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Best NYC Pizza pie in Chicago

Best NYC Pizza pie in Chicago
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  • Best NYC Pizza pie in Chicago

    Post #1 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:05 pm
    Post #1 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:05 pm Post #1 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:05 pm
    Just tried Santullo's pizza in Wicker park, real good, greasy, NYC pizza slices. Cheap too, like $3.00 a slice! Then we went next door to Piece. Piece is ok but they don't put enough cheese on their pizza, nice tasty crust, but would have to give the edge to Santullo's. Tastier cheese, nice charred crust.
  • Post #2 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:08 pm
    Post #2 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:08 pm Post #2 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:08 pm
    A quick fyi, piece bills itself as new haven, not new york style pizza. A slight difference, but I'd argue not a huge one.

    I work half a block from both, and generally stop in at santullo's more.
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #3 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:27 pm
    Post #3 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:27 pm Post #3 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:27 pm
    Here are some lengthy threads which talk about NY style pizza:

    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=852
    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=850
    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2256
    (the last one takes a while to get to pizza)

    Not that new threads on these topics aren't reasonably welcome, but a lot of times it's better to use the Search functionand then append your thoughts to an existing thread, keeps more good info together in one place for future users. The fact of adding a new post to an old thread will float it back to the top, just like a new thread, incidentally.
    Last edited by Mike G on February 22nd, 2005, 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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  • Post #4 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:34 pm
    Post #4 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:34 pm Post #4 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:34 pm
    Santullo's makes an extra cheese pizza. If that's what you like, that's fine, but I would not say that it is New York style without that caveat. Also I find their crust to be too thick and bready - due to a lack of spinning the dough.

    I recognize you're hard pressed to find NY-style pizza in Chicago, but I would not disparage the cuisine by calling Santullo's a good example of one.

    And you think $3 is reasonable for a slice? Exactly what are you comparing Santullo's to?

    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=852
    there's food, and then there's food
  • Post #5 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:41 pm
    Post #5 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:41 pm Post #5 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:41 pm
    was $3.00 a slice, nice big slice compared to Piece for a small pie being close to $14.00 that was prob not more then 2 slices (size wise) to Santullo's.
  • Post #6 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:59 pm
    Post #6 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:59 pm Post #6 - February 22nd, 2005, 1:59 pm
    Rich4 wrote:Santullo's makes an extra cheese pizza. If that's what you like, that's fine, but I would not say that it is New York style without that caveat. Also I find their crust to be too thick and bready - due to a lack of spinning the dough.

    I recognize you're hard pressed to find NY-style pizza in Chicago, but I would not disparage the cuisine by calling Santullo's a good example of one.


    They do, to be fair, toss the dough. Not much, but they do...

    I'm not going to say whether it's authentic or not. It's a pretty good pizza, but not great. I like the ultra-thin candlelite/maries more.

    and a piece of santullo's is $3.25, which I consider relatively pricey, although it is, admittedly, a large piece. 1/6th of a 16-18" pie.

    -ed
    Ed Fisher
    my chicago food photos

    RIP LTH.
  • Post #7 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:01 pm
    Post #7 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:01 pm Post #7 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:01 pm
    Hi,

    Has anybody tried the Famous Famiglia NY style pizza being sold at the Illinios tollway oases? I was unaware of it until the discussion recently over rents and sweetheart deals. Forget the politics, I'm curious if anyone has tried it and if it is any good?
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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  • Post #8 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:45 pm
    Post #8 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:45 pm Post #8 - February 22nd, 2005, 2:45 pm
    Yeah I asked people over at the NYC chowhound about Famous Famiglia, they all said its horrible chain pizza, not good at all, plus the owner of it, Eddie Debartolo Jr is being investigated by the FBI (according to CBS Chicago).
  • Post #9 - February 22nd, 2005, 4:26 pm
    Post #9 - February 22nd, 2005, 4:26 pm Post #9 - February 22nd, 2005, 4:26 pm
    Here's a story about him:

