Jan 5, 2024 - Food and Drink
Food Fight: Tasty frozen pizzas you can find in the Chicago area
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Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Winter weather means keeping the freezer stocked with some staples, like frozen pizza.
- But can you find a decent locally made frozen pizza? We tried and came up with some favorites to fight about.
Home Run Inn

Carrie's pick: Home Run Inn pie ($6.99 and almost always on sale).
- The South Side-born tavern style calls itself a pioneer in the frozen pizza game and started selling them in the '60s.
- The crust isn't too thin and has a nice crunch, while the sauce is the right amount of sweet.
Pro tip: Top it with fresh veggies right before you pop it in the oven, and giardiniera before you pop it in your mouth!
Eastside Cafe

Monica's pick: Eastside Cafe pies sold at Whole Foods.
- Featuring a crispy cracker crust, well-balanced sauce, gooey cheese and juicy pork sausage, these Warrenville-made pizzas deliver a delicious bargain at $8.49 each.
Vito & Nicks

Justin's pick: Vito & Nicks sausage pizza (on sale at Mariano's for $4.99).
- Of course it doesn't compare to the actual legendary restaurant, but the frozen version does the trick with a nice cheese to sausage ratio.
- I don't like to burn the edges, but I accidentally did this time and it still was delicious.
Reader recommendations
- Connie's: These pies were a favorite for many of you. Ben H. noted, "It used to seem like the amount of cheese and season varied wildly depending on who was working on the factory line."
- Lou Malnati's
- Screamin' Sicilian Bessie's Revenge Pizza is local-ish. It's by Palermo from Milwaukee, but reader Adam P. is a big fan: "Multiple types of cheese including round fresh mozzarella slices."
- Palermo's Primo Thin
- Cemeno's in Joliet is Stan H.'s favorite. Stan concedes that their pies are a little pricy at $12.95 each, but they're fresh and ready to bake at home.
- Massa Pizza from Franklin Park got nods from Kristen C. and from Michael C., who says it's "a little bit thicker and chewier and comes in a rectangle, Chicago bar style."


