Yelp's No.1 Ranked Pizza In The Country Now Found in Lincoln Park

Around Chicago Leigh Marcus Team February 18, 2024

See the Full List. Originally posted by Yelp

If someone asks you to tell them the best pizza in the entire country, you'd now have to point them to a well-known local spot in Lincoln Park. Pequod's Pizza has taken the coveted crown of being ranked Best in the Country by Yelp Elites 2024. See below for what Yelp had to say about or city's crown jewel.

1. Pequod’s Pizzeria, Chicago, Illinois

Pan Pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and green peppers

When a pizza appears on 2 seasons of TV’s chef-focused series “The Bear,” you know it must be something special. Pequod’s legendary caramelized-crust pies may have gotten Hollywood’s attention, but aficionados are busy debating whether they qualify as traditional Chi-town deep dish. The restaurant doesn’t sweat semantics, says General Manager Sean Asbra. “We call it pan pizza, but really, it’s just our pizza: a unique take on traditional Chicago pizza,” he says. “It’s thick, with a soft bready center, a crispy bottom, and a caramelized cheese crust around the edge.” To create that “ beyond phenomenal ” crunchy (and renowned) crust, Pequod’s uses specialty pans that transfer the heat just right. Then they build the dough with a layer of cheese all the way around and up the sides of the pan, Sean explains. “The sugar in the mozzarella burns, and caramelizes.” The result is “magical pizza,” says Yelp Elite Chun P.

Started in the suburb of Morton Grove (where there’s still a location) by the late Burt Katz in 1971, Pequod’s developed a cult following early on. The current owners took over in the mid-1980s, expanding the menu and opening the now-famous Lincoln Park restaurant. Not surprisingly, it gets crowded, and creating perfection takes time (about 45 minutes from placing your order to its arrival on your table), but Yelpers say it’s “worth the wait,” writes Yelp Elite Jada C. “I usually don’t rant or rave about pizza... but this one’s a winner!” adds Yelp Elite Greg F.

Most popular/most photographed pizzas: Pan Pizza with the caramelized cheese crust; Sausage pizza (a top seller, according to GM Sean); other popular toppings range from meatball and pepperoni to pineapple and jalapeno.

Yelp Elites say: “You can’t truly say you have a favorite Chicago-style deep dish pizza if you haven’t been to Pequod’s. They’re known for their caramelized crust. Highly recommend you get sausage and/or pepperoni as your meat, and add veggie toppings as you like. 16-inch /large can easily feed 3 normal adults. The huge plus is that they’re now offering reservations which means you get to eat on your time! Pro tip: Order immediately when you get seated.” —Yelp Elite Eric W.