By Dominique Sabins, Special to the Blog.
Windy City Pie brings midwest deep dish pizza traditions to Seattle with a twist of its own. Dave, the owner of Windy City Pie, set out with a simple mission: to replicate his favorite Chicago deep dish pizza. His success quickly took him down a much more complicated path involving numerous styles of deep dish and lots of happy customers seeking Midwest pizza in Seattle.
Dave didnโt originally intend to be a restaurant owner, but a sudden change in his career had him contemplating what to do next. Making pizza had long been a hobby, but now that he was at a crossroads, he considered expanding it. At first he started selling pizza out of his Capitol Hill apartment, which quickly escalated to delivery as friends caught wind of his recipes. After his pizza started gaining a reputation, he moved into a shared kitchen space to expand his operation.
Things really blew up when he got recognition from J. Kenji Lรณpez-Alt, who originally wasnโt a fan of deep-dish, but was willing to give Daveโs pizza a shot. ToKenji’s surprise, he loved Dave’s take on Chicago deep dish. This was when he decided to get serious and take a shot on his own brick and mortar shop. Dave claimed his spot at 5918 Phinney Ave back in 2018 and set out to make the space feel like a page out of Chicagoโs past.
Deep dish is a polarizing topic, with everyone having their own take on the โcorrectโ style. Dave shares that most people pledge allegiance to their childhood favorite, which is why he created a mash up between Papa Delโs sweet crust and Pequodโs browned cheese edges, two of his favorite styles. The result is a spongy, slightly sweet crust with tangy pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese that falls down the side to render burnt edges.
While dining there, we tried the Whipped Ricotta & Other Delights which was topped with dollops of lemon ricotta, pepperoni, basil chiffonade, plenty of mozzarella cheese, and their signature sauce. Dave recommended adding the hot giardiniera for a dash of spice and acidity.
While this take on a classic Chicago deep dish may have been where Dave started, it’s not where he ended. Over the years heโs introduced a few additional styles to the menu. To please more midwest pizza lovers, Dave added a tavern-style pizza with a thin crust cut into squares. Another homage to Chicago pizza pioneers like Kimโs Uncle and Vito & Nickโs.
But thatโs not all youโll find at Windy City Pie. After its sister restaurant Breezy Town Pizza closed, Dave brought that menu and style on board. This third pizza is a hybrid between a Chicago pan deep-dish and Detroit pan style. Bonus: These pizzas can be made vegan.
Windy City Pieโs bar program is another passion project for Dave. He wanted to offer something that would set it apart and found that calling in amaro and fernet. Youโll find a massive list containing as many as 99 amari and 23 fernet based on availability. If youโre not sure where to start, try one of Windy Cityโs thoughtfully curated tasting flights to explore a few.
Windy City Pie is for those who are willing to be open minded about deep dish pizza and venture into something truly unique. Youโll notice a huge selection on their menu, with rotating seasonal toppings like brussels sprouts, mustard BBQ drizzle, or pineapple. Prepare to wander outside your usual pizza order and dine in a space that takes you through a slice of Chicago history.
PS – Get the garlic knots. You won’t be disappointed.
