For deep dish in Lincoln Park, the two names to know are Pequod’s on Clybourn, famous for its caramelized cheese crust, and Lou Malnati’s on Wrightwood. For Chicago’s other style, thin and cracker-crisp tavern pizza cut into squares, Pat’s Pizza on Lincoln Avenue is the neighborhood’s classic, and Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. serves the one-of-a-kind pizza pot pie across from the park. Here’s the full rundown by style, with what to order at each place, as of October 2026.
Quick picks
| If you want | Go to | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Caramelized-crust pan pizza | Pequod’s Pizza | 2207 N. Clybourn Ave. |
| Classic Chicago deep dish | Lou Malnati’s Lincoln Park | 958 W. Wrightwood Ave. |
| Old-school tavern-style thin crust | Pat’s Pizza | 2679 N. Lincoln Ave. |
| Newer tavern-style with a sit-down Italian menu | Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian | 1112 W. Armitage Ave. |
| Pizza pot pie | Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. | 2121 N. Clark St. |
| Wood-fired Italian pies | La Crosta Woodfire Pizzeria Italiana | 2360 N. Lincoln Ave. |
| New York-style | Zazas Pizzeria | 1521 N. Fremont St. |
| Pizza with a sports bar and beer garden | Homeslice | 938 W. Webster Ave. |
Deep dish and pan pizza
Pequod’s Pizza
Pequod’s is the Lincoln Park pizza place people line up for. Its pan pizza is baked with a ring of mozzarella against the edge of the pan, which burns into a dark, crunchy, caramelized crust. The Clybourn location is a loud, busy sports bar, and the restaurant’s own site says reservations (through Tock) are “strongly recommended,” because walk-in waits for groups have run two hours or more. As of October 2026 its posted hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday. Pequod’s delivers within two miles, but the crust is at its best eaten straight from the pan.
What to order: The pepperoni pan pizza, according to The Infatuation, with sausage, peppers and onion as the runner-up. A personal-size pan is available for solo visits.
Lou Malnati’s Lincoln Park
The Wrightwood Avenue location of the Chicago deep-dish chain sits just east of Sheffield in the DePaul area. It takes OpenTable reservations, has a dine-in happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m., and is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday, per its location page as of October 2026. See the Lou Malnati’s Lincoln Park listing for contact details.
What to order: The Infatuation recommends a sausage or pepperoni deep dish, “The Lou” (spinach, mushrooms and sliced tomatoes under three cheeses), and the Malnati Salad. Its thin crust also gets good marks for anyone not in a deep-dish mood.
Tavern-style thin crust
Tavern-style is the pizza many Chicagoans actually eat most often: a thin, crisp crust cut into small squares (the “party cut”).
Pat’s Pizza
Pat’s, at Lincoln and Seminary, is a family-owned spot with a no-frills dining room. Chowhound included it on its March 2026 list of the city’s best tavern-style pizzerias, noting that the third-generation owner says the dough is rolled very thin and air-dried for six days before it goes into the same oven the restaurant has always used.
What to order: A thin-crust pie with the housemade sausage, which Time Out singles out.
Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian
Dimmi Dimmi opened in August 2025 in the former Tarantino’s space on Armitage, about two blocks west of the Armitage Brown and Purple Line stop. It’s a full Italian-American restaurant with handmade pasta, but the paper-thin tavern-style pizza is a big part of the draw. More in the Dimmi Dimmi listing.
What to order: Resy highlights the four-cheese pizza (including Wisconsin brick cheese) and the vodka pizza with ‘nduja, sweet onions and Calabrian chile.
Homeslice
Homeslice is a pizza pub and sports bar on Webster near Sheffield, with a lodge-style room, lots of TVs and a year-round beer garden. Its menu offers most pies in a 14-inch thin-and-crispy tavern style as well as regular sizes, plus gluten-free and vegan options.
What to order: Time Out recommends the beer-basted breadsticks with goat-cheese marinara and the Sheffield salad alongside your pie.
