Clash of the Two Chicago Titans: Hot Dogs and Pizza
Which of these staples reigns supreme in the Windy City?
As one of the greatest and largest American cities, Chicago has a lot to offer—including its two best-known food dishes.
Chicago is a great food city with plenty of four-star restaurants and fare from around the world, but deep-dish pizza and dressed-up Chicago dogs are still the first things that come to mind when people think of the city’s signature food. But which famous Chicago food do locals love more—pizza or hot dogs? We set out to investigate, and after talking to food writers and critics around the city, the verdict is clear: They can’t decide. The foods are too different. Still, they have a lot to say about eating in the Windy City and what makes a good Chicago-style pizza or Chicago dog—and why choosing pizza vs. hot dogs depends on factors like time of day and your dining companions.
When it comes to Chicago-style pizza…
“Somehow the Chicago-style pizza seems more of an indulgence,” says David Hammond, Food and Drink editor at Newcity magazine. “I’ll grab a dog while I’m on the run (it’s almost impossible to find pizza by the slice in Chicago; this isn’t New York City), but if I’m sitting down to dinner, it’s going to be pizza sometimes but a dog never.”
Rosemary Lane, an area-based freelance food writer, agrees on this famous Chicago food. “Pies from Lou Malnati's or Pequod’s aren't meant to be enjoyed alone. You don’t throw one back at a baseball game (and still feel hungry after) the way you would with a Chicago-style hot dog. They’re meant to be enjoyed with company,” she says.
No visit to Chicago is complete without sampling Lou Malnati’s famous deep-dish style pizza. Photo Credit: Lou Malnati’s
Lou Malnati’s is the favorite deep-dish pizzeria among Chicago food critics we polled. “The crust is buttery and crackly, the tomato sauce sweet, the mozzarella stringy and the sausage hand-crafted in different shapes and sizes. The ’za is gooey and oozes on your plate, but it’s not soggy or wet. You need that thick crust to balance out the heaviness and heft of the pie,” Lane says.
Hammond points out that while this famous Chicago food is typically deep-dish style, the city also makes a great thin-crust pizza, which is actually his favorite. “There are few meals more enjoyable to me than a thin-crust Chicago pizza and a glass of red wine (never beer, which makes no sense—carb overload), the kind they serve at Vito & Nick’s on the Southside: crispy, tavern-style, not too cheesy and very satisfying,” he says.
And when it comes to hot dogs...
“A Chicago dog is the best kind of hot dog. Full stop,” says Sarah Sarka, who works at the Adler Planetarium but moonlights as a food connoisseur. Her criteria for judging this famous Chicago food comes down to three things:
- The toppings. “Everything is better with condiments and toppings, and the Chicago dog is the epitome of topping and condiment harmony. The brightest yellow mustard, neon relish, a pile of raw chopped onions, a chunk of tomato, a huge pickle—even though you already have relish—some whole sport peppers and a sprinkle of celery salt. Together, it’s magical.”
- The bun. “It can really make or break the whole thing,” continues Sarka. “I love trying Chicago-style hot dogs from across the U.S., and let me tell you, the bun is the first thing people change. They don’t need to. Just stick with the poppy seed bun!”
- The dog. “It’s a delicious, all-beef frank, either steamed or boiled. A perfect protein core to the deliciousness around it,” concludes Sarka.
Hammond adds, “It’s important to have a natural casing on the sausage (this is what gives the wiener its satisfying snap), and I do prefer the fully dressed version of the Chicago dog. The bun should be fluffy, the pickles crisp, and the dog plump…and hot!”
“Chicago-style dogs are known as being dragged through the garden,” Lane says, adding that’s what she loves about them. So, we get it: Condiments matter.
They're not so different, after all
The Chicago-style hot dog is an all-beef frankfurter with a generous blend of condiments atop a poppy seed bun.
One thing both famous Chicago foods have in common is their history. Every critic we spoke with notes that both of these beloved dishes came from immigrants.
“Together they both represent two of the major immigrant groups—Germans and Italians—who have both contributed mightily to Chicago’s cultural history,” Hammond says.
“Both are from immigrants putting their own spin on a dish and, in turn, helping to form Chicago’s identity, but nothing says Chicago like a Chicago dog,” says Lane. “Each element came from different ethnic groups piling on their take. They’re thoughtfully crafted, sweet, salty and honest—just like our city. They represent this explosion of different cultures coming together to produce something uniquely Chicago. And they’re enjoyed by all ages and walks of life and something we can all be proud of.”
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