Best Trendy Pizza Restaurants in Chicago
46 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Quartino Ristorante
High-volume Italian small-plates house with hand-cut pasta and late hours.
Notable Picks
8.9
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Business Lunch Power Players
Trendy Table Hotspots
Since 2005, Quartino has operated as River North’s all-purpose Italian enoteca, turning out housemade pastas, Neapolitan-style pizzas, and antipasti in a loud, always-busy room. Enormous multi-platform review volume and steady crowds at nearly all hours make it a default choice for groups wanting shareable Italian without formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Tagliatelle bolognese, Salumi and cheese board
What Makes it Special: High-volume Italian small-plates house with hand-cut pasta and late hours.
8.9
A Neapolitan-focused pizzeria where the crust is the headline—soft center, blistered edge, and toppings that stay disciplined. Locals come for classic pies and a steady rotation of Italian imports, and it’s one of the most reliable “pizza night, no regrets” rooms in this part of town.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Prosciutto e rucola pizza, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: Neapolitan technique that stays consistent at very high volume.
#3
Alla Vita
8.8
A West Loop Italian room built around house-made pastas, wood-fired pizza, and share-first ordering that keeps the table moving. The strongest play is one pasta lane plus one wood-fired starter, then stop before the order sprawls. It’s best for a dress-up dinner that still feels lively and current.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni alla vodka, Wood-fired meatballs, Ricotta dumplings
What Makes it Special: House-made pasta plus wood-fired pizza in a modern West Loop room.
8.8
A Hyde Park destination for Neapolitan-style pies and pastas, built around a blistered crust and classic topping combinations. It’s a sit-down spot with enough polish for a proper night out while still working as a straightforward “one pie + one salad” dinner plan.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita, Diavola, Nella D.O.P.
What Makes it Special: Neapolitan-style pies with a true airy-chewy, high-heat crust profile.
8.7
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe in Ravenswood is a New York–style slice shop where big, blistered pies and Sicilian squares fuel families, Little League teams, and neighborhood regulars. Lines move quickly, service is friendly at the counter, and the room stays casual enough for kids while still drawing serious pizza fans from around the city.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pepperoni slice with hot honey, Sicilian square cheese slice, Garlic knots
What Makes it Special: NY-style slices and Sicilian squares that stay kid-friendly but destination-worthy.
8.6
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
A flagship Gold Coast stop for Chicago-style deep dish with a butter-crust profile and a dining room built to handle volume. It’s at its best when you commit to one signature pie, keep toppings classic, and let the long-running system do what it does reliably.
Must-Try Dishes:
Deep Dish Pizza, Lou Malnati's Original, Malnati Chicago Classic
What Makes it Special: Flagship Chicago deep dish with a butter-crust signature and proven consistency.
8.6
A modern casual-Italian cafe built around slice-and-go Sicilian bakery pizza plus a deeper bench of panini, pasta, and gelato for a full meal. It works best when you treat it like a “pizza first, sweets after” stop—grab a couple slices, then finish with gelato before you roll out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Vodka Burrata slice, Panzerotti
What Makes it Special: A slice counter that pairs bakery-style pizza with a serious gelato lineup.
8.6
Paulie Gee's Logan Square turns out wood-fired pies and Detroit-style "Logan Squares" from a lively corner room on Milwaukee. Owner Derrick Tung’s menu layers classic Neapolitan technique with creative toppings and a strong vegan program, making it a go-to for serious pizza fans and mixed-diet groups alike.
Must-Try Dishes:
US Pizza Cup Winner Detroit Square, Carnivore: Prohibited Pepperoni, The Fungus Among Us
What Makes it Special: A destination for wood-fired and Detroit-style pies under one roof, run by an award-winning pizzaiolo.
8.6
Paulie Gee’s Wicker Park runs like a classic New York slice shop, slinging 20-inch pies and creative slices into the early-morning hours on weekends. It’s where neighborhood regulars and industry folks end the night with hot honey-drizzled pepperoni or crisp grandma squares.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hellboy Pepperoni Slice with Hot Honey, Vodka Roni White Pie, Garden Party Veggie Slice
What Makes it Special: NY-style slices and 20-inch pies served counter-style until bar close on weekends.