    http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1344104/posts

    I like the company president's explanation of how they got the contract. That's class with a K.
    Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
    New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
    Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.
  • Post #10 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:05 pm
    Post #10 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:05 pm Post #10 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:05 pm
    1) Why would a suitcase full of money between a businessman
    and a politician amaze anyone? In an interview on channel 7
    on the tollway deal a Chicago vender related (paraphrased)
    that the rent was unaddressable at 155$ a sq.ft. as opposed
    to Michigan Ave. locations at 50$ and strip malls at 30$. Found
    this interesting, must antisipate an alarming volume.

    2) This NYC Pizza thing is like the Energizer Bunny. I hope
    on the NY site(s) their arguing whose got the best Chicago
    Style Deep Dish. That said, Santulo's has a fine product &
    I'm looking forward to my next couple slices. Head & shoulders
    better the the cardboard slice crap available locally prior.

    Santullos.com
    1943 W. North Ave. 773 227 7960

    Terrible parking though
  • Post #11 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:32 pm
    Post #11 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:32 pm Post #11 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:32 pm
    The DeBartolo's are Nabledan' by way of Y'Town, so the pizza should be good according to the transitive laws of pizza expressed by some here. :)

    The former 49er's owner has far-flung interests.

    To put things in persepctive, there are only a handful of places in NY that have great NY pizza, so little surprise that we have fewer.

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned Follia, which might not count since it is only an Italian pizzaria and not a NY pizzeria.
  • Post #12 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:42 pm
    Post #12 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:42 pm Post #12 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:42 pm
    Maybe this is a typo, but JeffB, are you making a deliberate distinction between "pizzaria" with an A and "pizzeria" with an E?
  • Post #13 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:51 pm
    Post #13 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:51 pm Post #13 - February 22nd, 2005, 11:51 pm
    JeffB wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned Follia, which might not count since it is only an Italian pizzaria and not a NY pizzeria.


    Oh, yes it has. And guess who mentioned it?

    Nope. Not me, silly. :wink:

    Erik M.
  • Post #14 - February 25th, 2005, 2:38 pm
    Post #14 - February 25th, 2005, 2:38 pm Post #14 - February 25th, 2005, 2:38 pm
    first let me say that eating NYC pizza is like a religious experience for me. i used to live in Long Island and moved to the midwest as a kid, but went to NYC to visit grandparents 2-3 times a year. so for me, it goes way beyond taste..it's part of my history and is the ultimate nostalgia kick.

    personally i don't think you can find NYC pizza in chicago ..period. i've had some that came close...nice and thin w/a good nyc pizza-like flavor. like chitown pizza on division every now and then tastes sometimes close but they charge over $3.50 a slice! when i asked them why they charge so much they said 'rent' but dont' tell me they pay higher rent than all the pizza joints in NYC! and in NYC they charge like $2 a slice!

    and that's not to say you can't get decent NYC pizza outside of NYC (although i've heard some say that it's the NYC water, etc etc...i've heard these comments about NYC bagels as well and i don't buy it.). i've had fantastic NYC-style pizza on Venice Beach. *drool*
  • Post #15 - February 25th, 2005, 2:56 pm
    Post #15 - February 25th, 2005, 2:56 pm Post #15 - February 25th, 2005, 2:56 pm
    Not so quick!

    I'd put Gigio's cheese slice up against 98% of NYC Ray's or other corner slice-slapping joints there.

    Of course Chicago has no Patsy Grimaldi's (Brooklyn) but. . . .

    Gigio's Pizzeria
    4643 N. Broadway
    773-271-2273
  • Post #16 - February 25th, 2005, 3:04 pm
    Post #16 - February 25th, 2005, 3:04 pm Post #16 - February 25th, 2005, 3:04 pm
    Having grown up enjoying wonderful pizza in the Philly area, I have dwelled in this thin-crust wasteland for more than three years. Happily I lived in Uptown during my first two years and discovered Gigio's. It is the best pie in the city and certainly can compete with many fine East Coast establishments. My transplant friends are in total agreement.
  • Post #17 - February 25th, 2005, 3:14 pm
    Post #17 - February 25th, 2005, 3:14 pm Post #17 - February 25th, 2005, 3:14 pm
    Paul Tyksins wrote:Not so quick!

