Over the years, critics have celebrated the Chicago food scene, particularly our pizza offerings. This isn’t a surprise because, yes, we love our pizza. Between the thick, buttery crust smothered in tomato sauce to the light, cracker-thin crust topped with gooey cheese. It’s a dish we’re constantly craving, and, lucky for us, it can be found in almost every corner of Chicago.
Recently, the NYT hailed Middle Brow Bungalow as having the best pizza in the country. However, other spots have seemed to find themselves on the top pizza list. According to a new ranking released by Yelp, five Chicago pizzerias are the top pizza spots in the Midwest.
The Midwest might be the most underrated place if you’re looking for the best pizza in the country (move over NYC); the region has given us the vital Chicago deep-dish pizza and luscious Detroit-style pan pizza, bold squares baked in steel pans with cheesy, caramelized crust.
The list includes well-known and often overlooked spots from Chicago: Pequod’s Pizza, Milly’s Pizza in the Pan, Zaza’s Pizzeria, Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana, and George’s Deep Dish. Pequod’s secured the third spot on the list, with Milly’s Pizza in the Pan coming in fifth.
Yelp writes:
Often hailed as prime examples of Chicago-style pizza, the legendary pies at Pequod’s—which ranked #1 on Yelp Elites’ Top 100 Pizza Spots for 2024—aren’t traditional deep-dish. The caramelized cheese crust is made by pressing a layer of mozzarella between the dough and a specially designed pan, then baking until it’s dark and bubbly.
As for Milly’s Pizza in the Pan, most Yelpers noted the fresh ingredients, a rich sauce that’s not overly sweet, and a perfectly crispy crust.
Top 15 Pizza Spots in the Midwest in 2024:
- Loui’s Pizza, Hazel Park, Michigan
- Futuro, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Pequod’s Pizza, Chicago, Illinois
- Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
- Milly’s Pizza in the Pan, Chicago, Illinois
- In Forno Pizza, Avon, Ohio
- Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza, St. Louis, Missouri
- Brittany’s Brick Oven Pizza, Madison, Indiana
- Dough Daddy’s Pizza, Westmont, Illinois
- Tasty Pizza, Omaha, Nebraska
- Santino’s Little Italy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Zazas Pizzeria, Chicago, Illinois
- Il Rione, Cleveland, Ohio
- Pie Sci, Detroit, Michigan
- Iechyd Da Brewing Company, Elkhart, Indiana
See the top 100 pizza spots here.