Most people think of Chicago-style pizza as deep-dish, but that’s not the only game in town. While deep-dish pizza is popular with tourists, thin-crust pizza is what Chicagoans are more likely to eat regularly. According to WBEZ, thin-crust pizza orders outnumber deep-dish and stuffed pizza orders 10 to 1 in this city. And tavern-style is Chicago’s signature thin-crust pizza. My sister Jane calls tavern-style “the pizza of my childhood memories.” For many of us Chicagoans, this is the pizza we grew up on.
So what makes a Chicago tavern-style pizza? The crust is cracker-thin, the toppings go under the cheese, the sauce and cheese go all the way to edge of the crust, and, perhaps most importantly, the pizza is cut into squares. It's called "tavern-style" because of the many taverns across the city that served this style of pizza starting in the late 1940s.
The cracker-thin crust makes the pizza easy to eat as a bar snack. The toppings go under the cheese to prevent them from sliding off and to avoid the pepperoni “cups” that often form as the pepperoni cooks. The sauce and cheese that go all the way to the edge of the crust make the perimeter of the pizza crispy and ensure that flavor is part of every bite. Finally, there's the square cut, which is also known as “party cut” for its popularity and convenience large parties. According to Rose Barraco George, cut squares make the pizza tavern-friendly. The small squares are easy to eat, you can easily serve yourself, and you can use a napkin instead of a plate. George is the daughter of Nick Barraco, who was likely the inventor of tavern-style pizza.
Nick Barraco’s parents ran Vito’s Tavern at 79th and Carpenter in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. According to George, Nick contacted his mother when he was serving in World War II and asked her to try making a pizza with a very thin crust. Once he returned home from the service, he perfected the recipe with his parents. The pizza was first served at the tavern in 1946.
Soon other establishments across the city would serve tavern-style pizza, including the Home Run Inn in Lawndale, Italian Fiesta Pizzeria in Hyde Park, and Candlelite Chicago in Rogers Park. Vito’s tavern would later move to the Ashburn neighborhood and be renamed Vito and Nick’s Pizzeria. My sister Jane fondly remembers Steve's and Livia's pizza on Pulaski Rd. in Humbolt Park, and there is a special place in my heart for Guy's Pizza in the same neighborhood.
Today, even Pizza Hut has jumped on the tavern-style bandwagon. This year it became the first global pizza chain to offer Chicago tavern-style pizza, and the new offering is available nationwide. Whether the pizza is actually any good, though, is up for debate.
Some other popular spots to grab tavern-style pizza include Pat’s Pizzeria in Lincoln Park, Flo and Santos in the South Loop, J. B. Alberto’s in Rogers Park, and Palermo’s of 63rd Street near Midway. Or you can make your own. This recipe that I tested out provides a good approximation of tavern-style pizza and doesn't require any fancy equipment. Personally, I prefer my tavern-style pizza with a liter of RC cola, just like they used to give you back in the day.
Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza
Based on recipes by Two Red Bowls and Delish
*Makes one 14-inch pizza
Supplies:
14-inch pizza stone or 14-in. cast-iron skillet
blender
Based on recipes by Two Red Bowls and Delish
*Makes one 14-inch pizza
Supplies:
14-inch pizza stone or 14-in. cast-iron skillet
blender
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 c. plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
6 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. canola oil
olive oil to brush over rolled-out dough
For the Pizza:
7 oz. canned whole tomatoes
1 tsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
All-purpose flour to dust working surface
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2-1/2 c. shredded low-moisture mozzarella, plus more as needed
3/4 c. grated Parmesan (optional)
Pizza toppings of your choice (optional)
For the Dough:
1 c. plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
6 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. canola oil
olive oil to brush over rolled-out dough
For the Pizza:
7 oz. canned whole tomatoes
1 tsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
All-purpose flour to dust working surface
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2-1/2 c. shredded low-moisture mozzarella, plus more as needed
3/4 c. grated Parmesan (optional)
Pizza toppings of your choice (optional)
Instructions:
For the Dough:
Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the water and oil in a small bowl.
Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture and stir until a dough comes together.
Flour your hands and knead the dough by hand until smooth and supple, about 5 minutes.
Shape into a round disk, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest on a cutting board for 30 minutes.