#10
Siena Tavern
8.6
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Girls Night Out Approved
Birthday & Celebration Central
Business Lunch Power Players
Siena Tavern leans into a loud, party-friendly take on modern Italian, pairing housemade pastas and pizzas with big-format cocktails and a DJ-adjacent vibe. Since 2013 it has anchored Kinzie’s going-out strip for groups who want sharable plates and a social scene in one stop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wagyu beef meatball, Rigatoni alla vodka, Gnocchi with truffle cream
What Makes it Special: High-energy Italian spot where big meatballs, pizzas, and cocktails drive the night.
8.5
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
Family Friendly Favorites
A destination-worthy pizza shop known for doing both deep dish and thin crust with real seriousness. It’s the kind of place where a simple plan wins—commit to one style, add one salad or appetizer, and let the pie be the whole point.
Must-Try Dishes:
Deep dish pizza, Tavern-style thin crust, Italian beef + giardiniera pizza (specialty pie)
What Makes it Special: A serious Chicago pizza house for both deep dish and thin crust.
8.5
Bungalow by Middle Brow is a bakery-brewery hybrid where long-fermented sourdough pan pizzas share space with house beers and natural wines. National press and local regulars treat it as both a casual neighborhood hang and one of the city’s more thoughtful approaches to dough, fermentation, and toppings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mushroom Pizza, Hot Honey Pizza, The Big Salad
What Makes it Special: A sourdough-driven pan-pizza program inside a brewery-bakery that’s earned national best-pizza attention.
#13
Coalfire Pizza
8.5
A Southport Corridor staple built around coal-fired pies with char and chew, more sit-down than slice-joint. The best experience is one signature pie for the table and a single supporting dish—everything else is diminishing returns.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Prosciutto arugula pizza, Sausage and giardiniera pizza
What Makes it Special: Coal-fired crust with reliable char and structure.
#14
Bob's Pizza
8.4
A Pilsen counter-service shop built around its signature “Pilsen-style” crust—foldable like New York, but with a puffed, bubbly edge that eats closer to a hybrid of styles. It’s strongest when you commit to one specialty pie and let the dough do the talking, especially on higher-contrast combinations that show off the bake.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pickle Pizza, Korean BBQ Chicken Pizza, Spinach Pesto & Stracciatella Pizza
What Makes it Special: Beer-in-the-dough “Pilsen-style” crust with a distinctive puffy edge.
#15
Coalfire Pizza
8.4
Coal-fired thin crust with a charred edge and topping combinations that lean modern without losing Chicago comfort. The move is to build the table around one white-leaning pie and one red-sauce classic so the crisp, blistered bake stays the headline. It’s casual, busy in the middle, and most rewarding when you eat it hot.
Must-Try Dishes:
White Pizza, Pepperoni & Whipped Ricotta Pizza, Pistachio Pesto Pizza
What Makes it Special: Coal-fired thin crust that delivers blistered char with creative, balanced topping builds.
8.4
Eduardo's Enoteca is a compact Gold Coast wine bar where thin-crust pizzas, pastas like spicy vodka gnocchi, and a focused Italian wine list anchor candlelit evenings. Locals use it as a neighborhood date spot or a first-stop for drinks and small plates before heading deeper into downtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hot Honey Pizza, Spicy Vodka Gnocchi, Burrata with Roasted Tomatoes
What Makes it Special: Intimate enoteca with shareable pizzas, house pastas, and a serious wine focus.
8.4
Forno Rosso brings VPN-style Neapolitan pies to Randolph, with blistered, soft-centered crusts and D.O.C.-leaning toppings baked in a roaring wood oven. Diners lean on it for sit-down dinners that feel more Italian trattoria than bar, with a deep pizza section plus antipasti and wine.
Must-Try Dishes:
Caputo Cup Winning Datterino pizza, Margherita pizza, Tre Carne pizza
What Makes it Special: Certified-style Neapolitan pizzas with imported ingredients and serious oven work.
8.4
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
A modern deep-dish specialist built around a focaccia-leaning, fermentation-forward crust that lands crisp at the edges and airy through the middle. It’s best when you commit to one flagship pie and keep toppings intentional so the bake stays structured and the slice holds clean.
Must-Try Dishes:
Deep dish pizza, Halas Classic deep dish, Ricotta add-on
What Makes it Special: A deep-dish style that trades heaviness for a crisp, airy, focaccia-like crust.
