In this series, we’re exploring various types of pizza –from crackery thin Milwaukee style pies to Chicago-style deep dish – and sussing out the secret sauce behind each one. View the full list of features in the Knead to Know series here.

"Deep dish" pizza can come in various forms, from pan-style pies to stuffed pizzas. But when it comes to Chicago-style deep dish, there are a number of distinctions which set it apart from the rest.

Here are three ways to identify a classic Chicago-style deep dish pizza:

• The crust: Chicago-style deep dish features a thin-to-medium biscuit-like crust, which nearly always gets a boost from butter or corn oil. Note: Stuffed pizza is a category all its own. If there is a second, often very thin layer of crust in between the toppings and the sauce, it's not classic Chicago-style deep dish.
• The toppings: they are applied in reverse order from most pizzas. The cheese is layered right on top of crust, with meat and vegetable toppings to follow; this prevents the cheese from scorching during the longer cooking time.
• The sauce: You will definitely find the sauce on the top of your pizza.

To learn more, we headed to Lou Malnati’s in Brookfield where Amit Klass tells us more about what goes into their Chicago-style deep dish pizza (including plenty of Wisconsin cheese). [Video: Courtney Bondar]

Lou Malnati’s
15795 W Bluemound Rd., (414) 930-4500 (dine-in)
8799 N. Port Washington Rd., (414) 446-3500 (carry-out & delivery)
4751 S. 76th St., (414) 310-4600 (carry-out & delivery)
2720 N. Grandview Blvd., Waukesha, (262) 672-6355 (carry-out & delivery)
8171 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek, (414) 260-0800 (carry-out & delivery)
loumalnatis.com
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More Chicago-style deep dish

Chuck’s Place
406 N. Main St., Thiensville, (262) 242-9797
chucksplacefamilyrestaurant.com
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Rosati’s Pizza
145 W Oklahoma Ave., Bay View, (414) 489-7191
rosatispizza.com
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Uno Pizzeria & Grill
W180 N9455 Premier Lane, Menomonee Falls, (262) 255-1440
unos.com
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Stuffed pizza

Another pizza with a place in the Chicago canon is stuffed pizza. It’s served at notable spots including Giardano’s and Nancy’s. But it shouldn’t be mistaken for Chicago-style deep dish. Instead, it’s a heftier, amped up version, often made with a denser, breadier dough, that’s layered with toppings and often more cheese than deep-dish, with an added layer of crust across the top. If one mistakes it for classic deep dish, it’s because the sauce is almost always spread on that extra top layer of dough.

Here are some local spots that serve stuffed pizza:

Brewtown Eatery
5121 W. Howard Ave., (414) 321-3900
brewtowneatery.com
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Klasiana Pizza
5487 S 76th St, Greendale, (414) 421-0000
klasianapizza.com 
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Pizza Pete’s
5487 S 76th St, Greendale, (414) 421-0000
pizzapetesmke.com
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Falbo Brothers Pizza
418 Merton Ave., Hartland, (262) 367-2700
falbobrospizza.com
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Standard deep dish / pan pizza

Much of the deep dish pizza you’ll find in Milwaukee falls into the pan pizza category. Often called “deep dish”, these pizzas feature a soft, thick dough that's cooked in a deep pan. Despite key differences, they are often mistaken for Chicago-style deep dish. However, if you take a closer look, you’ll note that the crust on a pan-style pizza is thicker and more bread-like. The application of the toppings also follows the more traditional order (sauce on the bottom, toppings, then cheese on top). 

Here are a few more local spots that serve pan style pizza:

Fixture Pizza Pub
623 S. 2nd St., (414) 736-8709
fixturepizza.com
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Pizza Man
2597 N. Downer Ave., (414) 272-1745
11500 W. Burleigh St., (414) 249-2000
pizzamanwi.com
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Pizzeria Scotty!
9022 W Oklahoma Ave, West Allis (414) 543-1300
pizzeriascotty.com
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Tenuta's Italian Restaurant
2995 S. Clement Ave., (414) 431-1014
tenutasitalian.com
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