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The Big 6: Every Type of Midwestern Pizza Style, Explained

Discover the six iconic Midwestern pizza styles, from tavern-cut thin crusts to gooey, cheesy Detroit engines—your guide to the region’s proudest pies.

By Sneha Tete, Integrated MA, Certified Relationship Coach

Created on Sep 21, 2025

Discover the six iconic Midwestern pizza styles, from tavern-cut thin crusts to gooey, cheesy Detroit engines—your guide to the region’s proudest pies.

If you think great pizza is limited to New York– or Naples–style slices, the Midwest has a crispy, cheesy, square-cut rebuttal ready. This region bursts with creativity, proudly serving up pies as diverse as its landscapes and cities. Here’s a definitive guide to the six iconic Midwestern pizza styles—what sets them apart, how to recognize them, and which legends to thank for their existence.

1. Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

The Chicago deep-dish pizza is perhaps the Midwest’s most famous culinary export. Born in the Windy City in the 1940s, deep-dish pizza is a marvel of edible architecture. Served in a round, high-sided pan (often resembling a cake tin), this pizza is celebrated for its dramatic presentation and decadent layers.

Crust: Buttery, thick, and rich—often compared to a pie crust. The edges rise high to form a golden bowl for all the toppings.
Sauce: Zesty, chunky tomato sauce typically ladled on top, not the bottom.
Cheese & Toppings: Mounds of mozzarella go in first, followed by meat (commonly sausage or pepperoni) and vegetables, then the robust tomato sauce.
Bake: Slow-baked to allow the thick crust and abundant toppings to cook evenly.
Serving: Sliced into wedges and eaten with a fork and knife.

Famed establishments like Lou Malnati’s, Giordano’s, and Pizzeria Uno are cornerstones of the Chicago deep-dish tradition.

Chicago’s Other Crust: Tavern-Style Pizza

While deep-dish gets national attention, locals know that tavern-style pizza is the true daily slice of Chicago. This style is the city’s ultimate bar snack—a thin, crunchy, square-cut pizza best enjoyed with friends and cold drinks across countless neighborhood taverns.

Crust: Ultra-thin, crispy, and cracker-like. A marked contrast to deep-dish’s heft.
Cut: “Party cut” (square or rectangular pieces), not traditional wedges.
Sauce & Toppings: Tomato sauce with a balanced sweet-tart flavor, usually a blanket of mozzarella, and a range of meats and veggies. Everything reaches close to the edge, minimizing waste and maximizing flavor.
Character: Built for sharing and sociability—perfect for conversations more than three layers of cheese.

Don’t leave Chicago without trying both styles—each tells its own story about the city’s food and people.

2. Detroit-Style Pizza

Detroit-style pizza is the heart of Motor City ingenuity. Inspired by Sicilian pizza but given an industrial revamp, this rectangular, oven-caramelized masterpiece is heavy on the cheese and crust, cooked in blue steel pans (originally intended for auto parts).

Shape: Always a rectangle, baked in steel pans that give rise to browned, crisp edges.
Crust: Thick, airy, and bready—similar to focaccia but with a crunchy, almost fried bottom from generous oiling of the pan.
Cheese: Traditionally a blend that reaches all four corners, spreading and caramelizing to form a signature edge. Brick cheese—a Wisconsin staple—is iconic here.
Sauce: Usually ladled on after baking, sometimes in signature stripes atop the pie.
Toppings: Pepperoni under the cheese is a Detroit must-have; other toppings are welcome but rarely overwhelm the cheese-crust star duo.

Detroit’s Buddy’s Pizza and Loui’s are legendary for starting and perfecting this style. Each slice is rich, chewy, and full of character—well worth its blue-collar roots and acclaim.

3. Quad Cities-Style Pizza

Quad Cities-style pizza originated in the Iowa-Illinois border region comprising Davenport and Bettendorf (Iowa), and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline (Illinois). This distinctive style is bold, flavorful, and instantly recognizable.

Crust: Nutty, malty, and ever-so-slightly sweet, thanks to the use of malt syrup in the dough.
Shape: Typically oval or oblong rather than a perfect circle.
Cut: Instead of triangles or squares, the pizza is scissored into long, thin strips.
Sauce: Spicy and aromatic, often featuring cayenne and chili flakes for a warm, tingly twist.
Cheese: A blend of mozzarella and a sharper cheese, such as white cheddar.
Toppings: Most notably, a fennel-heavy house-made sausage placed under the cheese. The flavor profile is sweeter and more peppery than most other sausage blends.

This pizza, pioneered by places like Harris Pizza, is a deeply regional favorite, cherished for its hearty bite, spicy-sweet balance, and the playful ritual of slicing it into strips.

4. St. Louis-Style Pizza

Arguably the Midwest’s most divisive pizza, St. Louis-style pizza is instantly identifiable by its cracker-thin crust and uniquely gooey cheese. People tend to love or loathe it, but there’s no denying it stands out in the regional pizza pantheon.

Crust: So thin and crisp it practically snaps, with no yeast to create fluff.
Cut: True to the Midwest, it’s always square-cut (sometimes called “party cut” or “tavern cut”).
Cheese: Provel—a controversial, melty blend of cheddar, Swiss, provolone, and liquid smoke, famed for its string-free, sticky texture and mild flavor.
Sauce: Sweet, almost tangy, and liberally applied.
Toppings: Generous, but Provel cheese is the defining ingredient. The pie is often loaded edge-to-edge.

