The quintessential American cities of New York and Chicago are similar in many ways - and one of them is their hearty food cultures. Home to Michelin star chefs, fusion foods, international cuisine, and indulgent city favorites, both metropolises represent their bustling multiculturalism in their rich and diverse food scenes. Whilst cuisine alone is a good enough reason to visit either city, they do have their discerning differences in what tasty goodies they offer - and one of the most notable dishes in each is the pizza.

The pizzas of New York City and Chicago have been a long debate that seems to have lasted since the dawn of time (or since jet-setting Italians brought the recipe over from their homeland). Pizza lovers are passionate, and many can get rather heated when fighting for their beloved pizza preference. There's so much more to the argument than just "this pizza is better than the other," with many pros and cons of each pizza style playing a role in the debate.

Some points are opinions, while others are facts - but which of them can help to decide the better pizza once and for all? Is Chicago-style superior? Or does New York-style take the baton? Well, it's not quite that simple; from consistency, size, and eating methodology to toppings and thickness, there are so many discrepancies between the two variants that create entirely different pizza experiences to be enjoyed.

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The History Of Pizza, In General

Pizza isn't a new concept; evidence of the food can be traced as far back as ancient times when prehistoric populations made plain flatbreads graced with all kinds of toppings. But the word "pizza" actually came into human vocabulary around 997 A.D in what was Central and Southern Italy in that era.

The recipe has been adapted and developed for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and the modern-day pizza that the world worships so vehemently came to be around the 18th or 19th century when flatbreads topped with decadent ingredients were created in Naples, Italy.

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But it wasn't until the late 19th century that the pizza recipe hopped on a boat to the United States with Italian immigrants who came to the country in search of a new life across the pond, bringing their fine food along with them. With the growing numbers of Italian settlers at the time, pizza became exceedingly popular in the ever-increasing numbers of Italian immigrant communities that settled in Chicago, New York City, Trenton, Philadelphia, and Saint Louis.

Some of the most ambitious Italian foreigners even started up their own eateries and restaurants in the cities, allowing them a platform for showcasing their home country's cuisine on their new home's stage - and that stage was America. This led to the opening of the USA's very first pizzeria in New York in 1905 - Lombardi's - where the country's first pizza was officially sold and served. This New York City iconic Italian restaurant is still thriving and going strong today, attracting pizza-craving customers and Italian cuisine fanatics to savor the city's most flavorful dishes in the very place where it all started.

Related: How To Make A Traditional Naples-Style Pizza At Home

What Is NYC-Style Pizza?

The world-famous New York pizza is a delectable experience; it's made with a thin crust and is topped with a delicious serving of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. This style came about in 1905 when an Italian named Gennaro Lombardi opened the first pizzeria - Lombardi’s - in Little Italy in NYC's Manhattan area. Since then, the NY pizza's popularity has grown exponentially, achieving global fame and admiration for its wholesome flavors and enjoyable consistency. Old-time pizzerias - like Mr. Lombardi's - back in the day cooked pizza in coal-powered ovens, but nowadays most pizza places bake using gas or deck ovens.

Today's New York pizzas stand out in the sense that their slices are large but enticingly affordable. Slices are often sold separately and are particularly targeted at people out and about in the city who're eating on the go. They're made so that their large triangle shape can easily be folded in half, allowing customers to chow down whilst walking about the streets.

Another point; the NYC-style pizza also usually has more cheese than typical Neapolitan-American pizzas, and the cheese used is often a low moisture mozzarella instead of fresh. Cheese is the standard base topping for most New York pizzas, however, many restaurants and pizza joints in and around the city produce and serve their own styles and creations with various toppings.

Related: The Best Pizza Joints In Italy, London, New York And Other Major Cities (According To Stars)

What Is Deep Dish Chicago-Style Pizza?

Like those in New York City, Chicago's Italian communities have created their own pizza version since establishing themselves long-term in the city all those years ago. This variation is thought to have been created in 1943 at a joint named Pizzeria Uno, although this has been debated and it's not entirely clear where the Chicago-style pizza first originated.

But never mind where it came from, for it's the preparation and baking style that sets it aside from that of its New York City pizza counterpart. The sumptuous Chicago-style pizza is known as a "deep dish" and is baked in a round pan. It boasts high crust edges that make it look similar to a "stuffed" pizza, and contains intense amounts of tomato sauce and cheese.