#19
Homeslice
8.4
Homeslice is a high-energy pizza-and-patio hangout near DePaul, built around playful toppings, cocktails, and a crowd that treats it as a standing meetup spot. With a big all-season patio and shareable pies, it functions more as a social hub that happens to serve solid, crowd-pleasing pizza.
Must-Try Dishes:
The 312 pizza, Clay Bacon pizza, Goat cheese marinara with bread
What Makes it Special: High-energy pizza bar with creative pies, a big patio, and playful service.
#20
Munno
8.4
A laid-back room with serious execution—Roman-leaning pizzas plus house-made pastas that keep it from being a one-trick pizzeria. It’s strongest when you split one oblong pizza and add one pasta, letting the kitchen show range without over-ordering.
Must-Try Dishes:
Diavola-style pizza, Mezze maniche alla carbonara, Squid ink spaghetti with clams
What Makes it Special: Bib Gourmand-caliber pizza and pasta in an unfussy neighborhood room.
#21
Nuovo Chicago
8.4
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Trendy Table Hotspots
An upscale kosher-dairy dining room where wood-fired-style pizzas and pasta come out built for sharing, making it an easy family dinner that still feels like a night out. The move is to order one pizza for the table, add a salad or appetizer, and let the service pace things so kids aren’t waiting forever between bites.
Must-Try Dishes:
Build Your Own 12" Cheese Pizza, Neapolitan-style specialty pizza (goat cheese + basil), Mozzarella sticks
What Makes it Special: Upscale kosher-dairy Italian where pizza night can feel polished.
#22
Pizza Lobo
8.4
Pizza Lobo is a New York–style slice and pie shop with a large patio, fire pits, and a full bar that stays busy with families, groups, and fans of The Bear. Long-fermented dough, creative topping combinations, and counter-service ordering make it an easy, high-energy choice for parents who want good pizza and room to spread out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Borgata pizza with pepperoni, basil, and Calabrian chile honey, Bye Felicia pizza with pepperoni, ricotta, and hot honey, Spicy chopped salad
What Makes it Special: NY-style pies, slices, and a big patio that’s as popular with families as with bar crowds.
8.4
Perched along the riverwalk, Pizzeria Portofino focuses on hand-stretched pizzas, coastal-leaning salads, and spritzes with a strong patio-first mentality. The combination of waterfront views, shareable pies, and approachable pricing makes it a go-to for casual Italian lunches and group dinners in warm weather.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Charred pepperoni pizza, Mediterranean salad
What Makes it Special: Riverfront pizza and spritzes with a resort-like patio setting.
#24
PIZZ'AMICI
8.3
A focused, tavern-leaning pizzeria where the room feels like it’s built for long hangs and one-size pies done with intent. The crust runs cracker-thin and crisp, supporting Chicago-favorite toppings without turning soggy or heavy. Best results come from a tight order: one signature pie, one salad, and stop there.
Must-Try Dishes:
Halal Pepperoni Pizza, Italian Beef & Giardiniera Pizza, Mushroom Pizza
What Makes it Special: Cracker-thin, tavern-style pies in a small, energetic, reservation-driven room.
8.2
Dicey’s Pizza & Tavern is a West Town bar built around ultra-crisp tavern-style pies, cheap beer, and a busy patio that runs into the late evening. It’s a go-to when you want thin, square-cut pizza and a couple drinks without leaving the neighborhood.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic Pepperoni Tavern Pizza, Cacio e Pepe Tavern Pizza, Peppy Boy Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza
What Makes it Special: Tavern-style pies and cheap beer in a bar built for hanging out.
8.2
An Old Town Neapolitan-leaning spot where the pizzas read more chef-driven than basic, with a menu that invites a couple of shared plates alongside your pie. The best experience comes from ordering one signature pizza and one starter, then letting the table pace itself.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita, Tartufata, Pistachio Pesto
What Makes it Special: Neapolitan-leaning pizzas with a more chef-driven topping play than average.
