Ken Wysocki runs a Chicago‑focused Facebook group with more than 172,000 members that celebrates the city’s beloved thin‑crust, square‑cut pizza. The group’s core rule: never refer to the pizza as “tavern‑style,” or members risk a permanent ban.
Origins of the ban
The group formed in 2023 after a dispute in another large pizza community over the phrase “tavern‑style.” When Wysocki questioned research linking the term to a 1987 classified ad, he was urged to start his own page. Since then, the ban has become a defining feature of the community.
Why the term matters
Wysocki argues that “tavern‑style” lumps together a wide variety of thin‑crust pizzas that differ in dough weight, texture, and flavor. He likens it to calling New York, New Haven, and Neapolitan pizza the same just because they’re triangle‑cut.
Local pizzeria owners echo his concerns. Peter Ternes of Middle Brow in Logan Square runs a “Tavern Tuesdays” promotion featuring ultra‑thin squares made with 205 grams of dough for a 16‑inch pie. Across town, Jorge Torres at Bellona’s Pizza uses roughly double that dough weight, creating a buttery, layered crust that many still label “tavern‑style.”
Veteran perspectives
Bill Savage, a longtime bartender and pizza lover from Rogers Park, says he never used the term while ordering at neighborhood bars, simply asking for “extra‑large thin crust.” Tony Troiano of JB Alberto’s recalls that “tavern‑style” was never a recognized style until recent years, when the label helped market the pizza in competitions.
Chef Darnell Reed of Luella’s Southern Kitchen notes that the term now tends to describe the thinnest of the thin‑crust pies, but he still prefers to call it just “thin‑crust.”
What the debate reveals
The discussion highlights how Chicago’s pizza culture is both deeply rooted and evolving. While some see the new label as a marketing tool that draws attention to a beloved local food, others view it as an unnecessary oversimplification of a diverse tradition.
Regardless of the terminology, the city’s square‑cut, thin‑crust pizza remains a staple at birthday parties, softball games, and late‑night gatherings across Chicago and its suburbs.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
