Lou Malnati's Menu Prices 2026: Chicago Deep-Dish, Pasta & Salads

The Malnati Chicago Classic — Lou Malnati's signature deep-dish with Italian sausage, extra mozzarella and vine-ripened tomato sauce on the famous buttercrust — runs $28.49 for a Medium (12") at most locations. Individual (6") is around $12.99, Small (9") $20.99, Large (14") $34.49, and Family (16") $40.99. The Chicago Classic is the pizza that built the brand and is widely considered the gold-standard Chicago deep-dish.

Lou Malnati's offers five deep-dish sizes: Individual (6", serves 1), Small (9", serves 1-2), Medium (12", serves 2-3), Large (14", serves 3-4), and Family (16", serves 4-6). Thin Crust is typically only the Large (14") size. Stuffed deep-dish is Medium or Large only. Pizza Pot Pies are single-serving inverted deep-dishes ($15.49-$16.99). Deep-dish takes 30-45 minutes to bake, so most stores accept call-ahead pizza orders.

Yes — Lou Malnati's is famous for nationwide frozen shipping. The chain ships via loumalnatis.com ("Tastes of Chicago") and via Goldbelly. Frozen deep-dish pizzas arrive on dry ice anywhere in the lower 48 states, typically $95-160 for a 2-6 pizza pack with shipping included. Pizzas are par-baked and frozen — you finish them in your home oven at 425°F for 25-30 minutes. This is how millions of out-of-state Chicagoans get their Lou Malnati's fix.

Buttercrust is Lou Malnati's signature deep-dish crust — a secret recipe handed down from the Malnati family using a butter-and-lard fat base (rather than the olive-oil base most other Chicago deep-dish chains use). The result is a flaky, biscuit-like crust that holds up to two pounds of cheese, sausage and sauce without going soggy. Buttercrust was created by Rudy Malnati Sr. at the original Pizzeria Uno in the 1940s and brought to Lou Malnati's by his son Lou when he opened his first store in 1971. It's the single most-cited reason Lou Malnati's wins Chicago deep-dish rankings year after year.

Not exactly — but the family did. Rudy Malnati Sr., father of founder Lou Malnati, is credited as one of the original creators of Chicago deep-dish pizza in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno in downtown Chicago, working alongside Ike Sewell. Lou Malnati grew up in the Uno kitchen and brought his father's recipes (especially the buttercrust) when he opened Lou Malnati's Pizzeria in Lincolnwood, IL in 1971. So Lou Malnati's didn't invent the style, but is the direct family lineage from one of the inventors — making it the most historically authentic Chicago deep-dish brand.

A Lou Malnati's deep-dish pizza takes 30-45 minutes to bake from order, depending on size. The dough is pressed up the sides of a deep pan, layered cheese-first (so the cheese doesn't burn under high direct heat), then toppings, then sauce on top last. Most Lou Malnati's stores accept call-ahead orders so the pizza is ready when you arrive. Frozen shipped pizzas take 25-30 minutes at 425°F in a home oven. This long bake is why Chicago deep-dish is rarely fast.

Mostly. Lou Malnati's operates about 80 U.S. locations, with roughly 70 in the Chicago metropolitan area (city + suburbs). The chain expanded into Arizona starting in 2017 (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa), Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Crown Point), and Wisconsin (Milwaukee). There are no East Coast or West Coast (California) locations as of 2026. If you're outside the Chicago metro and the four out-of-state markets, you order frozen via Goldbelly or loumalnatis.com.

The Lou is the chain's signature vegetarian deep-dish — named after founder Lou Malnati. It features spinach, mushrooms, sliced Roma tomatoes and a custom three-cheese blend (mozzarella, romano, cheddar) on the buttercrust. Medium runs $29.49. The Lou is the most-ordered non-sausage pizza on the menu and is widely considered the best vegetarian deep-dish in Chicago.

The Pizza Pot Pie is an inverted single-serving deep-dish — baked upside-down in a bowl, then flipped onto the plate so the crust ends up on top. Sausage version runs $16.99; cheese is $15.49 and pepperoni is $16.49. It's a relatively recent menu addition and a hit with diners who want the deep-dish experience without committing to a full 30-minute Medium bake. It cooks in 15-18 minutes.

This is the central Chicago deep-dish debate. Both consistently rank top-3 in Chicago: Lou Malnati's is the buttercrust traditional deep-dish (Italian sausage in a patty, sauce on top); Giordano's is famous for stuffed deep-dish (two crusts with cheese sealed between). Eater Chicago, Chicago Magazine and Time Out Chicago all rank Lou Malnati's #1 traditional deep-dish more often than not, while Giordano's wins on stuffed deep-dish. Lou Malnati's also offers stuffed (Stuffed Spinach $32.99) — many locals split the difference and order both styles. Pequod's Pizza is the dark-horse third name in the conversation, famous for its caramelized cheese-rim crust.