This Illinois Restaurant Is Famous for Deep Dish Pizza

You might call me a walking contradiction. I'm a Detroit gal through and through. However, my favorite pizza in Michigan? Chicago style. I won’t let my hometown pride get in the way of what my taste buds know to be true: Deep dish is delicious. Don’t get me wrong, though... Detroit-style pizza holds a special corner of my cheesy little heart.

Detroit-style pizza is a whole vibe. We’re talking crispy, caramelized edges formed by cheese that kisses the rim of a high-sided rectangular pan. The dough is airy yet chewy, like focaccia that got a culinary degree. Sauce goes on top, toppings get buried beneath, and the result is an architecture of flavor. And one of the best places to experience this Motor City marvel? Brace yourself: It’s in Chicago.

Welcome to Fat Chris’s Pizza and Such, a cozy, welcoming pizza joint tucked into the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Surrounded by a charming mix of walkable residential streets and small businesses, Fat Chris’s is just a short drive from Foster Beach, a local favorite where you can walk off the pizza coma you’re about to dive into.

From the outside, Fat Chris’s doesn’t scream “artisanal pizza temple.” Don’t be fooled. Walk in, and you’re greeted by warm lighting, the low hum of conversation, and the kind of friendly service that makes you feel like you’ve been coming here for years. The interior is unfussy in the best way: a few neon signs, hand-written specials on the board, and the comforting aroma of sizzling cheese and garlic that hits you like a carb-scented hug.

Now, Chicago is known far and wide for its iconic deep dish, and you can find a buttery-crusted slice on nearly every corner. But Detroit-style pizza in the Windy City? That’s a unicorn hunt. Fortunately, Fat Chris’s is up to the challenge... and then some.

Their Detroit-style pies come in two perfect sizes: 4 slices in an 8-by-10-inch pan, or 8 slices in a 10-by-14. It’s the kind of pizza you think you can finish alone, but might want to share (or not, no judgment). You can build your own with all the traditional toppings you'd expect from a Motor City pie—pepperoni that curls into little grease cups, green peppers, red onion, sausage—or go bold with options like roast beef, mushrooms, jalapeños, and yes… pineapple. Why?! I’ll never understand. But hey, it’s your pizza journey.

Pro tip from me to you: No matter what toppings you choose, add garlic. Garlic is pizza’s best friend. It lifts every bite, adds depth, and makes you feel like a seasoned home cook even when you’re just shoveling slices into your mouth in the parking lot. It’s aromatic magic. You deserve that magic.

Not in the mood to construct your own culinary masterpiece? Let Fat Chris’s do the heavy lifting with one of their specialty Detroit-style deep dish pizzas. Next on my list: The Big Tex. It's a smoky, savory pie topped with house-smoked brisket, onions, green and red peppers, and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce. It’s giving cowboy. It’s giving cookout. It’s giving “I need a nap.”

Or, keep it classic with the Margherita—sliced tomatoes, fresh garlic, creamy mozzarella, and whole basil leaves. It’s fresh. It’s simple. It’s proof that you don’t need to reinvent the pizza wheel.

And the Detroit love doesn’t stop at the pizza. The menu also features Tigers Stadium Nachos—cheesy, loaded, and available with your choice of chicken or beef. Or try the Motor City Cheesy Sticks, which are basically cheesy garlic bread turned up to eleven, served with ranch or marinara. (Spoiler: I’m getting both. You should too.)

Now, if Detroit-style isn’t your thing—first, how dare you—but second, don’t worry. Fat Chris’s also serves traditional round pies, sandwiches like the Grilled Chicken Parmesan (on toasty French bread, no less), wings (bone-in and boneless), stromboli, and other handheld heroes.

Two last things before you head over there:

Thing one: Don’t skip dessert. I’m ordering the Outrageously Chocolate Cake, which delivers exactly what the name promises: rich, gooey, death-by-cocoa indulgence. But if chocolate’s not your thing (again, how dare you), there are two strudel options that sound dangerously good.

Thing two: Get the Chubbies. No, really. Order at least six Chubbies—pepperoni, mozzarella, and provolone rolled into Fat Chris’s hand-tossed dough and baked until golden. Dip them in ranch, like any Detroiter worth their salt would. You’ll thank me later.

So here’s my advice: head to Fat Chris's Pizza and Such in the Windy City for a slice of Motor City heaven. Make a weekend out of it. Rent a spot nearby and do a pizza duel—Detroit-style at Fat Chris’s, and then classic Chicago deep dish at, say, Lou Malnati’s. It’s the culinary road trip you didn’t know you needed.

And hey—if loving both cities’ pizzas is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Find more of your favorite bites in Illinois with Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.