#27
Millennium Hall
8.2
A polished, park-adjacent restaurant setting where Neapolitan-leaning pizza is a real anchor rather than an afterthought. It works best as a full-service reset—order a pizza, keep the table’s sides minimal, and let the crust-and-sauce balance carry the meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Neapolitan pizza, Margherita-style pizza, Pepperoni pizza
What Makes it Special: A Millennium Park setting with a legit pizza-and-drinks full-service rhythm.
#28
Paradise Park
8.2
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Trendy Table Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Paradise Park is a trailer-park-themed pizzeria and bar where tavern-style pies, frozen drinks, and loaded apps fuel loud nights on a sprawling patio. Groups use it for birthday parties and day-drinking sessions when they want playful pizza more than serious, quiet dining.
Must-Try Dishes:
Special K Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Party Boi Pizza
What Makes it Special: Party-forward patio destination for loaded pizzas, drinks, and kitschy décor.
#29
Pizza Amelia
8.2
Pizza Amelia is a small, family-owned slice shop in Roscoe Village named after the owners’ daughter, turning out East Coast–style 16-inch pies and slices. With a few counter seats, friendly owner-run service, and Italian ice for dessert, it’s a low-key move for families grabbing pizza to bring home to movie night.
Must-Try Dishes:
16-inch cheese pizza, Sausage and pepperoni pizza, Italian ice
What Makes it Special: Owner-operated East Coast slice shop where families are remembered by name.
8.2
A wood-fired, Neapolitan-leaning spot where the crust is the headline and the toppings stay classic. Go simple: a Margherita or Diavola, then add one starter so the pizza stays the focus.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita, Diavola, Arancini
What Makes it Special: A wood-burning oven approach that keeps Neapolitan pies crisp and light.
8.1
A Lincoln Square counter-style spot pairing Roman-influenced pizza with a coffee program, built around fermentation-driven dough and crisp, structured slices. It works best as a focused pizza mission—one signature pie, one focaccia-based sandwich, and you’re out before it gets busy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Roman-style pizza slice, Focaccia sandwich, Espresso drink
What Makes it Special: Roman-style pizza and coffee built around fermentation-focused dough work.
8.1
A loud, social Old Town bar-restaurant where pizza is the anchor for groups who want a high-energy hang. It shines when you treat it like a party table: one signature pie, one salad, and drinks that match the room’s momentum.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dime Piece Pizza, Trixie Salad, Jalapeño Homies
What Makes it Special: High-energy Old Town scene with pizza built for group ordering.
8.1
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A Neapolitan-leaning pizzeria and wine bar that’s easiest to use as a sit-down pizza stop in the Loop, especially when you want something more polished than a slice counter. Keep the order tight—one pizza plus a starter—and you’ll get the best balance of speed, texture, and table comfort for families.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pizza, Bruschetta, Homemade gnocchi
What Makes it Special: Neapolitan-style pizza in a more comfortable, sit-down Loop setting.
8.1
Pizza Friendly Pizza is a carryout window and alley patio specializing in thick Sicilian squares with slow-fermented dough and inventive toppings. It’s the move when you want one or two serious slices with drinks in the courtyard rather than a full sit-down meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pepperoni & Basil, Sausage & Giardiniera, Miso & Mushroom (Vegan)
What Makes it Special: Sicilian pan slices from a rock-and-roll alley window and patio.
#35
Dimo's Pizza
8
A slice-shop built for big flavors—creative topping combos, vegan-friendly options, and a fast, casual rhythm that fits the neighborhood. It’s strongest when you treat it like a curated sampler: two slices that cover one classic and one wild-card.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mac and cheese pizza slice, Chicken and waffles pizza, Elote-style slice
What Makes it Special: A slice counter where inventive toppings and vegan options are core, not an afterthought.
#36
Novel Pizza Cafe
8
A pizza-and-coffee room that leans tavern-style and pan pizzas with a modern topping sensibility, built for casual dine-in or takeout. It hits best when you pick one tavern-style pie for crisp bite, then add a pan slice for contrast in chew and caramelization.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tavern-Style Pizza (longanisa + giardiniera), Hot Pepperoni Pan Pizza, Calzone
What Makes it Special: Tavern and pan pizzas in a coffee-cafe format that actually works.
#37
Pizza Art Cafe
8
A neighborhood Italian cafe anchored by wood-fired pizza, with a menu that goes beyond the basics into shareable starters and composed plates. The best move is to start with a small appetizer, then pick one classic pie and one more adventurous topping combo for range.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Bruschetta/crostini, Mushroom pizza
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired pizza at the core, with a broader Italian cafe menu.
