PEQUOD’S PIZZA IN THE NEWS

At Pequod’s Pizza, we’ve developed quite the following, thanks to our pizza served in cast iron pans. Once the pies emerge from the oven, they obtain a crispy caramelized crust that is unlike any other type of pizza made around the world. Don’t just take our word for it; some national publications have mentioned our eatery and placed it on a few best-of lists. Read on to discover more about our unique pizza.

Top Five Best Pizzas in the Country by Big 7 Travel

In June 2021, Big 7 Travel released its list of the 50 best pizzas in the country, with Pequod’s taking the fifth spot. With a team scattered across the globe, Big 7 Travel helps people explore all the world has to offer via informative content. The article, narrowed the list to include the best pizza from every state and then ranked each state’s contribution.

Big 7 Travel used the following criteria for its list: online presence, atmosphere and service, presentation, previous critic reviews, editorial options and experiences, online customer reviews, value for money, location and accessibility, and consistency. According to the company, our caramelized crust is as mouthwatering and delicious as it sounds. And since we specialize in deep-dish pizza, we know how to create the perfect balance of sweet sauce and gooey cheese.

Listed on the Top 10 List by USA TODAY

“USA TODAY” is a national print publication with an online presence. It publishes several types of online content in 10Best, where it profiles the best places to eat, places to stay, and things to do. The site encourages people in the Chicago area to visit Pequods. Visitors can stop by our Lincoln Park location or head to our flagship Morton Grove eatery to enjoy our perfectly delicious caramelized crust.

The publication states the restaurant looks like an old Wisconsin bar on the inside, but outside, its scent is purely Chicago. Our heavenly pan pizzas have a sprinkling of cheese nestled between the dough and pan, and when the pie emerges from the oven, it can look burned but tastes like the perfect marriage of caramelized cheese and crusty bread. Our generous toppings include sausage made especially for our restaurant from a proprietary recipe. Customers can also order our thin crust pizzas that use the same dough and toppings, but the publication asks, why would anyone want to do that?

Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 16 Pizza Places in Chicago

Debuting in the United States in 1987, “Condé Nast Traveler” is a monthly travel magazine with nine separate travel editions highlighting hotels, food, beverages, fashion, and destinations. The publication named Pequod’s as one of the top 16 best pizza places in Chicago, mentioning our fluffier dough and dark ring of crispy caramelized cheese that forms thanks to our deep dish pans.

“Condé Nast Traveler” also featured Pequod’s in a separate article, stating that we have one of Chicago’s best pan pies. It advised customers to prepare for a wait of up to two hours for a group, but table requests are available online. One of the reasons for the wait is the out-of-towners who head here to seek our signature pizza.

Highlighted on Food Network

Food Network hosts a variety of food-based programming, including the show “Best. Ever.” hosted by Ted Allen, which showcases the best types of food. During season 1, episode 2, the show covered the best pizza, which, as a popular comfort food, is available across the country and comes in numerous styles.

The show mentioned that customers could get their deep dish pizza fix at Pequod’s but that you needed to bring a knife and fork to enjoy our pan pizza. Our pies are baked in a seasoned cast iron pan lined with a sprinkling of mozzarella. This allows our pizza to emerge from the oven adorned with a crispy, salty, caramelized cheese crust.

Profiled in the Chicago Tribune

In a 2011 article, this Chicago publication profiled founder Burt Katz and how he started this unique pizza place. It was April 12, 1971, when he became tired of white-collar work and had words with his boss. Katz ended up throwing his boss against the wall and abruptly quit without any plans for supporting his wife and three children. However, several years earlier, he had opened Gulliver’s, a pizza place in Rogers Park, named after “Gulliver’s Travels.” Instead of going back to work for someone else, Katz decided to focus his business endeavors on opening another pizza place.

Katz opened another pizza place in Morton Grove and named it Pequod’s after the whaling ship in “Moby Dick,” simply because he liked the author, Herman Melville. After years of working in the kitchen, Katz claimed to have perfected Pequod’s pizza by keeping one aspect in mind: balance. He claimed the pie shouldn’t have too much cheese or spice and that overwhelming the pizza with one ingredient ruined it. He also stated that customers shouldn’t think of the crust as a platform for the ingredients; it should be eaten.

Katz sold the eatery in 1986 to businessman Keith Jackson, who tweaked the pizza recipe and logo. Several years later, due to the cult following for his pizza, Katz sought to get back into the game and opened Burt’s Place. This pizzeria found worldwide fame when Anthony Bourdain brought his “No Reservation” television show to the restaurant in 2009. Burt’s Place closed in 2015 after Katz’s health declined, and he passed on April 30, 2016.

Chicago’s Most Awarded & Recognized Pizza

Now that you’ve read from national publications and learned that we’ve been profiled on television shows, why not stop into our Morton Grove or Lincoln Park location and experience our caramelized crust for yourself? For additional convenience, you can also order our pies online. If you’re in the area, you and your friends won’t regret stopping in to try out our delicious pizza pie.