Piece

I go back and forth if it's the pizza or the beer that keeps me coming back to Piece. The menu is simple but done right. Thin pizza is served with either red (traditional tomato), white (olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella), or my personal favorite, plain which is flavorful red sauce, garlic, extra parmesan, and olive oil. I love a classic sausage or pepperoni, but it's always fun to mix it up with more unique ingredients like feta cheese, fresh basil, or even mashed potatoes. I regularly stop by to get my growler refilled, and I know whatever award-winning beer I choose, it's going to be spectacular and a perfect match for the delicious pizza.

I only eat deep-dish when I have visitors from out of town, as they always want to try it. It's so much nicer to get pizza at places like Piece. I don’t think you can really screw up pizza, but Piece’s pies are just heaven. They have their own brews, which are all really tasty and satisfying. My favorite nights are live-band karaoke nights…unlike with annoying traditional karaoke, the people who take the stage tend to be great entertainers. Karaoke or not, this place is pretty loud, but it’s big enough that I haven’t really had to wait for a table. I make excuses to hang out with friends in the neighborhood so we can get take-out…man, that pizza is good.

I love deep dish as much as the next guy, but sometimes you need a break. I was talked into visiting Piece after some ultimate frisbee (Piece sponsors the local ultimate community and their logo is on every jersey; ultimate players return the favor by coming over after games and drinking themselves silly), and now I don't know if I can go back to deep dish. Plus they brew their own beers, and they regularly win awards for them too. The Golden Arm is an easy-to-drink kolsh style beer that gets a lot of love, but keep an eye out for their seasonals. Even if you're feeling tired after a long day, get a pizza and a growler to go. This place is worth visiting at least once while you're in town.

While I lived in Chicago, I visited Piece several times a year. And every time I return to Chicago, I make sure to make a stop there. The pizza is delicious, the beer is delicious, and I love the atmosphere to pieces (hah!). Piece is a brewpub, so all of the beers are brewed in-house and served fresh from the tap. They have a great collection of their "regular" brews, along with a series of rotating seasonals and one-time brews, so you're guaranteed to find at least one brew you like. My particular favorite is the Dark-n-Curvy Dunkelweizen. It's big, bold, and very flavorful. The pizza is a whole other ballgame. It's thin-crust, so not what you expect in Chicago. But it is so freaking delicious. The white pizza is the best (no tomato sauce, but an amazing garlic sauce instead). Best combination: white pizza with mashed potatoes, spinach, and bacon. I know it sounds insane, but mashed potatoes on pizza are the bomb. So if you're visiting Chicago, you obviously need to do the deep dish thing. But also add Piece to your list. It's a Wicker Park institution at this point, and even with a wait on the weekend it is completely worth it.

Maybe it's the East Coast in me, but I can only have so much deep dish and when I do I am done for the night. Piece specializes in New Haven style pizza that is delicious and they have a bunch of varieties. A true New Haven pizza has clams, and they offer this, but I don't think seafood belongs on a pizza. The crowd has a lot of hipsters based on the location, but the vibe is pretty straightforward and focused on pizza and beer. The playlist has a decidedly indie bent with some great deep cuts. Piece also brews several varieties of beer on-site and these are pretty good as well. I'm a big fan of the Hefeweizen and the Dunkelweizen but all the brews have won some sort of award so get a growler. The worst part about Piece is the wait. It would be a great place to come with a large group but don't try it. You will undoubtedly have to split into smaller groups and still wait over an hour. Someone will give up and go to Santullos (whose pizza is not bad but not as good), others will go get a taco or Skewerz and your night of group fun will disintegrate before your eyes. You can get a drink at the bar while you wait, but that is just as packed. Great food and drink, I just wish it was easier.