America is known not only for its fantastic pizza but also for just how much it varies by region!
It seems like each coast (and even each city) has its own take on what the ideal version of this Italian-inspired culinary creation is meant to look and taste like.
There could hardly be a better example of this range of differences than between Chicago and New York pizza styles.
While one sticks close to its Neapolitan routes (just missing the basil off the Italian flag colors), the other is almost an entirely new meal – striking out on its own to bring American-style decadence to this European import.
In this article, you’ll learn all the major differences between these two ultimate pizza rivals, and maybe even decide which side you land on! We’ll cover everything you need to know to make your pick, including:
- An overview of New York and Chicago-style pizzas
- A detailed comparison of the crust, sauce, cheese, toppings, and overall flavor profile.
Are you hungry yet? Welcome to the Chicago vs. New York Pizza Showdown!
New York-Style Pizza
New York-Style Pizza originated from Italian immigrants to New York City in the late 19th and early 20th century.
It truly evolved in the 1900s, with the first pizzeria in America opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1905.
This type of pizza is closely based on Neapolitan pizza originating in Naples.
However, to make it more affordable – and to make up for the lack of fresh ingredients available at the time – this style of pizza was made with tomato sauce from canned tomatoes and grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese (rather than uncooked tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella).
While many modern pizza joints in New York and the East Coast now make Neapolitian-style pizza using fresh ingredients, the iconic traits of this delicious pizza remain: a crispy crust (but still foldable to work as street food), large, triangle-shaped slices, and a thick and melty layer of mozzarella.
Chicago-Style Pizza
Chicago-style pizzas (also known as deep-dish pizzas) are very different from NY-style pies, but are still loved by pizza fans everywhere!
It’s highly debated where they first originated, but many assert they were invented by Pizzeria Uno in 1943. However, some also claim deep-dish pizzas were being served at pizza restaurants in the city as early as the 1920s.
This hearty pizza is made in a cake pan or Chicago-style deep-dish pan rather than on a pizza stone. It features alternating layers of cheese, seasoned tomato sauce, and meat toppings.
There are also different styles of pizza popular in the city, including thin crust, tavern-style pizza, and stuffed pizza. However, when people say Chicago pizza, they normally think of the deep-dish version!
Key Differences between Chicago vs New York Pizza
So, what makes these pizza styles so different? Here are the main features that have pizza lovers so divided:
Crust
New York Pizza has a signature thinner crust that’s firm yet still doughy enough to create foldable slices that can be eaten on the go.
The pizza dough is usually made from high-gluten flour, which allows it to be hand tossed and stretched. The outer crust is chewy, a little puffy, and makes for a good hand-hold for your pizza slice.
Chicago deep-dish pizzas have a deeper, crispy crust with raised sides to accommodate the generous toppings.
This signature buttery crust comes from coating the pan before cooking so that the pizza comes out whole! The crust is a little firmer to hold all of the filling, which results from a slightly longer cooking time than New York pizzas.
Sauce
The pizzas from both of these American cities use similar sauces, most authentically from canned San Marzano tomatoes, salt, and other seasonings.
However, there are some key differences.
NYC-Style Pizza usually has a thin layer of tomato sauce that is seasoned differently depending on the pizza joint.
On the other hand, Chicago-style pizza has a thick layer of sauce on top of the cheese, layers of toppings, and a deep-dish crust. This sauce is also often chunkier and a little sweeter than in other types of pizza.
Cheese
Both types of pizza generally use milk mozzarella as their main cheese. The biggest differences in the types of cheese are in preparation and quantity.
Deep-dish pizza uses cheese slices along the bottom of the pie, while authentic NY-style pizza uses grated cheese in a thinner (but still generous) layer on top of the sauce.
However, more modern or high-end pizza joints may use fresh mozzarella cheese in balls or slices – mimicking a margarita pizza.
Different kinds of cheese are sometimes added to both types at the whim of the chef’s or the customer’s pizza preferences. Parmesan cheese is a frequent addition as well.
Toppings
While classic New York-style pies only have sauce and cheese, there are normally a lot of condiments such as oregano, red pepper flakes, or grated parm, to add to your street slice.
These (free) additions keep the meal cheap yet flavorful. Additionally, you can order numerous different toppings if you wish, with common choices including pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, black olives, and even anchovies.
Chicago-style pizza traditionally has three layers: cheese, toppings, and sauce. This makes it different from other types as the toppings are hidden under the sauce in most cases.
The topping layer is usually meat – preferably ground Italian sausage. However, pepperoni and hamburger are also popular meat choices.
The perfect pizza topping combo is really up to the customer at the end of the day, and most places will have a wide range for you to pick from.
Flavor Profiles
While New York pies still aren’t the lightest choice, they’re certainly less of a belly full than a Chicago slice!
They’re easier to eat – it would be near impossible to eat deep-dish while walking around the city – and have a fresher flavor profile.
Chicago-style pizzas are more decadent and filling, with mouthfuls of gooey, oozing cheese, sweet flavorful sauce, and savory toppings.
It’s harder to get crispy toppings as they’re cooked under the sauce, so your pepperoni or onions might be chewier than with a NY slice.
Which One to Choose, and Why?
At the end of the day, it’s totally up to you!
If you like a whole lot of cheese and don’t mind sitting down to eat, give deep-dish a try!
On the other hand, if you prefer fresh toppings and a less messy hand-held slice, it’s going to be “New York, New York” all day long.
If you can’t make up your mind and want both a thick bite and crispy cheese and toppings: have you heard of Detroit-style pizza? That might have to be a story for us to tell on another day…
As someone from Long Island, New York, Thomas knows what it takes to make a good pizza. He understands that it’s a combination of high-quality ingredients, well-rounded pizza ovens, and a little bit of love. From the dough of a Neapolitan-style pizza to the wood that powers a wood-fired pizza oven, he has you covered. Thomas’ love of pizza is what got him here and he hopes that you’ll enjoy pizza as much as he does soon.
