Chicago and New York may forever spar over whose pizza deserves the crown, but deep-dish lovers know the Windy City holds the real title. The inch-thick, cheese-on-the-bottom masterpiece has been part of Illinois food culture since the 1940s, and for anyone planning a pizza trip to Chicago, the list of must-visit spots is long… and delicious.

The Origins of Chicago Deep-Dish

Historians trace deep-dish back to 1943, when Ric Ricardo used cast-iron pans and southern Italian inspiration at Pizzeria Uno to create a pizza-meets-casserole hybrid. Today, that crispy edge and molten interior remain Chicago’s culinary signature.

Classic Spots Worth the Trip

Some restaurants have become bucket-list destinations for deep-dish fans. Burt’s Place in Morton Grove, praised by Anthony Bourdain, is

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