4 Famous Pizzerias in Chicagoland You Should Try

As you carve out your identity as a Chicago-area resident, you face many defining decisions. Will you follow the Cubs or White Sox? Which museum along Chicago's famed “museum campus” will become your favorite? Those are certainly important parts of our local culture, but they might not be the most important aspects. You must decide where you'll get your pizza.

Whether you're looking at Springs at Orchard Road or Springs at Weber Road as a new apartment home, you'll want to be sure to put the following four iconic pizza places on your “must visit” list.

1. The Art of Pizza
3033 N Ashland Avenue

You're encouraged to unleash your imagination at this Lakeview establishment, which has immortalized “stuffed” pizzas. Specialties include the southwestern (barbecue, ground beef, onion and bacon) and Hawaiian (pineapple, Canadian bacon and green pepper) pies. A true “pizza artist” might add shrimp, sliced Italian beef, turkey breast or broccoli.

2. Coalfire Pizza
1321 W. Grand Avenue

The tip-off is in the name: here, thin crust pizzas come out of a coal-fired, 800-degree oven, baked quickly to crisp perfection. The technique has fired up “foodie talk” citywide about the virtues of “well-done pizza.” Coalfire was there first and burnishes its technique with its classic margherita, pesto, mortadella and prosciutto creations.

3. Pequod's Pizza
2207 N.Clybourn Avenue

Pequod's expertly figured out how to stand out among the deep dish crowd: offer a loaded pizza pie on a caramelized crust – a stroke of culinary ingenuity that gives traditional toppings such as sausage, ground beef and pepperoni a flavorful new kick.

4. Reno
2607 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Just how thin can a thin crust be? How crisp can a thin crust be? Reno provides the answers with razor-thin and pretzel-crisp pizzas that stream out of its wood-burning oven. Go with traditional toppings or savor some house favorites: the Hog (with porkbelly carnitas and salsa verde), the Spanish Monster (with mushrooms and Spanish chorizo) or the T.O. (with smoked chicken and peanut salsa).

Do you frequent any other pizzerias with mouthwatering options in Chicagoland? Share them with us in the comments.