@JeffB: "Coalfire would be destination pizza in NY." I absolutely 100% agree.

With the caveat that I think JeffB is being a bit too harsh, as a New Yorker (I live there during the week; in Chicago weekends), I absolutely agree that in NYC Coalfire would be a destination place. I think its on par with John's of Bleeker Street.

JeffB wrote:I have never had a single good walking slice here,

JeffB, it's not NY-style but I really enjoyed the takeout slice I got from Armand's on Division. Very rich, full-fat flavor to the cheese, sauce that wasn't too sweet, crisp crust and juicy sausage. For NY style, the best I've had here was at Boiler Room.

I take it JeffB doesn't like Jimmy's pizza? That's a solid walking slice of NY style pizza in my book.

turkob wrote:I take it JeffB doesn't like Jimmy's pizza? That's a solid walking slice of NY style pizza in my book.

Regardless of style, terrific pizza!

The best NY pizza in the city is Tony and Bruno's in the Merchandise Mart. Superb dough and excellent ingredients. Don't hate on it because it's located in the Mart and give it a shot.

My wife and I just came back from Pizzeria Serio on Belmont. The margherita with added pepperoni and sausage was marvelous, floppy and foldable. Some of the best pizza that I have had in Chicago.

I love Serio. Great tip.

Wouldn't you consider Serio to be more Neopolitan than traditional NY pizza?

gullit wrote:Wouldn't you consider Serio to be more Neopolitan than traditional NY pizza?

No, IMHO, Serio is more like New York-style thin crust with big, floppy, foldable slices with bright tomato sauce rather than Nella/Spacca Napoli-like Neopolitan pizza with a watery center (inimical to that style).

ld111134 wrote:

gullit wrote:Wouldn't you consider Serio to be more Neopolitan than traditional NY pizza?

No, IMHO, Serio is more like New York-style thin crust with big, floppy, foldable slices with bright tomato sauce rather than Nella/Spacca Napoli-like Neopolitan pizza with a watery center (inimical to that style).

Serio is great, but it's neither Neapolitan nor New York.

deepdish wrote:In my humble opinion, the best NYC pizza in Chicago is:

1) Coalfire;

No doubt about that one - Coalfire is better than a number of the coal-fired pizzas I've had in NYC (certainly better than Totonno's and Grimaldi's). Haven't been to all of them, but I doubt too many would stand much higher than Coalfire.

The Chicagoan in me is partial to the "Meat" pizza there - how can you go wrong with sausage topped with more spicy pork products?

@Fredipusrex: My man- it's great to see you over here at LTHforum! From my own personal experience, Coalfire's sausage recipe is far superior to the "sweet sausage" used at Totonno's. I thought the crusts were similar at both places, but Coalfire's sausage is definitely better. I've never had sausage that good out East. Only here in Chicago (and Milwaukee, too). So with sausage that good, does that make Coalfire's sausage pizza a NYC pizza with a Chicago twist (i.e. great sausage)?

Good Eating As Always,

cpd007

The closest I've come to NY Neapolitan style pizza is Grimaldi's which I had yesterday in Denver, and twice in Vegas. I though it was a great pizza, but the sausage can't beat what they have at Coalfire (Bari Sausage right?). Not only that, but in addition to the fennel sausage, Coalfire uses whole milk mozzarella on their sausage pizza, not fresh mozzarella that Grimaldi's uses. I still get the original sausage pizza Coalfire had, not the current one that has more toppings on it. And always extra sauce on the side to dip my crusts in. One of the best.

Ram4 wrote:I was over at Dimo's Pizza on Clark after the Cubs game Saturday and I have to say that it was one of the best NY street style slices I've had in Chicago so far. I haven't had any that blew me away in my lifetime, but most have been pretty good. I've never been to New York proper to have the real thing, so I can only go by what New York transplants have served me, or locals trying their own attempt. I ordered a simple plain cheese slice and it was excellent, with a sweet sauce and I loved the crust. This place is a slice mecca, as they have tons of strange toppings and combos such as Chicken and Waffles Pizza (which is very popular), Spicy Chicken Taco, Tortellini, Portabello Pesto, or Mac N Cheese. The selection of specialty slices is impressive if you like variations, but you have to ask what the hell anything is because nothing is labeled. A chaotic small space where people eat and get out quickly. Totally for the bar crowds around the area.

Dimo's Pizza
3463 N Clark St
Chicago IL
773-525-4580
http://www.dimospizza.com/

Dimo’s Pizza, a Madison, Wisconsin-style pizzeria, plans to open a location at 4647 N. Lincoln,

https://chicago.eater.com/2021/9/28/226 ... ttractions

It's funny to see my old comments having just been to dozens of pizzerias on the East Coast this year and what my expectations for NYC style pizza was and now is. I haven't been back to Dimo's since 2014 apparently.

