Chicago Tribune staff checked out pizza by the slice throughout Chicago and into the suburbs. They came up with a list of 10 great places and their favorites at each.
A red avalanche — that's what the sloping slice of vegetable stuffed pizza looked like to me at this Lakeview pizzeria. So I was surprised to find a buoyant, even springy, crust underneath all the sauce, cheese, spinach, onions and mushrooms ($3.95). "Pizza cake," a friend called it as I worked my fork and knife to get a gander at that crust, which was fully cooked and loaded with teeny-tiny air bubbles. I understood, at last, why deep dish done right appeals to so many.
3033 N. Ashland Ave., 773-327-5600, www.artofpizzachicago.com
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneCheese, pepperoni and sausage are the slice choices at this small, no-nonsense pizzeria in Pilsen. Maybe it was the neighboring table of young guys genially chowing down, but I immediately thought of this as dude pizza: Cheap ($3 per slice), with a thick, substantial crust liberally topped with sausage or pepperoni (or just plain cheese). The sausage was my favorite.
1244 W. 18th St. 312-773-1231, www.bennypizza.com
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneThis cash-only Logan Square watering hole offers the PB & J Special — a slice of pizza, a PBR tall boy and a shot of Jameson for $8.50, but the slices are good enough to be enjoyed solo. Try The Purist ($5), with rounds of fresh mozzarella baked into the tomato sauce, drizzled with a savory balsamic reduction and sprinkled with chopped fresh basil. (Love, too, the veggie slice with okra and peppers on it, $5.50).
2210 N. California Ave., 773-276-5625, www.boilerroomlogansquare.com
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneDon't be turned off by the Plain Jane name for this Wicker Park pizzeria's basic cheese pizza ($3), left, one of three varieties offered by the slice. (Try also the excellent sausage for $3.50.) Love the crisp, textured crust with its little touch of char from the oven. The sauce, neither too sweet nor tart, tasted like tomato — sounds easy but often difficult to achieve — and the cheese, billed as a mix of fresh mozzarella, pecorino Romano and grana padano, added a nice touch.
1252 N. Damen Ave, 773-442-7238, www.craftpizzachicago.com
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneGreen curry and chicken seems odd on a pizza, but the CM slice — named for Chicagoan and former WWE wrestler CM Punk — served at the Wicker Park location is a must-try. (That's it on the right, next to a mac and cheese-topped slice.) You notice first the smoldering curry heat bolstered by a deep, fruity smack of tamarind chutney. The diced chicken is more for texture, I think, but that's OK because I'm easily distracted by the other toppings: crunchy bits of fried onions, chopped fresh cilantro and jalepeno rings. ($4.50)
1615 N. Damen Ave., 773-525-4580, www.dimospizza.com
— Bill DaleyThis pizzeria, billed as Evanston's oldest, offers five different pizzas by the slice: cheese, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and vegetable (onion, green pepper and mushroom). The sausage is billed as housemade; the mushrooms are from River Valley Ranch, the Wisconsin mushroom farm. So my favorite slice of the night was a special ($3.50) offering both.
1001 Davis St., Evanston. 847-328-0990, www.gigiospizzaev.com
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneEvery table was taken on a Monday night at this tiny, no-nonsense Lincoln Square storefront. One look at the white garlic pizza ($3.65), and I understood. This pie, festooned with rounds of baked-in ricotta, was a subtle slice with the garlic cooked to a fine mellow richness. The crust is outstanding, with lots of texture and a bottom so crisp the feeble plastic cutlery bends in submission. (A goat cheese special with slivered basil and red pepper strips, $4.50, is another good choice, if available.)
5159 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-293-6992.
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribunePotatoes and rosemary on a pizza? Yes, indeed. This West Town pizzeria bills itself as serving "authentic Roman square pizza." Order the potato and rosemary slice ($3.50), and what arrives on a mini pizza paddle is a rectangle that has been cut into six bite-size squares. The crust is crackerlike crisp, the sliced potatoes are tender under their blanket of cheese, and the rosemary adds an aromatic zip.
1707 W. Division St., 773-278-1753, www.pizzametro.com
— Bill DaleyOrdering slices at this University Village/Little Italy restaurant is kind of like looking into a bakery's glass-fronted display case. Fitting, as that's how Pompei got its start in 1909, according to the menu. All sorts of square or rectangular slices are on display for you to choose. One pick that might be more unusual is the Pizza Pompei ($3.95), with its sturdy, thick dough topped with black olives and a tall layer of cooked tomatoes spliced with breadcrumbs.
1531 W. Taylor St., 312-421-5179, www.pompeiusa.com/taylor
— Bill Daley/Chicago TribuneThe Lincoln Park outpost of this pizza chain, near DePaul University, has to be a student's dream. The decor is minimal, the service basic and friendly, but the slices are both inexpensive and generous. The slice that grabbed me was the Margherita ($5.49). The sturdy crust was topped with tomato slices and basil leaves that appeared to have dried out in the oven's heat. Despite that, the slice (a server thoughtfully cut it in two for sharing) had a fresh quality.
2364 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-380-6616, www.theslicefactory.com
— Bill Daley