The debate of which pizza style is the best in the US has gone on for many years. You can find countless articles, youtube videos, and forums debating/determining the best style of our favorite yes food. When selecting the best type of pizza, there should be various factors that weigh in on your score. The ratio of ingredients is paramount, and the taste and if the pizza ends up filling you up. The best part is, the question is entirely subjective, so that gives us a fantastic excuse to keep eating pizza for the rest of eternity while we fight about which is the better pie.
New York Style Pizza
You can’t tell the story of pizza in the United States without talking about New York-style pizza. New York-style pizza stemmed from Neopolitan pizza when Italian Immigrants moved to NYC from their homeland. The first pizzeria in the United States was called Lombardi’s and was located in Little Italy in Manhattan. Being from Naples, the owner crafted large pizzas that were sold for 5 cents a pie.
As far as the ingredients go, New York Style is simple. It’s a classic slice of tomato sauce, bread, and mozzarella cheese. Each pizzeria and restaurant have their recipes. Many passed through generations of bakers and pizza makers. What makes New York-style pizza interesting is its large, foldable crust while still maintaining a brilliant outer crisp for the crust. It’s important to note one of the distinctive traits of a New York-style slice (don’t call it a piece when you’re here) is the sheer size. They are usually so big that it’s prevalent to fold the slice vertically while you eat it. A balance of sauce and cheese, crispy crust, and large surface area, and you’re more than likely eating a New York Style Pizza slice.
Chicago Style Pizza
Two words, deep dish. Yep, you’ve probably heard of Chicago-style pizza dozens of times throughout your pizza odyssey but may not have known what it entails. It’s merely pizza that became popular because Italians moved to Chicago who made pizza in a deep pan. The pan gives the pie a large, deep crust with plenty of room for chunky tomato sauce and cheese. The crusts of Chicago-style pizza are also more buttery. That’s why it’s often said that Chicago Pizza tastes a bit like cornbread or biscuit in a sense.
The most intriguing part of the Chicago Style Pizza is that the cheese and sauce are inverted! With the cheese coming in first, followed by the tomato sauce. A unique trait to an individual pie.
Pizza at Quattro
The debate rages on, each of us is entitled to eat whatever pizza style our heart desires, and there’s no right or wrong answer. However, Boston would like a word with whoever decided that New York and Chicago would spearhead the debate because our pizza can scrap with the best of them. If you find yourself in the North End craving pizza, stop into Quattro Ristorante or make reservations here.