In the suburbs of Chicago where they both grew up, it was simply known as pizza, according to Brittany and Brennan Grosvenor, the culinary couple behind Proof in Portland, Oregon. When it came time to order for Friday night dinner, the family tradition usually boiled down to a straightforward familial debate: thin-crust, deep-dish, or double-dough, as Brittany recalls. Today, the Grosvenors serve the former style at Proof, though the local phrasing of "thin crust" has naturally given way to the more nationally recognized terminology of "tavern-style"—the quintessential Midwestern pizza trend that has steadily swept from coast to coast over recent years.
Outsiders who are unfamiliar with the region might reflexively associate the Windy City with its famous, tourist-beckoning deep-dish pizza, but Brittany points out that this perception is far from reflective of daily reality. She describes deep-dish as a much less frequent, novelty treat compared to the ubiquitous Midwestern thin-crust style that is currently gaining momentum across the United States. The pizza you get every week, or the pie that invariably shows up at a child’s birthday party or neighborhood gathering, is almost always tavern-style, she explains.
Tavern-style pizza—which is deeply prevalent across the entire Midwest, with Chicago, Milwaukee, Minnesota, and St. Louis all touting their own similar regional iterations—is universally celebrated for its thin, cracker-like crust, which is traditionally cut into a lattice grid of small squares instead of the standard triangular slices. Depending on the specific region, local heritage, and the neighborhood pizza shop where one’s nostalgia lies, the underlying tomato sauce might lean noticeably sweet or savory with a touch of spice. However, supreme lightness and an uncompromising crispness remain the style’s defining selling points. Writing for Esquire in 2023, food writer Omar Mamoon highlighted the variant—which was then still on the rise—as a direct foil to the famously thick Detroit-style square pizza, which had enjoyed its own massive moment in the spotlight in the late 2010s.
The true beauty of the tavern-style pie lies inherently in its shareability. A single pizza yields significantly more portions when cut into a grid rather than traditional triangles, explains Bradley Shorten, the creative force behind both Kim’s Uncle Pizza in his hometown Chicago suburb of Westmont, Illinois, and the recently opened La Merna in Washington, D.C. Pizza cut into bite-sized squares makes for exceptional drinking food, Shorten notes, especially since the individual pieces fit comfortably on a cocktail napkin. What ultimately makes a good pie, according to Shorten, is that every single square contains a balanced bite of every ingredient, with the toppings and cheese extending all the way to the very edge of the crust. And while the four small corner pieces might traditionally be debated as to whether they are the "best" ones, Shorten observes that they are invariably the pieces that everyone goes for first, particularly among diners hailing from Chicago.
Over the past few years, as neighborhood taverns have become growing fixations for a new cadre of ambitious restaurateurs, the party-cut pizza and its accompanying casual aesthetic have also become ubiquitous. Recent high-profile openings include Keepers in New York City; One Trick Pony in Fort Worth, Texas; Tillie’s Tavern Pizza in Wheat Ridge, Colorado; and Zarella and Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian in Chicago, where the style has always existed in abundance. For many displaced Chicagoans, these new openings across the country represent a long-awaited opportunity to correct the record regarding their hometown’s true pizza culture, while other Midwesterners seize the chance to proudly claim their own stake in the region’s broader pizza legacy.
When Mike Fadem opened the second location of his popular New York City pizzeria Ops—an establishment renowned for its wood-fired, Neapolitan-esque pies featuring leopard-spotted crusts and pliant, airy dough—he wanted to offer something entirely fresh to his clientele. Fadem originally hails from St. Louis, where the city’s namesake pizza style is famously super-thin. Despite his deep personal affection for it, Fadem readily admits that it is perhaps not the absolute best version of tavern pizza, acknowledging its many vocal critics who often take issue with its distinct use of provel, a gooey, processed cheese blend. The evolutionary trajectory of tavern-style pizza, he explains, resembles a culinary game of telephone: St. Louis-style pizza is historically derived from thin-crust Chicago pizza, which itself traces its lineage back to traditional Neapolitan pizza, with distinct regional divergences occurring at every single generational jump.
Meanwhile, one of Fadem’s kitchen employees at Ops happens to hail from New Jersey, a state that proudly claims its own distinct thin-crust, tavern- and bar-style pizza tradition, much like the devoted following enjoyed by the legendary bar pies of the Boston area. This creative environment sparked a professional curiosity in Fadem: could they successfully develop an Ops version of this style? Given that Ops is widely known for its mastery of sourdough fermentation, Fadem also wanted to highlight the rich, complex flavor profiles achievable with whole grains. Furthermore, he insisted that the crust be exceptionally crispy, a specific textural quality he knew would instantly appeal to New Yorkers. Fadem’s resulting creation currently appears on the menu under the regionally agnostic name "tavernetta." Although St. Louis and New Jersey served as his initial points of inspiration, Fadem notes that the best examples he encountered during his extensive research were actually found in Milwaukee. The Tavernetta has not displaced the other established pies at the restaurant; instead, it is frequently ordered as a complement to them, with most dining groups opting to add at least one to their table.
In June, Los Angeles cocktail destination Bar Next Door celebrated its third anniversary by officially expanding its operations to include a dedicated food menu. Previously, the neighborhood bar had permitted patrons to bring in hot pies from Prince Street Pizza next door, facilitated by the fact that Prince Street co-owner Lawrence Longo is a partner in the bar venture. However, as owner and bar director Brynn Smith points out, after consuming a heavy slice of traditional thick-style pizza, customers sometimes find themselves feeling overly full and ready to call it a night. That counteracts their primary business goal, which is encouraging patrons to linger a little longer and order another round of drinks. Smith and her team decided that tavern-style pizza would serve as the ideal culinary medium. The fact that these pizzas—technically listed on the menu as "bar pies" to better align with the establishment’s moniker—are crafted exclusively for the bar by Prince Street provides yet another compelling reason for locals to head out for an evening.
The foundational idea of the neighborhood tavern as an inherently social, convivial space is practically inseparable from the very nature of tavern-style pizza. Shorten’s overarching vision with La Merna—which he operates alongside his wife, Meg Schmitt, who grew up in St. Louis—was to recreate the warm, unpretentious atmosphere of a classic Chicago dive bar or a traditional Wisconsin supper club. These are spaces defined by wood-paneled walls and checkered floors, where guests can comfortably slide into red leather booths, order pitchers of beer alongside shared pizzas, and settle in for an extended evening. As design and culture writers have frequently noted, the rising appeal of the cozy tavern aesthetic across restaurants nationwide is deeply rooted in a collective desire for spaces that feel genuinely homey, lived-in, and free of modern pretension. At traditional taverns, diners are implicitly invited to sprawl out, relax, and tap into something deeply welcoming in its familiarity. For countless people, this ethos is perfectly embodied by the cultural archetype of the hometown pizza shop, which remains forever tethered in our collective imaginations to the comforting trappings of a simpler era.
It is precisely for this reason that, out in Oregon, the Grosvenors have also begun serving their own nostalgic interpretations of regional Midwestern staples, including Bosco sticks—the beloved stuffed cheese breadsticks of Midwestern school cafeterias—and classic Italian beef sandwiches piled high with giardiniera. While they could occasionally track down certain Midwestern comfort foods around the Portland area, they often felt frustrated by their inability to find everything consolidated under one roof. As Brennan Grosvenor aptly summarizes, their goal is simply to fully embody the authentic atmosphere and offerings of a classic neighborhood tavern: if a customer walked into a traditional tavern in Chicago, what would they expect to find on the menu?
