Gino’s North is the kind of place that I would have never visited without my friend Rob who was born and raised in Chicago recommending it. Etta, Rob and I took Meghan to Gino’s for a birthday pizza party. The exterior is nothing special, a long narrow building next to Campus Police, under the red line tracks. Inside, however, is one of the most beautiful pizza parlours in the city.
The tables are all circular booths, comfy and intimate. The bar is a historic gem, with a sculpture of a woman in a fountain as its centerpiece. The woodwork and sculpt of the place is top notch. Gino’s North is the kind of place where you want to linger at the bar or booth and take in the ambience. It ranks amongst the classiest old school pizza joints, ever.
And that’s where Gino’s North really excels: in the old school pizza. It is no longer common knowledge that there are 2 varieties of Chicago-style pizza, but it’s true. There is deep dish, which Gino’s North offers and I haven’t tried: then there is Chicago-style thin crust, which is where Gino’s North shines.
The crust is cornmeal dusted cracker style, super crispy, the crispiest for this style i have yet experienced. The perfect foil for juicy, cheesy toppings. Gino’s North uses real pepperoni, the kind that curls in the pizza oven. That and the Gino’s Special (sausage, onion, chile, mushroom) should not be missed.
Gino’s North operates with a lot of care, from the food to the service. Afterwards we went to Lickety Split for a concrete, dessert Jimmy Hoffa-style.
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