Sorry, Chicago. Yelp ranks top 100 pizza spots in Midwest and the Windy City might get mad
Yelp has made finding the perfect slice a little easier, compiling a list of the top 100 pizza joints in the Midwest. Surprise: Chicago did not take the No. 1 spot.
This year’s rankings, released on Tuesday, including all styles of pizza, from Detroit-style squares to Chicago's famed deep-dish pies. Also, making the cut are fresh takes on Chicago’s tavern-style pizza and the classic St. Louis pizza, which has a thin crust almost like a cracker, according to Kathy Passero, who helped research and compile Yelp’s Top 100.
“The Midwest has long been an essential slice of pizza tradition in the U.S., giving rise to many iconic styles of the beloved dish," Tara Lewis, a trend expert at Yelp, said in a statement. "No matter your preferences, there's something for every pizza lover on this list."
To come up with the rankings, Yelp considered pizza joints from across the region, including Iowa, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Yelp then narrowed down the list by using a large concentration of reviews that included relevant keywords and ranked them using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning those keywords.
So who edged out Chicago? Which state had the most restaurants on the list? See below to find out.
Yelp's Top 10 Midwest pizza joints
1. Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park, Michigan
- Address: 23141 Dequindre Road
- Fun fact: The family-owned restaurant has been serving up Detroit-style pizza for almost 50 years, according to Yelp.
- With a ranking of 4.4, customers particularly love the barbecue pizza. One recent reviewer raved about the big portions ("I am a big guy and only finished half") and pointed out that he really "loved the corners with the crunchy texture."
2. Futuro in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Address: 19 Cruse St.
- Fun fact: Chef Luke Tobias and wife Sarah St. Aubin turned a COVID-19 pizza-making hobby into a fulltime career, opening Futuro a year after they began to make pizzas customers could order online and pick up from their porch.
3. Pequod's Pizza in Chicago, Illinois
- Address: 2207 N. Clybourn Ave.
- Fun fact: Jay Esper, manager at Pequod's Pizza, describes the pizza made at the restaurant as a cross between "deep-dish and Detroit-style." And what makes it unique is its "soft, fluffy middle combined with the crunchy crust and caramelized cheese edge," Esper shared with Yelp.
4. Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery in Reynoldsburg, Ohio
- Address: 7516 E. Main St.
- Kelsey Tyler, a Tyler’s Pizzeria & Bakery employee, told Yelp that her family fell into the pizza-making business by accident after a permit issue. The family-run shop has been open for 13 years, working every day to make the wood-fired, handcrafted and sourdough-crust pizza they are known for, according to Yelp.
5. Milly’s Pizza In The Pan in Chicago, Illinois
- Address: 1005 W. Argyle St.
- Fun fact: The reason why customers always get the "perfect crunchy crust" at Milly's is because they never pre-slice their pies, a practice that prevents sauce from dribbling into the dough, according to Yelp.
6. In Forno Pizza in Avon, Ohio
- Address: 35840 Chester Road
- Fun fact: The traditional East Coast–style Neapolitan pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven in approximately 90 seconds, Yelp says.
7. Pizzeoli Wood Fired Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri
- Address: 1928 S. 12th St.
- There are always enough pizza options at Pizzeoli, which has over 40 flavor combinations to choose from, according to Yelp. While their pies may be inspired by "Old World–style pizza," they "are richer, heartier, and more decadent" because they are a Midwest shop, general manager Josh Grisa told Yelp.
8. Brittany’s Brick Oven Pizza in Madison, Indiana
- Address: 2034 Lanier Drive
- Fun fact: Brittany’s makes "quirky pies" with unique ingredients like shrimp or hot ghost pepper flakes to make one-of-a-kind slices, according to Yelp. The flavor combinations have put the "mom-and-pop shop on the pizza map," Yelp says.
9. Dough Daddy’s Pizza in Westmont, Illinois
- Address: 649 N. Cass Ave.
- Fun fact: Best friends Ray Schwitz and Matt Rowley run operations at Dough Daddy's, making handcrafted thin-crust pizzas topped with made-from-scratch ingredients, according to Yelp.
10. Tasty Pizza in Omaha, Nebraska
- Address: 1418 S. 60th St.
- Fun fact: Owner Mary Joseph was originally selling pastries before realizing she preferred savory over sweet, according to Yelp. What hasn't changed, according to Yelp, is the emphasis on homemade taste.
