The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City
The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is your comprehensive guide to the history of the styles, locales, and people that make the Windy City a prime destination for slices and pies. Most locals have strong opinions about whether thin, tavern-style, or deep-dish takes the crown, which toppings are essential, and who makes the best pie in town—and in Chicago, there's a destination for every preference. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago saw an unprecedented number of new pizzerias opening their doors, very few of which focused on the proverbial deep-dish. Several high-end chefs made the pivot to pizza, and in many cases, brought new ideas and styles, like East Coast Sicilians and thin, crispy (and cheeseless) Roman pies. With so many slices to try in the city’s seventy-seven neighborhoods, it would seem impossible to find the best of the best.
 
Enter renowned food journalist Steve Dolinsky. He embarked on a memorable quest for his first book, Pizza City, USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago Is America’s Greatest Pizza Town, tasting more than 185 pizzas all over the region. For his follow-up, Dolinsky focuses on the city’s pizzerias, while still honoring a few suburban stalwarts.
 
This user-friendly guide is organized by pizza style—including thin, tavern, artisan, Neapolitan, deep-dish, stuffed, by-the-slice, Roman, and Detroit—so you can find the right recommendation for every family member, visitor, and occasion. Dolinsky highlights his favorites, offers a pizza lover’s glossary so you can order like a pro, and shows you every pie he ate, so you can compare notes and cook up your next pizza night. With recipes, local beer pairings, gluten-free options, and more, The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is an essential resource both for locals and for visitors in search of a serious pizza getaway.
1139090542
The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City
The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is your comprehensive guide to the history of the styles, locales, and people that make the Windy City a prime destination for slices and pies. Most locals have strong opinions about whether thin, tavern-style, or deep-dish takes the crown, which toppings are essential, and who makes the best pie in town—and in Chicago, there's a destination for every preference. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago saw an unprecedented number of new pizzerias opening their doors, very few of which focused on the proverbial deep-dish. Several high-end chefs made the pivot to pizza, and in many cases, brought new ideas and styles, like East Coast Sicilians and thin, crispy (and cheeseless) Roman pies. With so many slices to try in the city’s seventy-seven neighborhoods, it would seem impossible to find the best of the best.
 
Enter renowned food journalist Steve Dolinsky. He embarked on a memorable quest for his first book, Pizza City, USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago Is America’s Greatest Pizza Town, tasting more than 185 pizzas all over the region. For his follow-up, Dolinsky focuses on the city’s pizzerias, while still honoring a few suburban stalwarts.
 
This user-friendly guide is organized by pizza style—including thin, tavern, artisan, Neapolitan, deep-dish, stuffed, by-the-slice, Roman, and Detroit—so you can find the right recommendation for every family member, visitor, and occasion. Dolinsky highlights his favorites, offers a pizza lover’s glossary so you can order like a pro, and shows you every pie he ate, so you can compare notes and cook up your next pizza night. With recipes, local beer pairings, gluten-free options, and more, The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is an essential resource both for locals and for visitors in search of a serious pizza getaway.
24.95 In Stock
The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City

The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City

by Steve Dolinsky
The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City

The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide: A History of Squares & Slices in the Windy City

by Steve Dolinsky

Paperback

$24.95 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 1-2 days.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is your comprehensive guide to the history of the styles, locales, and people that make the Windy City a prime destination for slices and pies. Most locals have strong opinions about whether thin, tavern-style, or deep-dish takes the crown, which toppings are essential, and who makes the best pie in town—and in Chicago, there's a destination for every preference. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago saw an unprecedented number of new pizzerias opening their doors, very few of which focused on the proverbial deep-dish. Several high-end chefs made the pivot to pizza, and in many cases, brought new ideas and styles, like East Coast Sicilians and thin, crispy (and cheeseless) Roman pies. With so many slices to try in the city’s seventy-seven neighborhoods, it would seem impossible to find the best of the best.
 
Enter renowned food journalist Steve Dolinsky. He embarked on a memorable quest for his first book, Pizza City, USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago Is America’s Greatest Pizza Town, tasting more than 185 pizzas all over the region. For his follow-up, Dolinsky focuses on the city’s pizzerias, while still honoring a few suburban stalwarts.
 
This user-friendly guide is organized by pizza style—including thin, tavern, artisan, Neapolitan, deep-dish, stuffed, by-the-slice, Roman, and Detroit—so you can find the right recommendation for every family member, visitor, and occasion. Dolinsky highlights his favorites, offers a pizza lover’s glossary so you can order like a pro, and shows you every pie he ate, so you can compare notes and cook up your next pizza night. With recipes, local beer pairings, gluten-free options, and more, The Ultimate Chicago Pizza Guide is an essential resource both for locals and for visitors in search of a serious pizza getaway.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780810144286
Publisher: Northwestern University Press
Publication date: 10/15/2021
Pages: 312
Product dimensions: 8.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

STEVE DOLINSKY is a Chicago-based food reporter. For seventeen years, he made weekly appearances on Chicago’s WLS-TV (ABC 7) as the “Hungry Hound.” He’s contributed to Public Radio International’s daily program The World, the Chicago Tribune, and Canada’s Globe and Mail. Dolinsky is also the host and producer of the Pizza City podcast, cofounder of Pizza City USA Tours in Chicago, and a regional Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. He has won thirteen James Beard Awards for his TV, radio, and podcast work.

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Pizza Basics

Chicago Pizza Family Tree 12

1 What Is Chicago-Style Pizza? 15

2 Methodology 23

3 Glossary of Pizza Terminology 29

Pizza Styles

4 Tavern-Style (Chicago-Style Thin) 37

Chicago-Style Thin Recipe 54

5 Deep-Dish and Deep Pan 59

Deep-Dish Recipe 83

6 Stuffed 87

Stuffed Recipe 98

7 Neapolitan 103

8 Sicilian, Grandma, and Sheet Pan Bakery Slices 121

Stevie's Squares Recipe 142

9 Detroit-Style 149

10 Artisan Gas, Coal, and Wood-Fired 163

11 Roman 185

The Pizza Puff: A Chicago Original 196

12 Thin 199

13 NYC and By-the-Slice 217

14 Pizza Nights and Pop-Ups 249

Pairing Pizza with (Local) Beer 264

15 Suburban Stars 269

Gluten-Free Pizzas in Chicagoland 294

Conclusion 297

Acknowledgments 301

Index 303

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews