Coalfire Pizza

This is so far the best pizza of it’s kind I have tried in Chicago. I have been there about a half dozen times only because it’s a bit far from where I live, but when people come to town we always go here. Pizza is top notch, crust has always been perfectly charred, just enough to lend that nice taste, but not so much that you have charcoal. Ambiance at this location is ok, I think they could stand to get one of those winter doors, i agree with some other reviewers, took a star off for that or it would be a perfect 5. It can get a bit brisk in the winter when the door keeps opening, but that’s all forgiven when the pizza arrives. soooo good!
Relatively small dining area, so good for small groups.

Yummy! Perfectly crispy thin crust!
The pizza was really good, my husband and I love thin crust pizza and this crust is by far the thinnest we’ve had. The waitress could have been a bit more friendly but my food was good and my water was filled, when I asked.

Not quite sure what all the hype was about as I read about this place on an «undiscovered top pizza place in Chicago».
The place had plenty of open tables when we went so we got seated immediately, however they seemed put out when we asked to get moved away from the door which had no protection from the winter air every time it opened.
The pizza base was great but the Lasagna pizza topping was just ok, not really what I had in mind when replicating Italian comfort food on a pizza; the whipped ricotta was a nice touch though. The pesto option was a little too sweet for all of our liking — I think we would have been better sticking to the classics!

It took two years but I finally got to try this pizza. I am one of those who people who completely believe that coal fire is the best way to cook a pizza.
So I walked in on a Saturday afternoon A’s the restaurant was maybe half full. I was seated promptly and promptly got a glass of ice water. However, they also told me there was no iced tea. That’s a major disappointment for me. Even though I didn’t plan on drinking, I knew I wasn’t having dogs, so I asked for a beer suggestion. The waitress came back with a bottle of rogue dead guy ale from Oregon. It was a nice medium bodied, golden color beer. Definitely a good recommendation.
I ordered the sausage and straciella, which had Berkshire sausage, red onion, Calabrian chiles, fresh basil, two kinds of mozzarella, and a little tomato sauce. For $ 19, it was about sixteen inches in diameter.
I like my pizzas with a good sauce flavor, but I don’t like them soggy and wet on the bottom. That’s a fine line to walk. The crust was definitely crispy all the way through, a definite plus. When I bit into it, the crust had that smoky flavor that I love in my pizzas. The sausage was an incredible quality, great spice and flavor in it. But I could’ve used just a little more sauce especially with the extra cheese and the peppers. That would probably be my only criticism.
The total was $ 27 for a large pizza, beer, and tax. Not too bad for Chicago. I would likely return if I was in the area, but I still have to say there’s a certain New Haven style place on North Avenue that is still my go to.

Oh so good. we went with some friends and although the place is rather small it stays quite busy. they had a nice choice of brews. even though they are all bottled the selection was a nice batch. the pizza was very good. we tried 4 – 5 different pizzas and all were nice, some better than others. i love the pizza with the organic honey. its the best one there to me. the open oven leaves the crust done but very floppy so you hae to hold the whole pizza or every thing falls of. change the crust and you get 5 stars.

The pizza’s are really good. The crust is thin. And the service is great. Our server was shannin not sure if that’s the correct spelling. We order one pizza after pizza so about time we finish one another was on it was. We had a party of 6 so it worked out good pizza didnt get a chance to get cold… the only thing i didnt like that didnt server mix drinks like maragaritas. inly beer and wine. But if we decide to visit again I wont put up a fight.

Everything you’d ever want from a pizza. We ordered two and it was plenty for 5 people.
Service was a bit slow but understandable since it was very busy.
I would recommend going in on a weekday (Monday — wednesday) to avoid crowds.

Ahh yes. Coal Fire.
Nothing beats a fresh-​to-​order pizza made and served to you in under 5 minutes. I’m baffled at the speed these delicious pizzas get brought to your table every time I visit. Coalfire offers a nice selection of wines to pair with your pizza. My absolute favorite is the ricotta, sausage arugula! I always ask for an extra side of ricotta to dip my pizza in (real fat boy status). I love every bite of it and usually try to save one piece to bring home for my midnight craving.

Great place. Went on a bitter cold Sunday night. No waiting and free street parking.
Coalfire is not your standard Chicago pizza place. The crust is thinner and more delicate. The cheese is not overwhelming. The menu is both creative and traditional. Traditional like pepperoni and mozzarella, different like honey and ricotta.
We tried a pepperoni and a white pizza. The white pizza was delicious, filling but not heavy and overwhelming. I pretty much like anything with basil on it.
We shared a crème brule dessert. It was worth it!
Cost was reasonable.

In my opinion, Coalfire serves up the best pizza in the city. The N’duja will change your world!

Went early on New Year’s Eve; ordered 2 pizzas, one was the lasagna pizza that Chicago magazine raved about & the other was a spicy salami & honey pizza. The combo of heat & sweet from the honey was a winner but the lasagna pizza was just average. The whipped ricotta looked good, but was actually cold, so it really didn’t elevate the flavors. Chicago mag picked the wrong pizza to highlight.