See where the other 90 Midwest spots rank below
11. Santino’s Little Italy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
12. Zazas Pizzeria in Chicago, Illinois
13. Il Rione in Cleveland, Ohio
14. Pie Sci in Detroit, Michigan
15. Iechyd Da Brewing Company, Elkhart, Indiana
16. Providence by the Slice, Kansas City, Missouri
17. Il Gusto Pizza & Pasta, Cincinnati, Ohio
18. Market 22 in Maple City, Michigan
19. Pangea Kitchen in Evansville, Indiana
20. Noto in St. Peters, Missouri
21. Orsi’s Italian Bakery & Pizzeria in Omaha, Nebraska
22. The Brick Oven Bistro in Sandusky, Ohio
23. Fredi The PizzaMan in Melvindale, Michigan
24. Brimfield Bread Oven in Kent, Ohio
25. Young Joni in Minneapolis, Minnesota
26. Ohio Pie Co. in Brunswick, Ohio
27. Mama’s Pizza in St. Paul, Minnesota
28. baked in Galesburg, Illinois
29. Fast Eddie’s Pizza in Bellville, Ohio
30. Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana, Chicago, Illinois
31. Izzy’s Pizza Bus in Omaha, Nebraska
32. Freddy’s Pizza in Cicero, Illinois
33. Pomodoro E Mozzarella in St. Charles, Illinois
34. Crafters Pizza and Drafthouse in Carmel, Indiana
35. I Tre Mori, Indianapolis, Indiana
36. Press Pizza & Pasta in St. Louis, Missouri
37. Ozark Mountain Pizza in Branson, Missouri
38. Two Cities Pizza Company in Mason, Ohio
39. Boludo in Minneapolis, Minnesota
40. Gianorio’s Pizza in Winfield, Illinois
41. George’s Deep Dish in Chicago, Illinois
42. Uncle Leo’s Pizza in St. Louis, Missouri
43. The Filling Station Microbrewery in Traverse City, Michigan
44. Salvatore’s Tomato Pies in Madison, Wisconsin
45. Jim’s Pizza Box, Milan, Ohio
46. Independent Ale House, Rapid City, South Dakota
47. KJ’s Pizzeria, De Soto, Kansas
48. Branch + Daughter, Quality Meats and Market in Windsor, Wisconsin
49. Novanta in Madison, Wisconsin
50. Pizzeria DiLauro in Chagrin Falls, Ohio
51. Terita’s Pizza Carry Out in Columbus, Ohio
52. Tawas Bay Pizza Co in Tawas City, Michigan
53. Magoo’s California Pizza – Avon in Avon, Indiana
54. DeSalvo’s Pizza in Evanston, Illinois
55. Major Tomato in Allen Park, Michigan
56. Pizza West in Shawnee, Kansas
57. Patellie’s in Three Oaks, Michigan
58. Nature’s Best Cafe in Naperville, Illinois
59. Cruizzers in Keystone, South Dakota
60. Passione in Fishers, Indiana
61. Sal’s Pizza Company in Algonquin, Illinois
62. Quarantino’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan
63. Dough Trader Pizza Company in Spearfish, South Dakota
64. Zoey’s Pizzeria in Marion, Iowa
65. Wells Brothers Restaurant in Racine, Wisconsin
66. Anthonino’s Taverna in St. Louis, Missouri
67. Pie Life Pizzeria in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
68. Silver Beach Pizza in St. Joseph, Michigan
69. Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit, Michigan
70. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in Schaumburg, Illinois
71. Il Lazzarone in St. Joseph, Missouri
72. Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta in Ankeny, Iowa
73. Elio Pizza on Fire in Addison, Illinois
74. Grandma Bob’s in Detroit, Michigan
75. Foggia’s Pizzeria in Southgate, Michigan
76. Charles and Reid Detroit Pizza in Traverse City, Michigan
77. Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio
78. 112 Pizzeria Bistro in Rochester Hills, Michigan
79. Antoniou’s Towne Square Pizza in Rochester Hills, Michigan
80. Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis, Minnesota
81. Pizzeria Da Gloria in St. Louis, Missouri
82. Brianno’s Deli-Italia in Eagan, Minnesota
83. Pals Brewing in North Platte, Nebraska
84. Blackbird Woodfire in Fargo, North Dakota
85. Fireflour Pizza + Coffee Bar in Bismarck, North Dakota
86. San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
87. Element Wood Fire Pizza in Minneapolis, Minnesota
88. Dewey’s Pizza in St. Charles, Missouri
89. Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks in Maplewood, Minnesota
90. Sfumato Pizzeria in Alton, Iowa
91. Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza in Iowa City, Iowa
92. Mangia Italiana in Omaha, Nebraska
93. Basal Pizza in Waterloo, Iowa
94. Dolomiti Pizzeria & Enoteca in Omaha, Nebraska
95. Ang an Eddies in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
96. Smash Pizza in Bettendorf, Iowa
97. Piatto Neapolitan Pizzeria in Wichita, Kansas
98. Need Pizza in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
99. Pauly’s Pizzeria & Sub in Rapid City, South Dakota
100. Big Mill in Lawrence, Kansas