For the Pizza:
1. Place your pizza stone or cast-iron skillet on top of a long piece of parchment paper and trace around the edges with a pencil. This will help you roll out the dough to the correct size.
2. Drain the tomatoes. In a blender, process the drained tomatoes, olive oil, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add more salt to taste.
3. Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. If using a skillet, place it upside down in the oven.
4. Roll the dough out onto the parchment paper with the traced circle. Use the circle as a guide to help you roll the dough into a round disc that is a little smaller than the traced circle. Brush dough lightly with olive oil.
5. Ladle 4-1/2 tablespoons of sauce into the center of the dough. Using the back of the ladle, spread the sauce out to the edges of dough. Dust with oregano and red pepper flakes, if using. Add any toppings.
6. Cover pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan, if using, making sure the cheese reaches to the edges of the pizza.
7. Using the parchment paper to hold the pizza, carefully transfer the pizza to the stone or skillet in the oven. You can leave the parchment directly on the stone. Bake until the cheese is browned on top and slightly charred on the edges, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Cut off excess parchment paper.
Sources:
Monica Eng and David Hammond, Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites. 3 Fields Books, 2023.
Edward McClelland, “Tavern Style Isn’t Just Chicago’s Signature Pizza, but It’s Signature Food,” Chicago magazine (June 30, 2020).
“Pizza Hut Unveils New Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza and Toppings Transformation with Biggest Toppings Menu Overhaul in Over a Decade,” PR Newswire (June 18, 2024).
Monica Eng, “Curious City Presents: Get a Piece of This--9 Chicago Pizza Mysteries Solved,” WBEZ. interactive.wbez.org/curiouscity/pizza/
Jason Diamond, “Chicago’s Real Signature Pizza Is Crispy, Crunchy, and Nothing Like Deep Dish” Bon Appetit (July 22, 2019).
Justin Sullivan, “Chicago-Style Thin-Crust Pizza,” Delish (June 14, 2022).
"Cracker-Style Thin Crust Pizza," Two Red Bowls (February 3, 2016).
For the Dough:
Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the water and oil in a small bowl.
Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture and stir until a dough comes together.
Flour your hands and knead the dough by hand until smooth and supple, about 5 minutes.
Shape into a round disk, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest on a cutting board for 30 minutes.
For the Pizza:
1. Place your pizza stone or cast-iron skillet on top of a long piece of parchment paper and trace around the edges with a pencil. This will help you roll out the dough to the correct size.
2. Drain the tomatoes. In a blender, process the drained tomatoes, olive oil, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add more salt to taste.
3. Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. If using a skillet, place it upside down in the oven.
4. Roll the dough out onto the parchment paper with the traced circle. Use the circle as a guide to help you roll the dough into a round disc that is a little smaller than the traced circle. Brush dough lightly with olive oil.
5. Ladle 4-1/2 tablespoons of sauce into the center of the dough. Using the back of the ladle, spread the sauce out to the edges of dough. Dust with oregano and red pepper flakes, if using. Add any toppings.
6. Cover pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan, if using, making sure the cheese reaches to the edges of the pizza.
7. Using the parchment paper to hold the pizza, carefully transfer the pizza to the stone or skillet in the oven. You can leave the parchment directly on the stone. Bake until the cheese is browned on top and slightly charred on the edges, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Cut off excess parchment paper.
Sources:
Monica Eng and David Hammond, Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites. 3 Fields Books, 2023.
Edward McClelland, “Tavern Style Isn’t Just Chicago’s Signature Pizza, but It’s Signature Food,” Chicago magazine (June 30, 2020).
“Pizza Hut Unveils New Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza and Toppings Transformation with Biggest Toppings Menu Overhaul in Over a Decade,” PR Newswire (June 18, 2024).
Monica Eng, “Curious City Presents: Get a Piece of This--9 Chicago Pizza Mysteries Solved,” WBEZ. interactive.wbez.org/curiouscity/pizza/
Jason Diamond, “Chicago’s Real Signature Pizza Is Crispy, Crunchy, and Nothing Like Deep Dish” Bon Appetit (July 22, 2019).
Justin Sullivan, “Chicago-Style Thin-Crust Pizza,” Delish (June 14, 2022).
"Cracker-Style Thin Crust Pizza," Two Red Bowls (February 3, 2016).
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