Hold on a Sec, Illinois’ ‘Best Pizza Place’ Doesn’t Actually Make Pizza?

Let me get this out of the way like, right away: I absolutely love this place but I have never considered it a pizza joint.

Not that there's anything wrong with it, because again, I'd be hard-pressed to find another two to three restaurants in the entire city of Chicago I love more.

Let me set the scene, Mashed put out a list of the best pizza joints in each American state.

When I saw their choice for Illinois' I was at first like, "Cool" then I remembered they don't serve traditional PIZZA at the restaurant.

Weird choice by Mashed considering The Oven Grinder was named the state's best pizza joint but it's known for serving pizza pot pies.

I know what you're thinking, "It's a pizza pot pie, How different could it be?" Here, take a look:

Other than the ingredients, THIS is not a pizza.

Merriam-Webster defines pizza as "a dish made typically of flattened bread dough spread with a savory mixture usually including tomatoes and cheese and often other toppings and baked."

This is pizza:

Here's the other thing, if you're willing to accept a pizza pot pie as an amazing pizza then what about a pizza puff or a panzerotti? Both have similar if not the same ingredients and I wouldn't consider either "pizza."

Am I making too big a deal out of all this? Probably, yes. The truth is, the food at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. is too darn good to get that angry over.

Matter of fact, I was just there last holiday season. It was a glorious evening with the fam filled with Mediterranean Bread and of course lots of pizza pot pies.

Bring your patience, (the wait is long, and no reservations) your cash, ("Sorry, no credit cards"), and an appetite to the Oven Grinder, 2121 North Clark Street in Chicago.