Jeff Ruby’s list of the 25 Best Pizzas in Chicago in the Chicago Magazine was designed to get people talking, so we guess it’s not too surprising that so many people did. Still, a lot of it was, shall we say, a little negative. Many people took him to task for excluding some South Side thin crust places, while some thought he was a secret New Yorker. A few former New Yorkers claimed he had never tasted good pizza. You get the picture. Luckily, he took the time to address many of the critics, and further explain his reasoning. Below are a few of our favorite lines.
On why Giordano’s was not included:
“Giordano’s is where it belongs: with the tourists, suburbanites, and my wife, who still claims it’s great based on a pizza she had there when she was 12. “
On the New York, Chicago Pizza divide:
“It’s never been an either/or thing for me. And while I can understand a rivalry between cities, why take it out on the food? Just hate the people.”
“You can be a Chicagoan and admit that some good food originates from elsewhere in the world. That’s what separates you from New Yorkers.”
A few places he hates:
“Pat’s is one of those eternally overrated places that the Scoodses of the world defend to the death for some reason they have probably forgotten. I just don’t get it.”
“And Leona’s, no disrespect intended, is the death of all that is good and nice in the world.”
“I have had my issues with Uno and Due over the years, but both surprised me on recent visits. They are doing their thing proudly, which is to say often bluntly, which makes for pizzas that are pleasant but unbalanced. Like my old college girlfriend.”
Read the rest of it at Chicago Magazine to catch way more “Sex and the City” references than we thought possible for a pizza column.
Hated Our List of Chicago’s 25 Best Pizzas? Jeff Ruby Fires Back [Chicago Magazine]