Chicago-style also takes longer to cook due to its thickness, and its assembly procedure is different and more meticulous than any other kind of pizza. Many other pizzas are prepared crust first, followed by sauce, cheese, and other toppings, but in contrast, the deep dish of Chicago is assembled in the opposite way - and for the very specific aforementioned reason; it takes longer to cook, which means toppings and cheese risk being burned at the top. This is why cheese is the first topping, with meats, vegetables, and other toppings following suit until uncooked tomato sauce is added atop as the final layer.

Related: Does NYC Really Have The Best Pizza? Take A Tour & Find Out!

Chicago Vs. NYC

With the history and general difference between the two irresistible pizza styles covered, it's possible to delve even deeper into the dish to discover what exactly makes each one unique to the other - in terms of every single ingredient. So, to help decide which variant wins, it's important to take a look at each piece in the pizza to see what divides them.

It's In The Crust

First and foremost, the principal difference between the NYC pizza and the deep dish Chicago pizza is the foundation: the crust. New York's pizza is thin and crispy, but Chicago's requires a stronger bite and bigger stomach with its thick and filling crust at around an inch, or more, deep.

Check The Cheese

Most pizzas have cheese, but the type of cheese and the amount truly make a dramatic difference in the final pizza product - as well as the whole pizza-eating experience. New York-style typically uses grated low-moisture mozzarella, however, on the other hand, Chicago-style often incorporates a variety of cheeses and even many layers of cheese due to the thickness of the deep dish.

Tantalizing Tomato Sauce

Another difference between each city's style of pizza is the tomato sauce. A seasoned tomato sauce that balances heat and sweet flavors is typically used in NYC pizza. Furthermore, the sauce tends to be thinner in consistency and is spread more finely so as not to make the thin crust too soggy.

Chicago-style pizza, however, features ample sauce in comparison to its NYC sister, with its sauce being much thicker and chunkier - which its deep, thick crust can easily accommodate without becoming soggy and weak.

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The Pizza-Eating Experience

Sensational flavors aside, the two pizzas deliver two completely unique eating experiences. New York City pizzas are frequently sold by the triangle-shaped slice, which are large at around 18 inches in diameter. The reason for the slices' size and shape is so that busy New Yorkers - who are always on the move - can grab one without much fuss and eat their pizza on the go with their bare hands with minimal mess. Overall, this style is easy, convenient, cheap, and perfect for city-goers, commuters, and workers with little time to spare on their lunch break, commute, or day out in the city.

On the other side of the plate, the Chicago deep dish is a little slower to consume and arguably more elegant. More often than not, the deep dish requires a proper sit-down meal with cutlery and napkins because it can get quite messy with all that extra cheese, sauce, and toppings. And due to its size and thickness - and the fact that it's almost like pie, not a pizza - that it's not so simple to eat on the go like an NYC-style pizza, and anyone who tries to down a deep-dish whilst out and about will, in all likelihood, end up wearing most of it.

Related: 10 Chicago Restaurants That Serve the Best Deep Dish Pizza

So, Which Pizza Takes The Crown?

Ultimately, in terms of NYC-style versus Chicago's deep dish, hungry folks desiring to indulge in a thick, chunky, delicious, and hearty pizza during a seated dining experience would appreciate the latter. But city-dwellers on the go who don't have much time on their hands (nor wanting pizza all over said hands) will likely prefer a slicker, more convenient New York slice - that is just as tasty as its Chicago sister but much easier and quicker to eat. Thus, it's not just about flavor and pizza consistency; the winner of this pizza battle really depends on who is eating the pizza, when they're eating it, and where they're eating it.

Related: When You Don't Feel Like Delivery, These Are The Best Frozen Pizzas Money Can Buy

Of course, passionate pizza people all have their own opinions and preferences, and that's okay; world cuisine would be incredibly boring if everyone had the same tastes. Ultimately, it has to be accepted that no human's taste is the same as another's, and everyone has their own favorites that are personal to them. But even so, that doesn't mean that this passionate topic of debate should be dismissed for it is indeed enjoyable after all, and it always ignites the fiery pizza fight amongst the animated and spirited pizza-loving worldwide community.

New York-style vs Chicago-style pizza discussion will probably never come to a halt because as humans, we are obsessed with food. And with that being said, do the burning pizza arguments really matter? At the end of every debate, the conclusion remains the same: all pizza is delicious pizza, and there’s enough room (and mouths) in the world for all pizzas to co-exist and be admired by their adoring fans around the globe - not just in New York and Chicago.

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