Well, I'm 51, was born, and raised in Chicago, so I've seen the changes
over the many years I lived there. I now live in the Desert Southwest,
and thank god I can make a reasonably good pizza, either thin, or deep
dish.

Years ago, when I was a kid, of course there was really no such thing as
deep dish like Lou Malnati's, Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, Genos East,
and I suppose a few other that just aren;t coming to mind at the moment.

About the only deep dish, or I should say "Pan Pizza" I can recall, was
usually available from the local, neighborhood Italian Bakeries, and
this tradition still continues at places like D'Amato's Bakery, Masi's
Superior Bakery on Taylor St, and Western Ave, and Pompeii on Taylor,
and Laflin

And yes, Armands in Elmwood ark did a pretty good job years ago, but I
haven't been there in some years.

The really good Pizzerias in Chicago are basically long, long gone.
These were places that were family owned, and family run.
Places like Genaros on Taylor back in the '60;s used to make Pizza,
Then there was Blackies on Taylor St (When old man Blackie was alive)
was a fantastic thin crust. Was only a block from where I lived!

Of course there was Mama Shiavones on Wester Ave, and all the Chicago
Blackhawks used to fo there in the '60's.

Back in it's infancy, and when it was nothing more than a little hole in
the wall Tavern, Home Run Inn did a very good Pizza, and thier Pizza is
still certainly much better than some.

Of course my Granmother, and aunt's all did outstanding jobs, and
there's nothing like the TLC they could put into thier pizzas!

One vital key believe is using the best ingredients. So many now no
longer are family owned, and run, and they buy, and use the cheapest
ingredients, thus trying to maximize profit.

Yes, the dough is paramount, and when I could get it, I would buy the
best homemade Italian Sausage in the little ItalianStores in Chicago.
Since I can no longer get good Sausage out down here in Southern New
Mexico, I resort to making my own.

Here, the natives believe that Dominos is the cat's meow, and they
wouldn't know a good Pizza of it fell from the sky, and hit them upside
thier heads! ;-) In fact, if they ever had a good NY, or Chicago pizza,
they probably wouldn't like it, that's how crude thier tastebuds are
here
Mark.