For me, nothing says “home” like a warm slice of Lou Malnati’s pizza — recently defrosted and plated by my Chicago-born mother. Since I moved to Southern California at the age of three, I left Illinois too young to truly bask in all its deep-fried, deep-dish glory — but that didn’t stop my loyal parents from ordering their favorite deep-dish pizza, which was frozen and, amazingly, still delicious after its cross-country commute.
I’ve been in San Francisco for three years now and recently realized that my body is extremely malnourished when it comes to Chicago-style food. A fateful two and a half years ago, I made a trip to Patxi’s — the locally acclaimed deep-dish pizza of SF — only to leave with food poisoning that made me cringe at the smell of one of my all-time favorite foods. While I attribute the sickness to the salad rather than the pizza, which my mom had no problem eating, it was still a bitter disappointment.
But I’m back, baby! And ready for some Midwest (food) lovin’! After some in-depth Yelp research and personal surveying, I think we’ve gathered a good bunch.
Little Star Pizza
SF locals know that Little Star is renowned for its food—and the long wait it takes to get a table. Beloved by Yelpers—some of whom have been loyal to Little Star for decades, and some of whom claim that they prefer this pizza over deep-dish pizza in Chicago (poor, naïve souls)—the well-known pizzeria and its hype game are strong. Don’t forget to pack up your leftovers to go, because you will have leftovers (it’s that deep) and will make yourself a nice cold pizza breakfast in the a.m.
Dapper Dog
Located in the Castro, this friendly hole-in-the-wall spot serves Chicago-style dogs. While the dogs aren’t steamed Viennas — which, to Chicagoans, means “authentic” — for a Bay Area variant, this one hits the spot. The relish, “electric green.” The bun, sesame seed loaded. The sport peppers are deemed poseur by most Chicagoans, but they’re not a bad attempt, considering that we’re 2,000 miles from the Windy City.
The Bar on Dolores
OK, this one is more of a “Chicago atmosphere” than a “Chicago food” recommendation. But a Chicago sports bar in the city? With a friendly staff, all things Chicago sports and an intimate atmosphere, you’ll feel like you’re back in your neighborhood Chicago bar. BYOF (bring your own food) or snag some “trailer trash” during halftime.
Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen
Jewish delis aren’t strictly a Chicago thing, but they are a lot rarer on the West Coast. I come from a Jewish Chicagoan family, and an important part of my trips to the Midwest are the bagels and corned beef sandwiches (I literally devoured a whole one of those babies on my sweet 16). Real Jewish rye, double-whipped shmear and fresh, juicy beef make for an unforgettable Jewish food coma. Oy vey, that’s good.
Little City Market
I asked my mom if I was forgetting any important Chicago-style food and felt like a total goof when she responded, “Italian sausage!” Duh. On pizza, in sandwiches and in pasta sauces, fresh, spicy Italian sausages are a must, and we don’t trust chain groceries with our sausages. Little City Market is renowned in the Bay, and for a good reason. Their sausages are so fresh that the smell alone brings tears to your eyes, because it’s spicy and it’s just that damn good. The sausage makers have been doing this a lonnggg time, and it definitely shows.
Did we miss your favorite slice of Chicago in SF? Respond in the comments.
