Born and raised in Chicago. I bet there are hundreds of good deep dish pizza places. When I was young, there was always a small place within a few miles at the farthest. I've heard different explanations about why other cities can't grow their own deep dish (for the most part). I have no idea what is true. But they're extremely hard to find outside of Chicago.

People always told me Pequod's is the best, but I never tried it. The Art of the Pizza, I believe on N. Ashland, is awesome. Or was. Not sure they're still around.

Angelo's on S. Pulaski is insane. It's like a drug. It's dangerous.

Malnatis and Giordano's are fine, but there are places that are a lot better. Giordano's used to be incredible, but the lower layer of dough got flat and thin at some point, whereas it used to remain a quarter inch thick and yeasty. That Giordano's has been gone for a long time.

There are also fantastic thin crust pizzas. I don't know if Traverso's in Orland Park is still around, but back in my day it had an amazing thin crust with a cracker-like texture that when you held up a slice it didn't bend. Amazing stuff.

I love New York style pizza, too. Just love it. It's just a different thing.