Vito and Nick Barraco opened their pizzeria on South Pulaski Road on Chicago’s southwest side in 1932, originally as a tavern that served food. The pizza program became the focus over time, and Vito and Nick’s developed one of the most distinctive styles in Chicago: a thin, crispy, cracker-like crust cut into squares rather than wedges — the tavern cut that is standard on the southwest side but largely unknown to the deep-dish crowd that dominates the city’s national pizza reputation. It appeared in Season 5, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Something from Everywhere,” which aired January 12, 2009. Guy Fieri found three generations of family operating behind the counter and a pizza style he had not expected from Chicago. Vito and Nick’s is still family-owned and considered one of the essential Chicago thin crust stops.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: The Original Vito and Nick’s Pizzeria
City: Chicago, Illinois
Cuisine: Pizza / Italian
DDD Season: 5
DDD Episode: 6
Episode Title: Something from Everywhere
Original Air Date: January 12, 2009
Address: 8433 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60652
Phone: 773-735-2050
Website: https://vitoandnicks.com
Status: Open
What to Eat at Vito & Nick’s Pizzeria
The Thin Crust Pizza is the reason to make the drive to the southwest side — a crispy, cracker-like crust topped simply and cut into squares in the classic Chicago tavern style. The Sausage Pizza is the most popular order, with house Italian sausage that the kitchen grinds in house. The Pepperoni and Mushroom is the other standard that earns its own following. The pizzas are best eaten at the table while they’re hot and the crust is at maximum crisp.
Bring the thin crust energy home with Guy Fieri Cookware for serious stovetop and oven pizza work. Find a Chicago hotel on Booking.com.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours. The pizzeria is on Chicago’s southwest side — a cab or rideshare from downtown takes about 30 minutes.
Address: 8433 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60652
Phone: 773-735-2050
Website: https://vitoandnicks.com
Status: Open
Flavortown Approved
Stream the Something from Everywhere episode on Amazon. Chicago has one of the strongest Triple D maps in the country — use More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to plan the full run.
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The Original Vito and Nick’s Pizzeria appeared in Season 5, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Something from Everywhere,” originally aired January 12, 2009. The pizzeria has been on South Pulaski Road since 1932.