The pizza pot pie
Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.
Open since 1972, this below-ground restaurant on Clark Street, just west of Lincoln Park Zoo, is known for one dish: the pizza pot pie, a bowl of sauce, cheese and toppings sealed under a dome of dough, baked, then flipped onto your plate at the table. As of October 2026 its website says it’s offering walk-ins and carryout only, so expect a wait at peak times. See the listing for the phone number.
What to order: The pizza pot pie (The Infatuation suggests the meat sauce with mushrooms), plus the Mediterranean Bread, a thin, flaky flatbread baked with cheese and Italian spices. The Italian Combination grinder is also recommended.
Wood-fired and Neapolitan-leaning
La Crosta Woodfire Pizzeria Italiana
La Crosta is a casual wood-fired pizzeria on Lincoln Avenue near Fullerton, built around traditional Italian-style pies, imported ingredients and dough made daily. Its OpenTable profile lists evening hours Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, with earlier afternoon openings Friday through Sunday, and no Tuesday service, as of October 2026. The menu runs from a Margherita and a classic pepperoni to a truffle burrata pie, plus calzones, salads and desserts like cannoli and tiramisu. Check the La Crosta listing before going.
New York-style and slices
Zazas Pizzeria
The Lakeview New York-style shop opened a Lincoln Park location on Fremont Street (south of North Avenue, in the former Pizzeria Bebu space) in November 2025. Posted hours as of October 2026 are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday.
What to order: At the original Lakeview shop, The Infatuation recommends the bacon jam pie, the soppressata with hot honey and, for purists, pepperoni or the white pie with ricotta. Call ahead to see whether the Fremont location is serving slices.
Late-night pizza
For pizza after 11 p.m., the most reliable option is Pequod’s, open until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Homeslice stays open until 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and Lou Malnati’s runs until midnight on weekends. Hours change, so it’s worth checking before heading out.
For more places to eat nearby, see the best restaurants in Lincoln Park and Lincoln Park restaurants by cuisine. If you’re planning a day near the zoo, the things to do in Lincoln Park guide pairs well with a pot pie stop on Clark.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous pizza in Lincoln Park?
Pequod’s Pizza at 2207 N. Clybourn Ave. is the best-known, thanks to its pan pizza with a caramelized, nearly burnt cheese crust. Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.’s pizza pot pie on Clark Street is a close second for name recognition.
Do you need a reservation at Pequod’s?
Not required, but Pequod’s strongly recommends booking through Tock. Without a reservation, waits for groups at peak times can run two hours or more.
Where can you get tavern-style pizza in Lincoln Park?
Pat’s Pizza at 2679 N. Lincoln Ave. is the long-running neighborhood choice. Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian on Armitage and Homeslice on Webster also serve thin, square-cut tavern-style pies.
Is there late-night pizza in Lincoln Park?
Yes. As of October 2026, Pequod’s is open until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and until midnight Sunday. Homeslice is open until 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
What is a pizza pot pie?
It’s the signature dish at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co.: sauce, cheese and toppings baked in a bowl under a dough crust, then turned upside down onto the plate so the crust ends up on the bottom. It comes in half-pound and one-pound sizes.
Is there wood-fired pizza in Lincoln Park?
Yes. La Crosta Woodfire Pizzeria Italiana at 2360 N. Lincoln Ave. bakes Italian-style pies in a wood-fired oven. It’s closed Tuesdays.
Sources: Pequod’s Pizza, The Infatuation: Pequod’s, Lou Malnati’s Lincoln Park, The Infatuation: Lou Malnati’s, Chowhound: Best tavern-style pizza in Chicago (March 2026), Time Out Chicago: Pat’s Pizza, Time Out Chicago: Dimmi Dimmi, Resy: Dimmi Dimmi, Homeslice on OpenTable, Time Out Chicago: Homeslice, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co., The Infatuation: Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co., La Crosta on OpenTable, Zazas Pizzeria, Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Zazas grand opening, The Infatuation: Zazas.