Pequod’s Pizza

Pequod's Pizza has a reputation that reaches well beyond its Lincoln Park neighbourhood. The original Pequod's was opened by Burt Katz in Morton Grove, Illinois, in 1971, and the Chicago restaurant on Clybourn Avenue has become a regular stop for locals and visitors looking for a distinctively Chicago pizza.

The speciality is the caramelised crust pan pizza. Mozzarella is placed around the rim of the deep-dish pan, where it caramelises as the pizza bakes, and fresh dough on top gives a focaccia-like base. The result is a thick pizza with a dark, crisp, chewy edge of browned cheese that fans consider the best part. Toppings are added as you choose. Pan pizzas of this kind take time to bake, so build that into your plans.

The restaurant is open from 11am to 2am Monday to Saturday and from 11am to midnight on Sunday, which makes it one of the more useful late-night food options in the city. The website strongly recommends reservations, which are made through Tock, and notes that groups have sometimes waited two hours or more for a table at busy times. Lunchtimes and weekday afternoons are usually calmer.

Pequod's suits groups of friends, families and anyone who wants to try Chicago-style pizza in a casual, unpretentious setting. Prices are moderate, and the pizzas are substantial, so ask staff about sizes before ordering for a group. The late hours make it a good finish to a night out.

For enquiries, call +1 773-327-1512 or email [email protected]. The original Morton Grove restaurant, in the northern suburbs, is still open if you are travelling that way, with shorter hours than the city branch. If you cannot get a booking, try arriving at an off-peak time, such as mid-afternoon on a weekday, and be patient: the wait is part of the Pequod's experience, and the late hours mean you can also come after other plans.

The Chicago location is on North Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park. It is a short taxi ride from Alinea and the bars of Lincoln Park, and Kingston Mines is not far away for blues after dinner. Combine a late pizza with an evening of live music for a night that feels very local.