CHIReview
Milly's Pizza In The Pan
Milly’s Pizza In The Pan started out as a ghost kitchen in Logan Square during the “Year Which Must Not Be Named,” a.k.a. 2020. Since then they’ve upgraded to a permanent spot in Uptown. Their new home is small, counter service, and looks like an old-school slice shop. But the menu remains the same: a short roster of whole deep dish pies. And the pizza is still excellent.
Everything about their pizza—the sauce, the cheese, the crust, the toppings—works in perfect harmony. But the main highlight is the burnt cheese crust, a la Burt’s and Pequod’s. The dark, caramelized edge forms a striking textural contrast with the golden bottom of the pizza—a dynamic relationship between crispy and chewy that makes Pete Davidson’s dating life feel uneventful in comparison. Layered on top is a gooey bed of mozzarella, followed by a spicy and tangy tomato sauce, and your choice of toppings.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
There’s a build-your-own “You Do You” option, but we highly recommend trying one of their curated pies. The Untitled #1 (with a line-up of pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, jalapeños, and tomatoes) is salty, creamy, spicy, and just a little sweet. And while putting pineapple on pizza is normally a reason to file for divorce, on the Que Suerte it adds a welcome layer of juicy sweetness that counterbalances bacon and jalapeños.
The one downside of Milly’s is that they only make 45 pies a day, with a small amount of those reserved for walk-ins. Fortunately, securing pizza is easy as long as you plan ahead and schedule an order a day or two in advance. They'll keep it unboxed until you get there—the longer the pizza sits in its box waiting for its debut, the soggier (and less enjoyable) it will be. For that reason, we suggest just grabbing a table or stool by the window and eating there. But either way, you’ll be experiencing some of the best deep dish in Chicago.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Untitled #1
The already delicious foundation of Milly’s crust, sauce, and cheese acts as a canvas for a flavor collage of zesty pepperoni cups, fresh mozzarella, jalapenos, and cherry tomatoes. Get this.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Que Suerte
The fruity pineapple helps tone down the spice from the sauce and jalapños, while pieces of bacon add an extra layer of satisfying saltiness. If there’s any time you should give pineapple on pizza a chance, this is it.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
You Do You
Sometimes the only way to get what you want is to do it yourself. We like ours with sausage, mushroom, and red onion, but go ahead and forge your own path with less common options like sweet papadew peppers and chili crisp.
CHI Guide