The epicenter of St. Louis-style is Imo’s Pizza, whose tagline famously proclaims it “The square beyond compare.” Whether you’re a Provel convert or skeptic, St. Louis-style pizza is a can’t-miss stop on a true Midwestern pizza tour.

5. Ohio Valley-Style Pizza

Ohio Valley-style pizza is lesser-known but completely unique, especially in towns like Steubenville and Wheeling. Its signature is the order of assembly, which flips the pizza script entirely.

Crust: Medium-thick, airy, and hearty—baked into sturdy rectangles.
Sauce: The pizza is baked with just sauce, then finished post-bake.
Cheese & Toppings: After it comes out of the oven, cold cheese and toppings are immediately scattered over the hot, saucy crust, allowing a slightly melted but distinct, fresh-tasting finish.
Experience: Biting into this pizza offers contrasting temperatures and textures—warm, pillowy dough, hot tomato sauce, and cool, crisp toppings.

This regional invention arose from a desire for maximum freshness and crunch in every bite. Expect the unexpected—and enjoy the contrast.

6. Tavern-Style and Square-Cut Thin Crusts

Across much of the Midwest, tavern-style pizza reigns supreme, characterized by its square-cut, ultra-thin, and crispy crust—sometimes called “party cut.” This approach underlies the dominant pizza cultures in both urban and rural areas and lends itself perfectly to being passed around at gatherings.

Hallmarks of Tavern-Style Pizza

Crust: Extremely thin, crunchy, often with little or no visible rim.
Cut: Always square—ideal for sharing in a group, and everyone gets both edge and middle pieces.
Toppings: Generous, loaded edge-to-edge—pepperoni, sausage, and veggies are common.
Region: This style is beloved in Chicago (its thin “pub pizza” is far more common than deep-dish), but also features heavily in places like St. Paul, Milwaukee, and throughout the Midwest.

Whether you’re at a bustling pizzeria, a family gathering, or a corner bar, square-cut thin-crust pizza offers an egalitarian slice—no matter where you’re seated at the table.

Side-by-Side: Comparing the Big Six

Style	Shape	Crust	Signature Cheese	Cut	Notable Topping
Chicago Deep-Dish	Round	Thick, buttery, pie-like	Mozzarella	Wedges	Italian sausage
Tavern-Style	Round or rectangle	Ultra-thin, crisp	Mozzarella	Squares	Edge-to-edge toppings
Detroit-Style	Rectangle	Thick, airy, crisped edge	Brick cheese	Squares or rectangles	Crisp cheese corners, pepperoni
Quad Cities	Oval or oblong	Chewy, malty, sweet	Mozzarella + cheddar	Strips	Fennel sausage under cheese
St. Louis-Style	Round	Exceedingly thin, crisp	Provel	Squares	Edge-to-edge Provel
Ohio Valley	Rectangle	Medium, airy	Mozzarella (applied cold)	Squares	Toppings added after baking

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Why are so many Midwest pizzas cut into squares instead of wedges?

A: The “party” or “tavern” cut maximizes the number of shareable pieces, making pizza easier to serve in social settings and giving diners more choices between edge and center slices.

Q: What is Provel cheese and why is it only on St. Louis pizza?

A: Provel is a processed cheese blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, famed for its gooey, almost molten texture. It’s unique to St. Louis and polarizes pizza fans, but locals cherish it for sentimental and culinary reasons.

Q: Why is Detroit pizza cooked in a steel pan?

A: Tradition and practicality—originally, blue steel pans from the auto industry were repurposed for baking. Their heat conduction produces Detroit-style’s signature caramelized crust.

Q: Is deep-dish pizza what most Chicagoans actually eat?

A: No. Despite its fame, Chicagoans typically eat thin, tavern-cut pizza as their everyday go-to. Deep-dish is popular for special occasions or with out-of-town guests.

Q: Where should I start if I’ve never had Midwestern pizza?

A: Try Chicago tavern-style or Detroit-style for a true flavor of the region. If you’re adventurous, seek out St. Louis or Quad Cities pies for something truly distinct.

Honorable Mentions & Regional Variations

The Midwest pizza scene is endlessly creative. Unique local spins, like Sota-style (from Minnesota, famed for its loaded toppings and square-cut thin crust), Dayton-style (ultra-thin with tart tomato sauce, minimalist toppings), and Columbus-style (ultra-thin, edge-to-edge cheese and toppings), each add something special to the landscape.

Dayton-style: Features an unsweetened tomato sauce, extra crispy crust, and is often chain-dominated.
Columbus-style: Thin-crust, loaded all the way to the edge, and never stingy with cheese or toppings.
Sota-style: Minnesota’s take, square-cut, loaded with lots of cheese, meats, and veggies.

Final Thoughts: Why Midwest Pizza Matters

No single style or city can lay claim to the “best” pizza—the Midwest is a patchwork of flavor, texture, and regional pride. What unites these pies is their creativity, their sense of place, and their deep roots in the communities that bake, share, and celebrate them. Whether you like your pizza deep, thin, square, or saucy, the Midwest has a slice for you—each with a story waiting to be told over the next hot, bubbly bite.