Best Pizza In The US: Which Chicago Pizzerias Made The Cut?

It's a hotly contested topic, and many consider Chicago and New York to be the top contenders. But this year, several other states are heating up the competition for the coveted title of best pizza in the U.S. This year, a dozen Illinois pizzerias made the cut for online foodie bible the Daily Meal's list of the 101 Best Pizzas in America. The Land of Lincoln gained three more spots on the list compared to last year.

But it wasn't Chicago deep-dish or New York-style pizza that took the overall top spot. This year's winner hails from Connecticut: After dropping to No. 3 last year, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven "has returned to the top of the heap, as we’re once again naming it the best pizza in America," the Daily Meal said.

Looking for a slice of heaven here in Illinois? Twelve local pizzerias made the cut:

No. 93: Burt's Place, 8541 Ferris Ave., Morton Grove. Named for founder and Chicago pizza legend, the late Burt Katz, Burt's was honored for its cheese pie. The beloved eatery reopened this year after closing in 2015, and the Daily Meal calls its offerings "a more restrained Chicago deep dish — a thinner base, a sensible use of cheese and sauce" that comes with Burt's famous caramelized crust.

No. 76: Vito & Nick's, 8433 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, earned a spot with its sausage pizza. "In a city dedicated to deep-dish pies, this family-owned restaurant has been serving up thin-crust pizzas to Chicago residents since 1946," the Daily Meal notes.

No. 75: Nellcôte, 833 Randolph St., Chicago, was honored for its Sunnyside Up Organic Egg pizza with D.O.P., fontina, mozzarella and arugula. This pizza with a super-thin crust "will probably sound as runny, luxurious, and delicious as it actually is," The Daily Meal says.

No. 56: Pizzeria Uno, with various locations in and around Chicago, almost served up Mexican food, not deep-dish pizza. Founders Ike Sewell (a Texan) and Ric Riccardo rejected that plan after a sample meal made Riccardo sick; they launched the chain way back in 1943. The Daily Meal recognized the eatery for its Numero Uno with sausage, pepperoni, onion, pepper, mushrooms, chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella and Romano.

No. 55: Pizano's, 61 E. Madison St. and five other area locations, has ties to two other Chicago pizza legends. Rudy Malnati Sr. eventually partnered with co-founder Sewell over at Pizzeria Uno. While son Lou went on to found Lou Malnati's, brother Rudy Malnati Jr. launched Pizano's. The Daily Meal's pick at Pizano's? Rudy’s Special: Mozzarella, sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper.

No. 54: Giordano's, with 56 Chicago-area locations and shops in several other states, was another Chicago pizza creation. "It wasn’t enough for Chicago to invent its own deep-dish pizza style — no, they had to invent two. The recipe for Giordano’s stuffed pizza is one that the restaurant claims has evolved over more than 200 years," according to the Daily Meal. The site's pick was Mama Giordano's Italian Easter pie, "a double-crusted, ricotta-stuffed tradition."

No. 27: CoalFire Pizza, 1321 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago, earned a place on the list with its Margherita pizza. "You don’t expect pizza restraint in Deep-Dish City, but that’s what owners Bill Carroll and Dave Bonomi advise on the menu at their coal-oven Neapolitan pizzeria," the Daily Meal says.

No. 26: Spacca Napoli, 1769 W. Sunnyside Ave. in Chicago, got a spot in the top 30 for its Diavola pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, spicy salami, basil, Calabrian, chili powder and extra virgin olive oil. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Chicago — or your neighborhood. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

No. 24: Piece, a pizzeria and brewery at 1927 W. North Ave. in Chicago, got the nod for its white pie. The Daily Meal noted that in a city full of deep dish, "The haters protested, but they were soon at Piece eating this New Haven-style joint’s thin-crust red, plain (no mozzarella), and white (plain crust brushed with olive oil, diced garlic, and mozzarella) pizzas, all of which get at least a small piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano, oregano, and olive oil."

No. 16: Pequod's, 2207 N. Clybourn Ave., marks another spot on the list taken by a Burt Katz creation (prior to the launch of Burt's Place). The Daily Meal has this to say: "Pequod’s deep dish, known for its 'caramelized crust,' earns points for its chewy, crusty, quasi-burnt cheese crust that forms the outer edge of this cheesy casserole, adding a welcome degree of texture that probably wouldn’t be necessary if it weren’t nearly an inch thick." The Daily Meal gave Pequod's deep dish with sausage and pepperoni the nod.

No. 14: Gino's East, with locations in the city and suburbs, is another deep-dish entry on the list. "Gino’s may be the ultimate in Chicago deep-dish pizza, with a history dating back half a century (2016 marked 50 years)," the Daily Meal says. "The story starts with two taxi drivers and their friend who became frustrated with rush hour traffic and decided to open up their own pizza place just off the famed Michigan Avenue strip in downtown Chicago." The site picked Gino's cheese deep dish as its choice at the eatery.

No. 7: Chicago's Lou Malnati's, with multiple locations, took the top spot for all of Chicagoland. Like Pizzeria Uno and Pizano's, the eatery traces its roots to the Malnati family. The chain opened in 1971, and while founder Lou died just seven years later, the family kept his legacy alive. The Daily Meal praised Lou's Chicago Classic: Deep dish with sausage, crust made with butter and mozzarella. Back in 2013, heir to the pizza throne Marc Malnati fought for deep dish's honor after it was besmirched by former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart.

"We know that no list is perfect, least of all one involving a subject about which people feel as strongly as they do about pizza," writes The Daily Meal (click here to read the full story, which includes how the site picked the best). "Unlike many arbitrary lists, though — rankings diversified for the purpose of geographical engagement, 'expert' listicles chosen by a handful of New York City’s food writers — these rankings were approached methodically and comprehensively, and bring a great deal of pizza expertise to bear."

Also See: Chicago Jail Delivers Pizza By Inmates, For Inmates

Photo of a slice of deep dish at Pequod's/AP Photo/Caryn Rousseau