Did You Know About The Third Style Of Chicago Pizza?

The term "Chicago Style Pizza" can cause arguments as long and as passionate as anything else related to Illinois.

You traditionally have two main sides to the argument.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

The kind of pizza that Chicago is known for. Every sporting event televised from Chicago needs to have some b-roll of somebody tearing into a massive slice of Chicago deep dish pizza.

It's excellent. Uniquely Chicago. But ultimately something people from Illinois only have about once a year.

Everyone has their favorite deep dish pizza spot. Most of them are fine, a few are actually really good. All of them make you want to take a nap after 1.5 pieces.

The majority of pizza eaten in Chicago and most of Illinois is quite a bit lighter but just as iconic.

Chicago Tavern Style Pizza

With a firm crust that will hold up to more cheese than traditional pizzas, a zesty, thick sauce, and always cut into squares, the Chicago tavern style pizza is instantly recognizable to those who grew up in the area and a possible mystery to out of towners.

People are FAR more particular about their favorite place for a tavern style pizza versus a deep dish pizza. Every pizza place has their own special blend of cheese, special addition to their sauce, or maybe even a magical 100 year-old pizza oven that gives each tavern style pizza a unique flavor.

Then along comes the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company in 1972 and invents a whole new style of pizza; the pizza pot pie.

If you like a deep dish pizza but wish it had more of a "cheese soup" feel to it, this might be the "pizza" for you.

The description from their website:

The Pizza Pot Pie is an individual serving, "made from scratch" with triple-raised Sicilian bread type dough; a homemade sauce consisting of olive oil, fresh garlic, onions, green peppers, whole plum tomatoes and a special blend of cheeses; sausage made from prime Boston butts; and doorknob-size, whole, fresh mushrooms.

There is shortage of YouTube videos documenting this very Instagrammable Chicago delicacy.

In addition to the pot pie pizzas, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder is also famous for their sandwiches and huge Mediterranean bread.

Don't expect a quick visit to Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder. Pizza pot pies take at least 30 minutes to make and an hour wait on busy nights is not uncommon.