The ultimate Chicago culinary mash-up has arrived.
I Tried the Chicago Hot Dog Deep-Dish Pizza, and I’m Genuinely Shocked
Published on Jul. 21, 2025
Chicago’s food scene is among the best in the world. The diversity of options, from Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall dive bars, is truly spectacular. On the most recent season of Top Chef, three Chicago chefs competed for the top prize, and one made it all the way to the final. And, of course, here’s my obligatory mention of Malört: Malört!
We could argue for years about what the quintessential Windy City food is, but there are usually two that come to the top of the list: Chicago-style hot dogs and Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Before I talk about the Chicago hot dog deep-dish pizza, let’s break down what they are individually.
A Chicago hot dog is a beautiful culinary feat: a poppy seed bun, Vienna beef frank, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, diced white onion, tomato wedges, sport peppers, a pickle spear and a dash of celery salt. It’s sometimes playfully referred to as being “dragged through the garden” because of the toppings. The cardinal rule? No ketchup.
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is another beast entirely. Deep-dish pizza crust is cooked in a cast-iron skillet, topped with a bit of tomato sauce and toppings, including an unhinged amount of cheese. Now, I am not really a fan of deep-dish pizza, nor do I consider it the quintessential “Chicago” kind of pizza. That would be tavern-style pizza, which boasts a thin crust and square slices. I could eat this Chicago-style pizza every day.
But anyway, I digress. What if you combined both foods into one Chicago superfood? Then you would get the Portillo’s x Lou Malnati’s Crosstown Pizza, aka the Chicago hot dog deep-dish pizza.
What does the Chicago Hot Dog Deep-Dish Pizza taste like?
Firstly, Portillo’s and Lou Malnati’s are longtime Chicago establishments known for their hot dogs and pizzas, respectively. If I was going to eat a hot dog pizza, then these are probably the only people I would trust to get it right.
I visited Lou Malnati’s to try the concoction, and I was blown away by how good it tasted. I took one bite of the pizza and said out loud, “Oh my God, hot dog?” It might sound silly, but imagine biting into a piece of pizza that tastes like a Chicago-style hot dog. See? It’s wild!
And by wild, I mean absolutely incredible. There is so much to love about this pizza. It contains every aspect of both food items, and it’s beautifully balanced. My favorite part had to be the poppy seed crust and the mustard drizzle over the top. Every bite had all the flavors, and it made me proud to grow up alongside these traditions.
Where can I get the Chicago Hot Dog Pizza?
This is a limited-edition menu item that is currently available in 21 Lou Malnati’s dine-in locations throughout the country. If you live near a Lou’s, I highly recommend stopping in to try one. If you don’t live in an area that has a Lou Malnati’s, you could actually try recreating this at home. Start with a cast-iron skillet pizza recipe, and load it up with all those classic Chicago hot dog toppings.
This is truly unlike any other pizza I’ve ever had, and I will dream of it for years to come.
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