You wanna get Capone? Here’s how you get him: He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way, and that’s how you get Capone!
So says Jim Malone (Sean Connery) to Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) in a classic scene in “The Untouchables.” As I waited for my order at Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom at Northgate Mall, I re-imagined Connery’s delicious bit of dialogue like this:
You wanna good pizza? Here’s how you get one: Before the chef makes the crust, you order it thick. Before he lays down the sauce, you order it house-style. That’s the Chicago way, and that’s how you get a good pizza!
Opened last month in Hixson, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is a casual dining restaurant featuring Chicago-style pizzas and craft beer. Although not a Chattanooga original (there are 96 Old Chicago Pizza & Taprooms in 22 states), the restaurant does offer a variety of Tennessee craft beers from Chattanooga Brewing Company and Big River Brewing Company.
Also, among the variety of 14 specialty pizzas, two will benefit the Chattanooga Food Bank: the Chicago 7 (pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onions, black olives, green peppers, sliced mushrooms, and the house sauce) and the Meat Me (four meaty toppings garnished with green olives and fresh basil).
If you’re not in the mood for pizza, but someone who is drags you to Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom against your will, take heart: the restaurant has an expansive menu offering everything from starters (the jalapeno cheese pretzels caught my eye), to fresh salads (the Old Chicago Chopped Salad, with its applewood-spiced chicken and creamy herb dressing, tempted me), to burgers and sandwiches (I might get the mushroom double Swiss burger next time), to taproom classics (the fish and chips looked delicious).
I was there to try the Chicago-style pizza, but first, I needed schooling. Fortunately, my server, who did come with a smile, as the Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom website (www.oldchicago.com) promises, was up to the task. She said Chicago-style pizza has a thicker crust than traditional tavern-style pizza. You can order your pizza either way, though, so if you’re not in the mood for thick-crust pizza, but someone who is drags you to Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom against your will, take heart.
One thing to remember when choosing a crust: Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom uses a different sauce with each one. The sauce on the tavern-style pizza is thinner and slightly tart, while the sauce on the Chicago-style pizzas is thicker and sweeter, almost like a marinara. However, if you want a tavern-style pizza but prefer the sweeter sauce, you can order it that way.
Since there’s a lot more on the menu than pizza and chicken wings, you can eat your fill at Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom. And I did just that.
I began with the mozzarella-filled meatballs, which are insanely good. The combination of a crunchy outside and a cheesy middle is fantastic. You get only four, but at $3.95, they’re one of the cheaper starters, and they stoke your appetite rather than squelch it. Next, my server brought a Caesar side salad, which is actually a heaping bowl of crisp romaine lettuce, crusty croutons, and just the right amount of dressing.
As I ate my starters, I took in my surroundings. Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is a spacious restaurant with patio dining and 11 HD televisions. The booths are spacious and comfortable, and the lighting is dim, which encourages a relaxed dining experience. The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers were playing, which helped to pass the time as I waited for the main course to arrive.
When it comes to pizza, I like the basics, so I went with The Classic, which comes with pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, Italian sausage, and roasted garlic. To get the full Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom experience, I also ordered the thick crust.
I’m glad I did. I was initially concerned the crust would be bready, but that wasn’t the case. The edge of the crust was buttery and oven-crisp, while the middle was perfectly baked. Piled on top of that cloud of doughy perfection were big slices of pepperoni and a copious amount of Italian sausage. The edges of the pepperoni were curled and singed, as they should be, and the Italian sausage was delicious.
To add a bit of irony to the meal, I ordered a piece of New York cheesecake for dessert. Smothered in blueberries and strawberries and held together by a calorific graham cracker crust, I enjoyed every creamy bite.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is a unique and welcome addition to the Chattanooga foodscape. Its menu has enough variety to appeal to most diners, and its namesake offering is good enough to encourage return visits. Nestled between Old Navy and Belks at Northgate Mall, it also offers an outside entrance and plenty of parking.
During the drive home, my mind kept going back to my pizza. As I thought about the mouth-watering crust and savory toppings, I was surprised by how much I’d enjoyed it. I shouldn’t have been, though. After all: That’s the Chicago way!