New York-style pizza in the suburbs? Yes, you can find it
It almost seems blasphemous to talk about New York-style pizza in Illinois.
While the deep-dish pizza the Chicago area is known for around the world certainly is delectable, sometimes you may crave a thinner, more chewy slice.
New York-style pizza, for those who’ve never been to the Big Apple, has a very thin, foldable crust cut into large triangular slices. The pizza is baked at a high heat for a short amount of time, giving it slightly crisp edges for the perfect amount of chewiness. The sauce often is a little sweeter than Chicago pizza. It’s easy to grab just a slice of pizza for lunch or a quick snack in New York, whereas, here in northern Illinois, you often have to order a full pie.
However, there are places where you can get New York-style pizza, and some spots even offer it by the slice. Here are some of those locations:
Pomodoro E Mozzarella Pizzeria — St. Charles
Located in St. Charles, The Pomodoro E Mozzarella has a wide variety of pizzas on its menu: including pan-style, Sicilian, gluten-free and, of course, New York-style. Choices for the New York-style pizza include classic cheese or a build-your-own option in a 12-inch medium size or 16-inch extra large size. Menu items include a plethora of pasta dishes, sandwiches, chicken entrées, Italian appetizers, salads, desserts and more. 1850 Main St., St. Charles. Visit thepomodoroemozzarella.com or call (630) 549-0589 for more information.
Little Pops NY Pizzeria — Naperville, Lisle and Aurora
New York natives Mike and Vicki Nelson opened the first Little Pops NY Pizzeria Trattoria in Naperville in 2014, after realizing there were few options to get their beloved authentic Empire State pizza. The pizzeria quickly grew, as both East Coast natives and Midwesterners flocked to the location. Fast forward several years, and the Trattoria has moved to Lisle for dine-in and carryout service, while the Naperville and Aurora locations are carryout only. Menu includes 18-, 14- and 10-inch New York-style pizzas, as well as by the slice, with a variety of traditional pizza toppings. Specialty and grandma pizzas also are on the menu, as are calzones, strombolis, specialty rolls and more. 1819 Wehrli Road, Naperville; 2799 Maple Ave., Lisle; and 3015 E. New York St., Suite A13, Aurora. Visit littlepopsexpress.com.
La Pizza Via — Fox River Grove
La Pizza Via’s New York-style pizza starts with authentic dough that’s then hand-tossed before cooking the toppings on top of the cheese. According to its website, founder Jeff Valentino opened the pizzeria in 2016 to bring New York-style thin-crust pizzas, as well as pan pizzas, to McHenry County. He attended the Goodfella’s Pizza School in New York City, where he was able to hone his craft. Valentino continues to refine his pizza-making skills by offering a wide variety of pizza styles, including Detroit pan, Chicago cracker, Sicilian, grandma, margherita, specialty and gluten-free options. The menu also has salads, appetizers, calzones, sandwiches and more. 914 Route 22, Fox River Grove. Visit lapizzavia.com or call (224) 888-8100 for more information.
Nemec Brothers Pizzeria — Geneva & Glen Ellyn
With locations in Geneva and Glen Ellyn, this pizzeria is brought to you by the owners of Zazas Pizzeria in Chicago. Nemec Brothers opened in the former location of Osteria Bigolaro at the end of 2023. Their New York-style pizza dough is slow-fermented for at least 48 hours, which gives it a more complex flavor and a lighter, crispier crust. Their New York Classic Cheese Pie is made with red sauce, mozzarella, grated pecorino and grated Parmesan. Other menu items include the pesto and sausage pie, Fibonacci pie, vodka pie, truffle mushroom pie and more, in addition to their grandma pies, 12-by-16-inch, panfried square pies. 317 W. State St., Geneva; and 542 Crescent Boulevard, Glen Ellyn. For more information, visit zazas-pizzeria.com.