Pizza Wars: Burt’s Place vs. Pequod's

Chicagoans may debate over whether the city’s best pie is made at Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s, but in Morton Grove the great pizza debate is between Burt’s Place and Pequod’s. We’re putting the two head to head, breaking down their strengths and weaknesses to determine the victor.

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Atmosphere

Both Burt’s Place and Pequod’s are tucked away in largely residential areas and you could drive right past them if you didn’t know what you were looking for.

Pequod’s features a small dining room with wood-planked walls and a pair of flat-screen TVs tuned to sports at 8520 Fernald Ave. It’s dimly lit, with Christmas lights dangling from the rafters. You can find crowds sitting outside the door waiting for tables or a pie to go. If you do call ahead, the place is actually quite good for groups as it is equipped with very long tables.

Intimate barely begins to describe the setting at Burt’s Place, which feels more like eating at someone’s house than at a restaurant. The place at 8541 N. Ferris Ave. is so tiny there’s not enough room to put the pizza on your table. You can easily hear what’s being chatted about by the one or two other groups eating nearby and even the radio playing in the kitchen.

Pequod’s is moving soon to bigger digs near the Morton Grove Metra station. However, I can’t imagine Burt’s Place ever expanding--despite the demand--because the space is too important to the experience.

Winner: Burt’s Place

Service

Our server at Pequod’s was friendly, attentive and professional. We did call ahead to place the pizza order, but were also recommended drinks and appetizers when we arrived, and both came out promptly.

The service at Burt’s Place adds to the unique experience. Sharon Katz, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband Burt, dishes out slices one at a time, chatting with customers about whatever pops into her head.

Winner: Draw

Pizza

Both restaurants serve up great pan pies made with caramelized crust. Burt’s Place owner Burt Katz operated Pequod’s before opening up his restaurant, and it shows in the food. Some will surely disagree, but I think Pequod’s not only serves better pizza than Burt’s, but offers the best deep dish pizza in the Chicago-area.

We ordered spinach, mushroom and garlic pies at both spots and both came loaded with toppings. The real differences were in the sauce, cheese and crust. I found the sauce at Burt’s Place to be too thin and sweet, something that was especially pronounced given how little cheese the slices have. The sauce is also on the sweet side at Pequod’s, but there’s plenty of cheese to cut the taste.

Burt’s Place’s greatest strength is its crust, which is crisp at the edges and fluffy in the middle. But Pequod’s crust was even better, super crunchy and lightly burnt at the edges. I’ve always fallen into the Giordano’s camp, but after my visit to Pequod’s I have a new hands down favorite pie.

Winner: Pequod’s

Overall: If you haven’t been to Burt’s Place, it’s well worth visiting for a dining experience unlike any other. But if you’re looking for a place to grab an excellent pizza, call Pequod’s.