Vito & Nick's [Chicago Thin Crust Pizza]

I would like to nominate Vito & Nick’s for a GNR. Frankly, I was a little surprised that V&N's wasn't already a GNR. It’s interesting to note that while I was searching LTH Forum for a Vito & Nick thread, I came across 5 full pages of references to Vito & Nick’s, yet I could not find a specific Vito & Nick’s thread. This speaks to the fact that Vito & Nick’s is so ingrained in the Chicago thin crust pizza firmament, that it is considered the de facto standard to which all Chicago thin crust pizzas are compared.

Here are a few links to threads in which Vito & Nick’s is discussed:

RSM Bob singing its praises http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=19156#p19156

Here’s Food Nut talking about how V & N’s pizza would be his last meal in Chicago. Later in that same thread, Willcat98 agrees. http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=60743#p60743

Here it is at the top of GWiv’s list of Can’t Miss Meals in Chicago
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=92454#p92454

And, of course, any discussion of a thin crust pizza anywhere in Chicago leads to the inevitable comparison to Vito & Nick’s, such as in this thread about Candlelight.
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1612&

It does my heart proud to see two of my favorite Chicago thin crust pizza places nominated for this round of GNRs. Both Marie’s and Vito & Nick’s are standard bearers and deserve to be included in the Great and getting better list of GNRs.

Note: I have never dined at any outposts of Vito & Nick's other then the original flagship store on Pulaski and I am only nominating this location.

Vito & Nick's Pizzeria
8433 South Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60652
773-735-2050

Well, just as you thought about nominating Top Notch Beefburgers, I thought about Vito & Nick's, and am happy to support this nomination. It is a classic Chicago institution serving the best pizza of 1958, nothing changed and nothing in need of changing since the time when this Italian dish first caught on as one of America's favorite foods. It makes an especially good pairing with Marie's because its hardnosed, rough-edged southsideness is every bit as Sox as Marie's night-on-the-town swank-kitsch is Cubs.

I agree that the award ought to apply only to the Pulaski restaurant. There are other restaurants which claim descent from some side of the family which started Vito & Nick's (Vito & Nick's II, Baracco's, etc.), and they often make very good pizza all but indistinguishable from this original, but the Pulaski restaurant has historical as well as culinary stature of its own.

From the linked website.

NOT AFFILIATED OR ASSOCIATED WITH VITO AND NICKS II IN MOKENA IL OR ANY LICENSEE OR FRANCHISEE

Right. Vito & Nick's disavows any connection to the Vito & Nick's II chain (started by Nick the 2nd, son of Nick, grandson of Vito). But Vito & Nick's II is happy to portray itself as connected to the original historically (and to judge by the pizza at the now-closed Hickory Hills store, they were spot on foodwise). Barraco's is apparently run by cousins who, nonetheless, only claim to go back as far as the 80s in the pizza biz. I admire their modesty when they could probably have gotten away with a more grandiose claim.

Visited Vito and Nick's on Saturday in my ill-fated attempt to get a Top Notch burger, and was delighted as always. Good crust and excellent ingredients in a charming place. Just watching the place wind down at 10 on a Saturday with all the characters was entertaining enough, but adding in the excellent tomato sauce, great sausage, quality cheese and fresh mushrooms - the Bride and I inhaled a large with no problem.

While I do not suggest including Vito and Nick's II, I have found that the Lemont location is pretty close in quality (if not overall experience) and expect to visit the Plainfield store soon.

I heartily support this nomination.

The original Pulaski location has my most sincere support for GNR. V & N should be on the periodic table of elements of Chicago cuisine.

- The PP

I love it. An institution, and my favorite place to take guests from out of town who "wanna get pizza" it always shocks them that its not stuffed, but they always love it. We know the locals love it, its been there forever and I love a spot where nothing changes, including the food. the same as it was when I went there as a youth.

Santander wrote:
- The PP

For thin crusters, it’s much less about eating pizza and having fun, it’s about being effete and taking limousine tours of blighted neighborhoods.

That's some funny stuff Maynard. OK, I'll admit to touring blighted neighborhoods, but it's usually to get something to eat. I can be effete anywhere. I don't need a limo.

I join you in thin-crust solidarity.

stevez wrote:It does my heart proud to see two of my favorite Chicago thin crust pizza places nominated for this round of GNRs. Both Marie’s and Vito & Nick’s are standard bearers and deserve to be included in the Great and getting better list of GNRs.

Steve,

Terrific nomination and one that I heartily support. Vito and Nick's and Marie's are two of my favorite classic thin crust pizza joints, with Zaffiro's in Milwaukee rounding out my personal thin crust pizza triumvirate.

Enjoy,
Gary

Mike G wrote: the now-closed Hickory Hills store,

The Hickory Hills store is still open.

I'm a lifelong customer of the Original V&N on Pulaski. In my opinion, on a scale of 1 to 10, the Original is an 11.

I've had the HH pizza a few times and I would give it a solid 9. It just doesn't seem the same. The HH store offers delivery and they also sell frozen pizza's for take out or shipping elsewhere.

http://secure.vitoandnicksii.com/Default.aspx

I thought the one in that mall on Roberts Rd. went away. Or moved or something.

Mike G wrote:I thought the one in that mall on Roberts Rd. went away. Or moved or something.

Just called them and they're still alive and kicking.

http://www.vitoandnicksii.com/stores.asp

Phil wrote:

Mike G wrote:I thought the one in that mall on Roberts Rd. went away. Or moved or something.

Just called them and they're still alive and kicking.

http://www.vitoandnicksii.com/stores.asp

Just to reiterate, the Roberts Road location is not part of my nomination. Only the original on Pulaski.

After a recent visit to Vito & Nick's, I started an "official" Vito & Nick's thread.

A sausage and egg pizza from Vito & Nick's was one of the best things that I ate in 2009. That plus the shag carpeting on the walls makes this a slam dunk renewal for me.

jesteinf wrote:A sausage and egg pizza from Vito & Nick's was one of the best things that I ate in 2009. That plus the shag carpeting on the walls makes this a slam dunk renewal for me.

Agreed. I shared that pizza with Josh, and also put it on my list of best bites of 2009.

Ronna

This is one of my very favorite spots anywhere for pizza. Though it is a bummer that I live so far from this V & N's, if I lived any closer, I'd probably be dead by now.

I highly support renewal.

=R=

Been going for 40 years and in my opinion, thin crust pizza does not get any better than Vito and Nick's.

Wonderful place, just damned wonderful. Great crust, sauce and cheese, but then all those other things they do like the IB and giardinera pizza, or breakfast pizza, are not just gag pizzas, they really are delicious. Hard to get past a large sausage, of course, but I have never regretted it when I tried something different.

The pizza transcendent.

The various Vito and Nick's (Plainfield, Lemont, etc) clones are okay - they mostly get the crust, but the toppings and the skill are not there.

dicksond wrote:Wonderful place, just damned wonderful.

Wonderful sums up Vito & Nick for me, love the thin crust, love the old school atmosphere.

Vito & Nick's, count me a fan!

Enjoy,
Gary