Wowie-​wow-​wow… certainly comes to mind. Came with a group of 6 and it appeared we ordered one of everything. I muscled through one of each. Hard to put my finger on a favorite, as all the Pizzas we got were fabulous. I love the flavor of the crust the most.

Whoa how have we not known about this little gem? It doesn’t look like much from the outside, heck you could easily miss it unless you knew it was there and we’re looking for it. We Unilocaled for pizza and saw the great reviews for here. Had a bottle of red along with the sausage pizza topped with ricotta and the salami with the chilies. Both are amazing!

Holy crap this place makes amazing pizza! Forget deep dish Chicago, Coalfire’s house made whipped ricotta generously dolloped on each individually cut slice and their truly delicious Salami and Honey pizza is where it’s at. The salami and honey is an explosion of flavor with salty, sweet, and spicy (chiles) all in one and I’m seriously contemplating returning again tonight (2 days in a row) because it is just that good. The crust is thin, chewy and perfectly baked. Although on the pricey end for wood fired pizza, I would happily pay whatever price they set to get my hands on more slices. My new favorite pizza restaurant in Chicago!

I love the pizza here. We were seated right away. The girl that say us not the friendliest of people but she left maybe ten minutes after she sat us and the other girls were much more pleasant. Had the pepperoni with ricotta whip and a prosciutto, red onion and red pepper. Definitely order more than one pizza, my husband and I killed two no problem!

If you like ricotta, thin crust pizza, and friendly owners this place is for you! Their signature whipped ricotta is on a number of their pizzas and it’s really unique and delicious. I love that the whipped ricotta is always mounded in the middle of each slice, so you can spread it around, or take some of it off. Each pizza serves about two decently hungry people. My boyfriend and I always split one pizza for dinner and usually end up with 1 or two extra slices.
My absolute favorite pizza is their White Pizza ($ 16) with mozzarella, whipped ricotta, oregano, garlic, etc. The Lasagna Pizza ($ 18) is also pretty great. It’s topped with fresh mozzarella, sauce, sausage, whipped ricotta, etc. I didn’t particularly care for the ‘Nduja & Béchamel ($ 19) pizza, made with béchamel, ‘nduja (a sausage of sorts), and mozzarella, but it certainly wasn’t bad. We once tried a calzone and would definitely stick to the pizzas from now on.
Overall, very solid pizza choice. They don’t deliver, but if you call ahead, they will have your pizza prepared when you get there! They fire all their pizzas in a ridiculously hot oven, so they cook super quickly! Give it a try!

Came on a Friday night, wait was about 35minutes, they take your name and call you which is nice because their are nearby bars to wait. Staff is very friendly and helpful. We ordered the pepperoni and whipped ricotta pizza with basil. It was by far the best pizza I’ve had in Chicago. The whipped ricotta is a must try. Definitely can’t wait to go back soon and try more options.

So good!!! I wish you were my next door neighbor!
I did my usual monthly dinner date with my friends, and we have been wanting to try coalfire (this was months ago) I need to get back ASAP!
The place itself is so cute, quaint, and perfect for a solo outing, friends, or family. i need to bring my nephews back for this deliciousness.
We had the Margherita pizza, Caesar salad, and I thought we had some sort of app, but looking back on the menu I dont see anything. I thought we had a bread with red dipping sauce, but maybe not.
The meal was absolutely delicious!!! HIGHLY recommend, can’t wait to go back!

Came in for some awesome pizza due to popular reviews! We had the honey salami pizza and the sausage stracciatella which were great. We also had the apple and endive salad. Thin crust pizza at its finest reminds me of NYC pizza. One complaint is I wish the bottom of the pizza was crispy, other than that I cannot wait to return.

I’ve been going to Coalfire for a number of years getting pizzas to go every few months. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but it just depends when I work in the area. The pizza has always been good and I am a big fan of this style of pizza vs the normal Chicago thin or Deep. One thing that makes this pizza so great for me is the chewy crust that can hold out for the ride home to the burbs. It takes me 45 – 75 minutes to get home and a 10 – 15 min warmup in the oven brings it back to a satisfying eat. Just remember to get it uncut!
The staff has always been friendly and is happy to serve you a beer while waiting for the pie to cook…

I’ve been wanting to try Coalfire for a really long time so I was pumped to finally go – photos of the gorgeous ricotta/​pepperoni pizza pop up all over social media and I had to try it myself.
We arrived at coalfire around ⁸⁄₈₃₀ on a Wednesday and it was busy but we got a table immediately. It’s definitely a small restaurant and I can see how it’d be busier during the dinner rush. The restaurant itself is dark but not unwelcoming.
The beer selection is pretty decent — they have a solid variety of beers. I ordered a Leffe and my friend ordered a Fixed Gear Red Ale, and our waitress brought out pint glasses. Both beers were good and definitely went well with pizza.
For dinner, we ordered the pepperoni ricotta pizza to split. Here’s my honest opinion: on its own, the pizza is not truly very special. That isn’t to say that it’s not good — it’s hard to find a truly crispy thin crust pizza around here and coalfire definitely succeeds in that aspect. The pizza is charred (as it should be) and thin and crunchy. However, I found the cheese and sauce on it to be so boring — I barely noticed them. They lacked flavor and they weren’t very present on the pizza. If not for the excellent toppings of pep and ricotta, I probably would have liked the pizza a lot less. the pepperoni is thick and small and packed on to the pizza– they’re definitely not stingy with it. It’s also flavorful and spicy and very delicious. The whipped ricotta is so excellent — not only is it pretty, but it’s infused with flavor and super mouthwateringly delicious. We spread it across our pizza and enjoyed every bite of the creamy ricotta (cold, but still good).
The service was good and quick — maybe a little too quick, really. I felt the whole time like our waitress was rushing though the meal, giving us very little time to sit and chill. However, she was super nice and we enjoyed our time at Coalfire.

