Great Lake
Great Lake
1477 W Balmoral Ave., Chicago, IL
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Great Lake.
Rob and I first became aware of Great Lake last November when a New York Times reviewer called it the best pizza that he had ever eaten in his life. After reading the review and hearing stories of how good their pizza is, we made it our mission to dine at the fourteen-seater, shoebox-sized restaurant. On a whim, we stopped by this weekend and were shocked to find that—on a Friday night at 7:30—there was no wait. Out of the three pizza choices on the menu (see below), we shared a pizza with thinly sliced cremini mushrooms, dante aged cheese, and black pepper. Words sincerely do not do this pizza justice. Not only did the mushrooms and cheese combine together perfectly, but the crust is in a league of its own. It almost tastes like a piece of fluffy bread rather than the crust of a pizza. The crust was also flaked with salt, a unique touch, but one we enjoyed as we kept eating. Unlike many other pizza places, Great Lake’s pizza has no grease whatsoever and is incredibly light. There’s a reason Great Lake has received so many rave reviews, it is definitely worth the hype. If you don’t have the patience to wait for a table, they also offer a pick-up service as well, another nice touch at this family owned and operated gem.
-Anna
The menu on the wall features information about the various food suppliers and also includes ice cream from famed Chicago pastry chef and owner of Hot Chocolate, Mindy Segal.
One of the best pizzas we’ve ever consumed.
