05/24/2025
THE HISTORY OF CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA
Pizza has been around since as early as 997 AD in some fashion. But it was introduced into American culture when Italian immigrants settled in different cities throughout the 1800’s and early 1900’s. After a couple of generations of Italian immigrants had been living in Chicago, they yearned for the delicious flavors from their homeland. And instead of simply recreating the pizza they knew from back home, some creative entrepreneurs decided to do something different.
SO WHEN WAS CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA INTRODUCED?
In 1943, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo officially invented the Chicago-style pizza when they opened their Pizzeria Uno restaurant on the north side of the city of Chicago. What they didn’t expect was the love and support from their community and how their new pizza and their first restaurant would become a Chicago icon even today.
When tourists stand outside just waiting to get a peek inside or to get a taste of Chicago pizza, you know that they did something right when they invented it. What is Chicago pizza? It’s a blend of Italian and American cultures in a pan. Taking the best from both worlds and putting it together into one iconic dish.
CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA CHARACTERISTICS: CRUST, SAUCE & CHEESE
What is Chicago style pizza? What makes it unique and special when there are literally thousands of restaurants with signs saying they have the best pizza? Like all pizzas, it starts with the crust.
Instead of using a flat crust, the inventors of traditional Chicago pizza decided to do something different. They took a cake-like pan and coated it with olive oil. By pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, they created a pizza that was lightly fried on the outside. This gives it a buttery flavor with a satisfying crisp.
Chicago style pizza sauce is thicker and chunkier than many other sauce varieties. Additionally, it is placed on the top of the cheese instead of the cheese going on it. This is because these pizzas bake longer than flat ones and if the cheese were on the top, it would burn. The thick layer of cheese underneath the sauce gets delicious and gooey making for the perfect play on a traditional dish.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA AND REGULAR PIZZA
Famous Chicago style pizza is known for being a deep dish. What is deep dish pizza? It’s pizza that is baked in a deep, cake-like pan after it’s been coated with oil. Cheese is added after the dough is spread out, and the sauce is placed on the top. They take longer to cook than traditional or thin-crust pizzas. Regular pizza is spread out flat with the sauce going on first and then the toppings, including the cheese goes on the top. They cook very quickly, because the crust is much thinner than a Chicago cut pizza.
TYPES OF CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA
After the invention of the deep dish pizza, Chicagoans wanted more varieties. Eventually, the Pan and Stuffed Pizza came along in addition to deep dish. What is Chicago style pizza then, if there are more varieties? One of the key factors that make it Chicago style is that it has a thickened sauce that often has chunks of tomatoes in it. The next critical factor is that it is cooked in a deep dish with oil coating the pan. Lastly, to answer the question of what is Chicago style pizza, it’s all about the order. Crust on the bottom, then the cheese, and it’s topped with the sauce.
PAN PIZZA
You probably remember pan pizzas being popularized by restaurants like Pizza Hut. Pan pizzas are a thicker crust that is baked in a pan with sides instead of on a stone or flat pan. This gives it a crispy outside with a chewy inside. The pizza is topped like normal with sauce first and cheese and toppings on the top.
STUFFED CRUST PIZZA
Cheese lovers delight in a delicious stuffed crust pizza. When the dough is spread out, cheese and other toppings are rolled into the crust edges. Then the pizza is topped as usual with sauce, cheese, meat, and vegetables.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON WHAT IS A CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA
Chicago style pizza history gives you very interesting cultural insights. Since pizza was originally poor people’s food, it’s incredible how it has evolved to not only grace high-end restaurants but also becomes an experience of two blended cultures. Want to make your own at home? Shop for a gas/wood fire burning oven for the best Chicago-style pizza. You’ll be amazed at the difference a good oven can make.