    I'd put Gigio's cheese slice up against 98% of NYC Ray's or other corner slice-slapping joints there.

    Of course Chicago has no Patsy Grimaldi's (Brooklyn) but. . . .

    Gigio's Pizzeria
    4643 N. Broadway
    773-271-2273


    Does Patsy Gramaldi's pizza look like this(as they claim)?
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #18 - February 25th, 2005, 3:37 pm
    Post #18 - February 25th, 2005, 3:37 pm Post #18 - February 25th, 2005, 3:37 pm
    Paul Tyksins wrote:Not so quick!

    I'd put Gigio's cheese slice up against 98% of NYC Ray's or other corner slice-slapping joints there.

    Of course Chicago has no Patsy Grimaldi's (Brooklyn) but. . . .

    Gigio's Pizzeria
    4643 N. Broadway
    773-271-2273



    i don't think Ray's is necessarily anything special as far as NYC pizza goes. in fact, i'd say it's subpar, but still better than 99.7% of the 'NYC' pizza you get out here.
  • Post #19 - February 25th, 2005, 4:20 pm
    Post #19 - February 25th, 2005, 4:20 pm Post #19 - February 25th, 2005, 4:20 pm
    [quote="AttentionWhore"]

    i don't think Ray's is necessarily anything special as far as NYC pizza goes. in fact, i'd say it's subpar, but still better than 99.7% of the 'NYC' pizza you get out here. [/quote]

    Agreed. Okay . . . I'll put Gigio's up against Lombardo's and Patsy's doesn't do slices.
  • Post #20 - February 25th, 2005, 5:06 pm
    Post #20 - February 25th, 2005, 5:06 pm Post #20 - February 25th, 2005, 5:06 pm
    stevez wrote:
    Paul Tyksins wrote:Not so quick!

    I'd put Gigio's cheese slice up against 98% of NYC Ray's or other corner slice-slapping joints there.

    Of course Chicago has no Patsy Grimaldi's (Brooklyn) but. . . .

    Gigio's Pizzeria
    4643 N. Broadway
    773-271-2273


    Does Patsy Gramaldi's pizza look like this(as they claim)?


    I'm not sure if this comment belongs in this thread or the original thread, but I think, in the spirit of Paul T's comment, that the pictured pizza don't look much like the typical NYC pizza either.

    Not that the pizza thing is not the least bit charming, but I think for one thing, people have to divorce standard NYC pizza from the Patsy's, John's, Totono's, etc. I really do not think these few remaining, grandfathered, coal oven pizzaria's are very repersentative of NYC pizza, or at least the typical neighborhood slice pizza that people seem to be clamoring for.

    Rob
  • Post #21 - February 25th, 2005, 5:57 pm
    Post #21 - February 25th, 2005, 5:57 pm Post #21 - February 25th, 2005, 5:57 pm
    Vital Information wrote:Not that the pizza thing is not the least bit charming, but I think for one thing, people have to divorce standard NYC pizza from the Patsy's, John's, Totono's, etc. I really do not think these few remaining, grandfathered, coal oven pizzaria's are very repersentative of NYC pizza, or at least the typical neighborhood slice pizza that people seem to be clamoring for.

    Rob


    That's interesting Rob. I was under the impression that those pizzas were EXACTLY what the New Yorkers were clamoring for.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #22 - February 25th, 2005, 6:15 pm
    Post #22 - February 25th, 2005, 6:15 pm Post #22 - February 25th, 2005, 6:15 pm
    stevez wrote:That's interesting Rob. I was under the impression that those pizzas were EXACTLY what the New Yorkers were clamoring for.


