Anyone seeking NY style pizza on the near north side of Chicago could do a lot worse than a little place on Grand Avenue where I just had lunch called Rizzata’s. I wasn’t looking for pizza, but a tempting smell brought me into this storefront joint with a few tables and a counter. Behind the counter is a large area where the employees make pizza crust right in front of the customers, which I thought was a good sign. Large ovens are at the back to cook both pizzas and calzones (which I didn’t try).

I ordered a slice of thin pizza (they also have stuffed) and a salad. The pizza was quite good, with a crunchy, buttery crust and a memorable flavor. Nothing too exciting, but very much like some of the pizza slices I’ve had in NY over the years. The slices were triangular – like NY pizza, rather than being square, which is more typical of Chicago. The salad was also commendable – with nice green lettuce rather than iceberg. The place says it "serves neighborhood pizza, like you remember," and I’d agree with that. It’s on Grand just west of the El, between Orleans and Franklin.

Anyone else been there?