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Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Gold Coast

Item: Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - Gold Coast
Author: Jacky Runice

Cuisine: American, European, Italian, Pizza

Price Range: $$

10Best Says

Family-led Lou Malnati's Pizzeria has been turning out the definitive Chicago style deep dish pizza since 1971 in Lincolnwood and today there are 50 locations in the Chicago area and two in AZ (Cubs' spring training fans have to eat somewhere). Practically every neighborhood pizzeria offers a pan style pie, but Lou's remains the arbiter of Chicago style. Every pizza is handmade from scratch using the family's secret recipe for flaky, buttery crust but that's not all: the Malnati team hand selects California tomatoes, the exclusive sausage blend covers the entire disc and the fresh mozzarella comes from the same small dairy that has supplied Malnati's forever. If you don't go deep, order a thin and you'll still get a sense of that incredibly flaky crust. Start with the robust Malnati salad: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms, salami bits and Gorgonzola cheese with sweet vinaigrette and Romano cheese.

Address:

1120 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 725-7777

Hours:

Sun-Thu: 11am-Midnight
Fri-Sat: 11am-1am

Website:

loumalnatis.com

EXPERT TIPS BY: Jacky Runice
Chicago Local Expert

Pizza: "Their "Tastes of Chicago" mail-order business will let you ship frozen deep dish pizzas to anywhere in the U.S."

Best for Pizza Because: Born in Chicago, Lou Malnati's remains the model to which all other deep dish pies must compare.

EXPERT TIPS BY: Jamie Bartosch
Chicago Local Expert

Best Value: "The wait for a deep-dish pizza can be up to 45 minutes, so call and place your pizza order in advance. That way it'll be waiting for you."

Recommended as Best Value Because: The deep dish pizza is among the best in Chicago.

EXPERT TIPS BY: Megy Karydes
Chicago Local Expert

Take Out: "Add the Lou Malnatti salad - its Sweet Vinaigrette dressing is so popular that it's now available in a bottle."

Best for Take Out Because: This old-school pizza shop knows a thing or two about pies and locals swear by the place's deep-dish crust which showcases all manner of toppings.