    While perhaps not, as Rob says, "very repersentative of NYC pizza, or at least the typical neighborhood slice," it certainly appears to be "EXACTLY" what these folks clamour for, and they only run the most widely read pizza-oriented site in the country.

    Erik M.
  • Post #23 - February 25th, 2005, 6:19 pm
    Post #23 - February 25th, 2005, 6:19 pm Post #23 - February 25th, 2005, 6:19 pm
    Vital Information wrote:I'm not sure if this comment belongs in this thread or the original thread, but I think, in the spirit of Paul T's comment, that the pictured pizza don't look much like the typical NYC pizza either.


    Rob,

    I wasn't asking if the pictured pizza is considered a typical NY style slice, but rather if the pictured slice looks like the slice you get at the NYC Patsy Gramaldi's.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #24 - February 25th, 2005, 7:14 pm
    Post #24 - February 25th, 2005, 7:14 pm Post #24 - February 25th, 2005, 7:14 pm
    Vital Information wrote:I think, in the spirit of Paul T's comment, that the pictured pizza don't look much like the typical NYC pizza either.

    Not that the pizza thing is not the least bit charming, but I think for one thing, people have to divorce standard NYC pizza from the Patsy's, John's, Totono's, etc. I really do not think these few remaining, grandfathered, coal oven pizzaria's are very repersentative of NYC pizza, or at least the typical neighborhood slice pizza that people seem to be clamoring for.

    Boy, do I wish there were an Original Ray's right around the corner from me. That being said, I would definitely prefer the old coal-fired brick oven pizzerias which make a better pizza. You can call it Euro-style, or whatever you want, but I see it as just a better quality version of NY-style pizza.
    there's food, and then there's food
  • Post #25 - March 3rd, 2005, 11:13 am
    Post #25 - March 3rd, 2005, 11:13 am Post #25 - March 3rd, 2005, 11:13 am
    On a related note, "The Best Pizza," at NYNewsday.com.

    Erik M.
  • Post #26 - March 4th, 2005, 5:16 pm
    Post #26 - March 4th, 2005, 5:16 pm Post #26 - March 4th, 2005, 5:16 pm
    AttentionWhore wrote:and that's not to say you can't get decent NYC pizza outside of NYC (although i've heard some say that it's the NYC water, etc etc...i've heard these comments about NYC bagels as well and i don't buy it.). i've had fantastic NYC-style pizza on Venice Beach. *drool*


    Well, I don't know if the water can be attributed to making the NYC pizzas and bagels so especially tasty, but New York's tap water is the best tasting I've ever had. I remember reading one of Jeffrey Steingarten's articles on what makes the water there so good. I thought it was kind of silly till I went there myself in December. One taste and I was hooked. Yes, I was hooked on tap water. So I actually might believe the argument that it's the water that makes the dough so good....

    I'm surprised they don't bottle and sell the stuff to other states. Sure beats what we're getting from Lake Michigan.
  • Post #27 - March 4th, 2005, 9:42 pm
    Post #27 - March 4th, 2005, 9:42 pm Post #27 - March 4th, 2005, 9:42 pm
    Interesting. I'm not originally from Chicago so I have no vested interest in who has the best water. A longtime friend of mine born and raised in the Bronx was blown away by Chicago water when he moved here. He just loved it and said NY water was not nearly as good. I find Chicago water pretty good myself but I'm easy and I've only had NY tap during very infrequent visits. As much as I moved around the only place I found where the water was just really, really, BAD was when we lived in So. California. We had to get the delivered water service it was so bad.

    Water can and does make a very big difference in beers and spirits so it's not out of the question that it could make a difference in a food product like pizza dough but I would have to admit to skepticism that it is the key item.
    Objects in mirror appear to be losing.
  • Post #28 - March 5th, 2005, 1:28 pm
    Post #28 - March 5th, 2005, 1:28 pm Post #28 - March 5th, 2005, 1:28 pm
    I don't buy the water thing either. Pizza quality in Chicago is low because in Chicago pizza is generally associated with low end fast food. I'm pretty sure the "bad pizza is like bad sex, its better than none at all" line originated here (ok, I have no idea but it sounds like it should have).

