Hungry Hound's Pizza Quest - Full Thin-Crust Pizza List
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Have you ever gotten into an argument with your friends about who has the best pizza in the Chicago area?
Well, our Hungry Hound Steve Dolinsky is aiming to put that debate to rest with a methodical survey of local pizzerias - in his epic PIZZA QUEST.
Our Hungry Hound visited 50 - that's right 50 - pizzerias that specialize in thin-crust pies. Read the full list here and breakdown of thin-crust categories.
SEE THE HOUND'S FULL THIN-CRUST BREAKDOWN BLOG HERE
The Categories:
Based on the pizzas our Hungry Hound tried, the thin categories - as he's defined them for the Pizza Quest - are as follows:
- Tavern-style: thin, crispy, almost cracker-like crust; square-cut
- Artisan Thin: unique, artisan-made toppings, long ferment time for dough that contains higher percentage of water; usually a puffy, blistered edge, or cornicione
- Thin: You know what this is already
- Neapolitan: 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, wood-burning brick oven, fior di latte (domestic mozzarella) or buffalo mozzarella imported from Italy
The Full A-Z List of Thin-Crust Pizzerias (for a review of each restaurant with links to each website, visit the Hound's blog)
800 Degrees
812 Church St., Evanston; 224-307-2803
Style: Neapolitan/Thin
AneMone Caffe & Neapolitan Pizzeria
6431 W. 127th St., Palos Heights; 708-897-0003
Style: Thin
Antica Pizzeria
5663 N. Clark St.; 773-944-1492
Style: Neapolitan
Ordered margherita, approx. 12" ($12.95)
Apart Pizza
2205 W. Montrose Ave.; 773-588-1550
5624 N. Broadway; 773-784-1550
Style: Thin
Armand's Pizza & Pasta
105 W. 1st St., Elmhurst; 630-782-5800
Style: Tavern
Aurelio's
18162 Harwood Ave., Homewood; 708-798-8050 - several other locations
Style: Thin
Baldinelli's Pizza Place
114 S. Washington St., Hinsdale; 630-654-4600
Style: Thin
Barnaby's of Northbrook
960 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook; 847-498-3900
Style: Tavern
Bar Toma
110 E. Pearson St.; 312-266-3110
Style: Artisan Thin
Bricks Wood Fired Pizza & Caf
1763 Freedom Dr., Naperville; 630-799-6860
also locations in Lombard and Wheaton, and soon in Lincoln Park
Style: Thin
Caf Luigi
2548 N. Clark St.; 773-404-0200
Style: Thin/NYC Style
Candlelite
7452 N. Western Ave.; 773-465-0087
Style: Tavern
Caponie's Trattoria
7419 W. Irving Park Rd.; 773-804-9024
Style: Thin
Capri's Pizza
8820 S. Commercial Ave.; 773-768-7242
Style: Thin
Coalfire
1321 W. Grand Ave.; 312-226-2625
3705 N. Southport
Style: Artisan/thin
Craft Pizza
1252 N. Damen Ave.; 773-442-7238
Style: Neapolitan American East Coast/thin
Cuzin's
17704 Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park; 708-633-1144
Style: Tavern-style
DiLeo's Pizzeria
193 E. Butterfield Rd., Elmhurst; 630-782-5700
Style: Thin
Dinotto Pizza e Vino
1551 N. Wells St., (312) 202-0302
Style: Neapolitan
Eataly
43 E. Ohio St.; 312-521-8700
Style: Neapolitan
Elio Pizza on Fire (closed?)
2360 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-649-1000
Style: Neapolitan-ish
Elio Pizza on Fire
445 W. Lake St., Addison; 630-628-0088
Style: Neapolitan
Forno Rosso
3719 N. Harlem Ave.; 773-295-5697
Style: Neapolitan
Freddy's Pizza
1600 S. 61st Ave., Cicero
Style: Thin
Gianni's Ristorante and Pizzeria
9655 Grand Ave., Franklin Park; 847-451-0100
Style: Tavern
Grand Stand Pizza
9718 W. Grand Ave., Franklin Park; 847-451-1155
Style: Tavern
Italian Pizza Kitchen
1433 N. Dayton St.; 312-642-6700
Style: Thin
Jimmy's Place
7411 W. Madison St., Forest Park; 708-771-7476
Style: Tavern
Marie's Pizza & Liquors
4127-4129 W. Lawrence Ave.; 773-725-1812
Style: Tavern
Obbie's
6654 W. Archer Ave.; 773-586-2828
Style: Thin/Tavern
Palermo's 95th
4849 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn; 708-425-6262
Style: Thin/Tavern
Panino's Pizzaiolo
3702 N. Broadway (entrance on Waveland); 773-472-620o; also locations in Park Ridge and Evanston
Style: Neapolitan
Parkers' Restaurant & Bar
1000 31st St., Downers Grove; 630-960-5700
Style: Neapolitan
Pat's
2679 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-248-0168
Style: Tavern
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
1927 W. North Ave.; 773-772-4422
Style: New Haven Thin
Pizano's
Six locations; I went to 2056 W. Division St.; 773-252-1777
Style: Deep and Thin
Pizza Barra
3011 Butterfield Rd, Oak Brook; 630-861-6177
Style: Artisan thin
Pizza Castle
3256 W. 55th St.; 773-776-1075
Style: Thin
Pizza East
Soho House
113 - 125 N. Green St.; 312-521-8000
Style: Artisan Thin
Pizza Metro
1707 W. Division St.; 773-993-1351
Style: Thin
Pizza Rustica
3908 N. Sheridan Rd.; 773-404-8955
Style: Thin
Pizza Serio
1708 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-525-0600
Style: Neapolitan-ish/Thin
Pizzeria da Nella
1443 W. Fullerton Ave.; 773-281-6600
Style: Neapolitan
Pizzeria DeVille
404 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville; 847-367-4992
Style: Artisan Thin
Pranzi
434 W. Ontario St.; 312-944-4340
Style: thin/tavern
Roots Handmade Pizza
1924 W. Chicago Ave.; 773-645-4949
Style: Thin (via the Quad Cities)
Salerno's Pizza
1201 W. Grand Ave.; 312-666-3444
Style: Thin
Side Street Saloon
1456 W. George St.; 773-327-1127
Style: Tavern
Sono Wood Fired
1582 N. Clybourn; 773-255-1122
Style: Artisan Thin/Sicilian
Spacca Napoli
1769 W. Sunnyside; 773-878-2420
Style: Neapolitan
Stella Barra
1954 N. Halsted St.; 773-634-4101
Style: Artisan Thin
The Boiler Room
2210 N. California Ave.; 773-276-5625
Style: Thin
Trattoria Porretta Ristorante & Pizzeria
3656 N. Central Ave., 773-736-1429
Style: Tavern
Union Pizza
1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston; 847-475-2400
Style: Artisan Thin
Villa Napoli
8546 W. Lawrence; 708-456-5022
Style: Tavern
Villa Nova
6821 W. Pershing Rd., Stickney; 708-788-2944
Also locations in Lockport, New Buffalo, MI and Chesterton, IN
Style: Tavern
Vito & Nick's
8433 S. Pulaski Rd.; 773-735-2050
Style: Tavern
The Hound discusses some highlights from his Quest on Windy City LIVE!