8
Tucked into Armour Square, Stix n Brix runs a cozy pizza-and-cafe hybrid built around wood-fired pies, beer-dough tavern pizzas, and a short list of sandwiches and salads. It’s pricier than classic slice shops, but the crust work, topping quality, and ability to sit with a coffee or drink make it a solid value for a more modern, sit-down pizza night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pepperoni Pizza, Margherita Pizza, Hot Honey Hustle Pizza
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired and beer-dough pizzas in a small, cafe-style space that feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a typical slice joint.
Worthy Picks
7.9
A bar-forward pizza room built for hang time: pitchers, cocktails, and shareable pies that fit a casual, late-ish schedule. Treat it like a social meal—one tavern-style pie for the table, a second only if the room’s still hungry.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tavern-style pepperoni (square cut), Sausage + giardiniera pizza, Cheese pie with chile-honey-style finish
What Makes it Special: Bar energy first, with shareable pies that match the hangout vibe.
#40
Forno Mauri
7.8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A compact Printer’s Row pizzeria focused on Neapolitan-style pies with a more premium ingredient and wine-forward feel than a typical family slice shop. It’s best for a small family that wants a quick, high-quality pizza dinner—one pie per two people keeps it clean and avoids pizza overload.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita-style Neapolitan pizza, Daily pizza special, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: A small, modern Neapolitan-pie room that prioritizes ingredient-driven simplicity.
Authentic Neapolitan-style pizza crafted by Rossopomodoro-trained pizzaioli inside the 64,000 square foot Italian marketplace. Wood-fired 900°F ovens produce charred, elastic crusts with San Marzano tomatoes and creamy mozzarella.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita DOC, Diavola, Cacio e Pepe Pasta
What Makes it Special: Authentic Neapolitan pizza with imported Italian ingredients in a marketplace setting
#42
Pizza Cantina
7.8
A pizza bar format with a louder room and late hours—built for groups that want pizza plus drinks without turning it into a formal sit-down. The best orders lean into their Mexican-inspired topping lane, where the flavors read bold and the pies feel designed for sharing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Asada Pizza, Pastor Pizza, Margherita pizza
What Makes it Special: Pizza-bar energy with Mexican-forward pies meant for sharing.
7.8
A style-flexing pizza counter that leans into rich, topping-forward pies—especially on the thicker grandma/Detroit-adjacent end—more than minimalist slice-shop purity. When it hits, the balance of whipped ricotta, hot honey, and cupped pepperoni is the point. Keep your order tight and don’t overload on sides.
Must-Try Dishes:
Deluxe Pepperoni, Margherita, White Pie
What Makes it Special: Big-flavor pies where whipped ricotta and hot honey builds are the signature.
7.8
Yaya Mas is a bright, all-day Greek spot off Sheffield where gyros, spanakopita, and Greek-style pizzas share space with coffee drinks and late-night orders. Extended evening hours and a takeout-friendly setup make it a flexible option for filling, slightly upgraded fast-casual food after most neighborhood kitchens wind down.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pork Gyro Plate, Spanakopita, Ancient Greek Pizza
What Makes it Special: A modern Greek counter-service spot combining gyros, pies, and Greek-style pizza with genuinely late hours.
7.7
Dimo’s Logan Square continues the brand’s by-the-slice ethos with creative, often irreverent toppings on thin, foldable crust. It functions as both a quick counter-service stop and a late-night slice option for neighbors leaving nearby bars.
Must-Try Dishes:
The Mac Slice, Elote Pizza, Pep 2.0
What Makes it Special: A slice shop built around playful toppings—think mac-and-cheese and elote—aimed at quick, late-night, and post-bar eating.
7.6
Parlor’s West Loop flagship is a sprawling pizza-and-beer hang with big patios, TVs, and a long list of topped pies. It’s less about obsessing over dough and more about lively group hangs, happy hour deals, and post-work or weekend meetups built around shareable pizzas.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita Pizza, Sgt. Pepper pizza, Burrata Be Kidding Me pizza
What Makes it Special: Large patio-driven pizza bar where scene, drinks, and pizzas meet.