    I grew up here and pizza is considered junk food--or at best an easy way to feed a lot of mouths. In New York people seem to be a lot more passionate about pizza, which is what accounts for the higher quality. It's all about supply and demand. Pizza isn't new. And it's really not THAT hard to make better pizza (use better ingredients!). If consumers demanded better pizza, somebody would make it. But when the average Chicagoan has never had fresh mozzerella on his pizza, why bother? Why take the extra time to make better sauce when nobody cares as long as they can feed their kids for $12?

    In a town that is supposedly known for it's pizza, how many places can WE (LTH, the enlightened) agree are outstanding (where you'd drive an out of town guest 20 miles to get to if necessary)? Five? Ten?

    I'm not saying there aren't a lot of places I'll eat and can say I enjoy, but the only places I'd tout as being truly outstanding and worthy of a trip would be Old Chicago on 79th, Aurelios and Pequods. And I would take somebody hankering for NY style slices to Gigios.

    So few places in a pizza town? Contrast that with ten or so Middle Eastern, a gazillion Mexican places and countless other restaurants that I consider worth a trip for. And contrast that with the 10 or so pizza places that I've been to in NY that truly blew me away (I've been to about 25 other places that were merely really good)(and keep in mind I live in Chicago and only visit NY once in a while).

    Bottom line is that it's not the water. And it's not that we don't know how to cook in Chicago either. Pizza is a means to an end in Chicago. To go from hungry to not hungry and, for 99% of the population, nothing more.
  • Post #29 - March 5th, 2005, 2:44 pm
    Post #29 - March 5th, 2005, 2:44 pm Post #29 - March 5th, 2005, 2:44 pm
    CMC wrote:I don't buy the water thing either. Pizza quality in Chicago is low because in Chicago pizza is generally associated with low end fast food. I'm pretty sure the "bad pizza is like bad sex, its better than none at all" line originated here (ok, I have no idea but it sounds like it should have).

    I grew up here and pizza is considered junk food--or at best an easy way to feed a lot of mouths.


    You are clearly misguided. :x Chicago is a great pizza town. We're famous for it. Don't appologize for what we have here simply because it's different from somewhere else. NY & Chicago both have their fans. Both are good. Both are different. I'm a Chicago pizza advocate, but I have come to realize that those who prefer NY style have merit as well. I just don't subscribe to the "Chicago is the Second City" concept when it comes to our pizza.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #30 - March 5th, 2005, 4:09 pm
    Post #30 - March 5th, 2005, 4:09 pm Post #30 - March 5th, 2005, 4:09 pm
    Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Chicago-style pizza. I just happen to think it's slopped together carelessly with poor ingredients usually. There are a few places that do it well, and I listed them as places I would take somebody. My favorite Chicago places are decidedly Chicago-style.

    I know Chicago is a pizza town. And yes, we are famous for it (and just for arguments sake, NY is famous for crime. But a visit to NYC or a glance at crime statitstics will show you that NY is the probably the safest big city in the country--so being famous doesn't mean it's accurate). I think we deserve to be famous for it since it's a very unique thing that is ubiquitous here. I just think the QUALITY is missing as a general rule.

    My main point, which I suppose I didn't really make that clear is that, in Chicago, the sins that Chicago-style pizza makers commit are the same that NY-style pizza makers make. Namely crappy/cheap/flavorless cheese, generic sauce (which might contain one dry herb of choice permeating the entire pizza) and just absolute lack of care in the crust.

    My secondary point is that this goes on because most people just don't care. I can't think of another reason besides lack of caring. I refuse to believe there is a pizza-maker conspiracy to keep costs down by making sure everybody uses the same crappy ingredients.

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