Chicago Pizza Kitchen

Love it!

The pizza is 'stuffed' with a top and bottom crusted pie filled with cheese and your choice of "toppings" (inside-ings?) and then has an unbelievable fresh-tasting chunky imported tomato sauce on top of the crust. I like mine well done, and get the home-made sausage in your pizza, it's fennel meaty goodness is a must!

If that wasn't enough, CPK also makes a real-deal Italian Beef!...+READ Love it!

The pizza is 'stuffed' with a top and bottom crusted pie filled with cheese and your choice of "toppings" (inside-ings?) and then has an unbelievable fresh-tasting chunky imported tomato sauce on top of the crust. I like mine well done, and get the home-made sausage in your pizza, it's fennel meaty goodness is a must!

If that wasn't enough, CPK also makes a real-deal Italian Beef! For the uninitiated, Italian Beef at CPK is wet and soggy like it's supposed to be, piled with tons of tender thinly sliced beef and dipped in the yummiest beef juices. (seriously, I could drink this stuff!), then topped with spicy pickled giardiniere.

CPK's Italian Beef is BETTER than Als' Beef in Chicago and while the bread isn't imported, sacrificing authentic for fresh, this italian beef ranks right up there with Portillo's and the quality mom-and-pop places in Chi-Town that the locals prefer.

I am not affiliated with CPK, other than happily handing over my cash on regular visits since I discovered the place recently, but the owner, Spiros who is a transplanted Chicagoan by way of San Francisco, is delightfully freindly and outgoing in that authentic american way that sometimes frightens reserved Torontonians, but many of us find completely disarming.

It's not everyone's style of pizza, but if you like the real thing, this place is great - go!-COLLAPSE (by TorontoTips, updated November 16, 2009)

» CPK - Thumbs big up!

After getting take out a few times, I finally went to eat in with a friend. We chose the "Dionysius" (aka "Meat Lover") pizza. We picked the small size, and between the two of us (healthy, 50-ish males), couldn't fini. No apps, no salads, no nothing - just this awesome pizza. The owner, Spiro, came out to introduce himself, and really seemed to care about whether we were enjoying ourselves. I'm...+READ After getting take out a few times, I finally went to eat in with a friend. We chose the "Dionysius" (aka "Meat Lover") pizza. We picked the small size, and between the two of us (healthy, 50-ish males), couldn't fini. No apps, no salads, no nothing - just this awesome pizza. The owner, Spiro, came out to introduce himself, and really seemed to care about whether we were enjoying ourselves. I'm really looking forward to going back for his "Italian Beef".-COLLAPSE / REPLY (1 Reply) (by FrankD, updated October 30, 2009)

It's tough to compare a Chicago style pizza with a New York style or a thick crust pizza but the bottom line is, for you pizza dollar, the CPK delivers the most bang for the buck. A large rings in in the low $30 range but is enough for 4 adults to eat and most often with leftovers.

The Chicago Beef sandwich is beefy and juicy. Other menu items are also fantastic. As much as possible, the food is...+READ It's tough to compare a Chicago style pizza with a New York style or a thick crust pizza but the bottom line is, for you pizza dollar, the CPK delivers the most bang for the buck. A large rings in in the low $30 range but is enough for 4 adults to eat and most often with leftovers.

The Chicago Beef sandwich is beefy and juicy. Other menu items are also fantastic. As much as possible, the food is made in house. Ingredients included.

DT-COLLAPSE (by Davwud, updated October 29, 2009)