I don't think I'm saying anything too controversial, but Paulie gees now serves the best NY slice in Chicago. I don't think it's that close.

And I'm glad someone mentioned Tony and brunos at the mart many years back. Because of all the other mediocre options there, I've completed dismissed it. I will definitely try it next time I head to the office.

I figured Da Beef's recent roundup was part of the recent activity. Guess not.

Here it is fwiw: https://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2021/12 ... o.html?m=1

Zaza's Pizzeria on Clark and Barry is serving good NYC Style Pizza.

I had a couple of the slices of the White Cheese slice; which was made kinda 'gourmet' by adding blobs of Ricotta and fresh Basil; and it had been sitting around for a while. But it was still good enough that I want to go there and get a freshly made pie. They serve slices for a limited time only.

The cute thing is they have a kind of a Shrine built for Dolinsky's Pizza Book! I am guessing they are praying to be put on his tour! And the large Tomato cans they have for putting your pizza on the table are actually full. I have a feeling they will stop doing that once people like me start making away with those!

Zaza's Pizzeria
3037 N CLARK STREET
CHICAGO, IL 60657
(773) 661-6389

HOURS OF OPERATION
TUESDAY: 4PM-10PM
WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY: 12PM-10PM
SUNDAY: 12PM-9PM
MONDAY: CLOSED

bweiny wrote:I figured Da Beef's recent roundup was part of the recent activity. Guess not.

Here it is fwiw: https://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2021/12 ... o.html?m=1

This past May as a local warmup for my two East coast pizza related trips I went on in the fall (44 places - 7 of them twice) NY, NJ, Philly, New Haven, New England, etc) I went to the following for NY style slices:
Paulie Gee's Wicker Park
Paulie Gee's Logan Square
Craft Pizza
Cafe Luigi
Boiler Room
Gigio's Uptown
Jimmy's

Most were very good to great, with Cafe Luigi falling short (sauce was not that good). I wanted to try others but some were either not open or I had to order a whole pie and I was only doing slices. Now that I have had most of the best I can go back and re-evaluate plus try some more. Zaza's has my attention - especially the grandma slice.

Ram4 wrote:I wanted to try others but some were either not open or I had to order a whole pie and I was only doing slices. Now that I have had most of the best I can go back and re-evaluate plus try some more.

I'm not a big fan of NY-style, I appreciate it when I'm in Manhattan but don't crave or think about it much. I will however try the new one DeSalvo's on Central down the street from me once it opens. I'm sure you'll get to it regardless of my approval (maybe a nightmare could keep you away?).
http://www.desalvospizza.com/

There's an outpost of Brooklyn's Roberta's at the recently opened food hall on Washington just West of State. Not quite NY, not quite Neapolitan. Good but not great.

WhyBeeSea wrote:I don't think I'm saying anything too controversial, but Paulie gees now serves the best NY slice in Chicago. I don't think it's that close.

And I'm glad someone mentioned Tony and brunos at the mart many years back. Because of all the other mediocre options there, I've completed dismissed it. I will definitely try it next time I head to the office.

I remembered this and gave Tony and Brunos a try. It was fine but it doesnt belong in the conversation of best NY slices in town.

WhyBeeSea wrote:

WhyBeeSea wrote:I don't think I'm saying anything too controversial, but Paulie gees now serves the best NY slice in Chicago. I don't think it's that close.

And I'm glad someone mentioned Tony and brunos at the mart many years back. Because of all the other mediocre options there, I've completed dismissed it. I will definitely try it next time I head to the office.

I remembered this and gave Tony and Brunos a try. It was fine but it doesnt belong in the conversation of best NY slices in town.

No, it most definitely does not!

spinynorman99 wrote:There's an outpost of Brooklyn's Roberta's at the recently opened food hall on Washington just West of State. Not quite NY, not quite Neapolitan. Good but not great.

And it's gone... I didn't even realize there was a Roberta's here until the guy at Kim's Uncle Pizza told me on Saturday. However, it seems to have closed. Too bad because I had Roberta's in Brooklyn back in July and it was amazing. They have a location in Culver City, CA which I will get to try this winter.

Has anyone tried the supposedly NY style pizza at the recently-opened Betty's in Oak Park? Does it come close?

Indianbadger wrote:Zaza's Pizzeria on Clark and Barry...

The cute thing is they have a kind of a Shrine built for Dolinsky's Pizza Book! I am guessing they are praying to be put on his tour!

It worked! Last time I was there, I bumped into Steve leading one of his pizza tours. Brett and Chadd are doing bang up business there (getting a big score from Portnoy didn't hurt either).

Zaza's is certainly in the top tier of NYC style pizzas in Chicago.

My current NYC rotation would be Paulie Gee's Wicker Park, Jimmy's Pizza Cafe, Coalfire, Craft Pizza, Zaza's, Professor Pizza. At the latter two, you can also get grandma pizza - and they are both great.