeria serves up an array of deep-dish, thin-crust and "world famous" stuffed pizza. Often taller than deep-dish pizza, the stuffed pizza has a higher topping density than any other kind of pizza. In other words, this is one of the most filling pizza pies you'll ever experience. Your deep -dish or stuffed pizza can be served with just cheese, or as many additional toppings as you crave. Giordano's Special Stuffed Pizza comes with sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions. Look for Giordano's in and around the Chicago area, they have more than 30 locations.

Gino's East of Chicago- The Original Gino's East was founded in 1966 by two hungry taxi drivers Sam Levine and Fred Bartoli, and their equally hungry friend George Laverde. Located at 162 E. Superior St. in Downtown Chicago, the pizzeria is frequented by locals, visitors, and a variety of national celebrities who come for the incredible deep-dish pizza, and end up staying much longer than you might expect. At Gino's East of Chicago, a piece of you lingers with the restaurant, as guests are encouraged to doodle and scribble their names on the pizzeria's walls. But don't take our word for it, try one of their legendary Chicago-style pies, like the Bacon Cheeseburger--stuffed with ground beef, bacon, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Gino's East of Chicago has expanded widely since 1966, and today has more than ten locations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

And now you know why they call Chicago "The Pizza Capital of the World."