Ricotta Balls! No joke, they know how to make a good thin pepperoni cheesy pizza! This place is more of a family friendly place, lots of families and kids. Ohhh and cup cakes!

I really enjoyed Coalfire! I am a big fan of brick oven, thin, Neopolitan style pizzas. The crust holds so much of that brick oven flavor! Mmmmmm!!! I wouldn’t say it’s the best pizza in the city, but I haven’t found many places that offer this style of pizza, so it was a nice find.
I was pleased with the service and the free pop refills! Our server was nice compared to the frazzled hostess who was all over the place. There is no place to wait except outside, and there is no bar to grab a drink during the wait, which I have to admit the wait wasn’t as bad as it looked when we first arrived.
There are «rules» on the menu like… no substitutions, no halves (which I’m not sure if that was only for the specialty pizzas?), only one credit card per table… Thought that was weird??? I mean if we were splitting the tab down the middle with two cards, that should be okay I think. I’ve been a server and that doesn’t take much time at all. I could see if a table gave you 8 cards and wanted only certain items on each card, NOW that is obnoxious haha!
The whipped ricotta was good on the pepperoni pizza but it was a way too much ricotta on each slice in my opinion — - very generous dollops! I had to take some of it off my slices.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience and the pizza was very good! I will be back.

This was more of a 4.2 or so, but I’ll do 4 stars since they were charging a corkage for byob. This was the only place in Chicago that I visited that charged a corkage charge.
On to the pizza, it was big and tasty and the whipped ricotta was a nice new twist that I have not had before. Granted it looks a little strange, but it is yum. The cesar salad was also tasty, but a little steep in my opinion. I was on vacation and on a quest to try some highly rated pizza places, so I didn’t concern myself too much with the details.
The service was good and so was the pizza. There was a pizza tour going on and I picked the tour guide’s brain on his favorite deep dish places to see if they matched what I had on the agenda and two of them did and I visited both.

Not sure why it took me so long to get to Coalfire Pizza, but I finally made it and I’m glad I did.
The Ambiance:
Cool subtle jams in the background and warm and cozy dining area.
The Service:
Simply put our service was awesome. Greeted at the door as we walked in. Drinks right away and our server was super friendly, enthusiastic, and offered up suggestions. I wish I got her name, it was probably on the receipt but I forgot, Fail.
The Food:
We split a salmi and spicy honey mozzarella pizza. It was perfection. The salami was crispy and salty. The honey was sweet with a hint of spicy. The cheese was fresh and melty full of creamy mozzarella goodness. The crust was cooked perfectly. Soft on the bottom and crispy around the edges. The cook distributed the honey flawlessly so that it was in every bite.
Recommendation:
ABSOLUTELY. This is the best pizza I’ve had in Chicago so far. I would obviously recommend the salami and honey pizza too. It’s different and unique, but truly delicious.

So back in 2011 when I came here the pizza was very meh… but over the past year or so I’ve been seeing all these great reviews of Coalfire and honestly thinking it’s not that great people… but seeing so many positive reviews and people saying it’s their favorite pizza made me want to give Coalfire another chance. I’ve been meaning to go back but never got the umph to go until this week. Given I did move in about 3 doors down from Coalfire… I saw it as a prime opportunity to give it a shot. Got the IGed Pepperoni pie with whipped ricotta… and that’s all she wrote…
I dunno what they changed but Coalfire is churning out some top notch pies… the crust is nice and thin with the outer crust being charred and chewy… my favorite. The pepperonis are nice and thick with some bite/​spice to them which reminds me of pepperoni in NY that actually has some meat to it vs. a razor thin slice. The whipped ricotta is another layer of flavor that adds to their excellent pie.
Moving in 3 doors down was a baaaaaad choice… for my health.

Ate at Coalfire pizza for the first time about 3 weeks ago and I want to go back again! These thin-​crust, Neopolitan-​style pizzas are the pizzas I love, the pizzas I crave, the pizzas that take me out of the dark hole and into the light. Forget deep dish, that stuff is too heavy. The blistered, thin crust is perfectly crisp and the ingredients fresh. A limit of 2 toppings and no more than one vegetable topping is what Coalfire recommends for the best quality pizza. What we had was their famous pepperoni and whipped ricotta pizza… creamy mounds of ricotta atop mozzerella cheese, pepperoni, tomato sauce and garlic. Loved it, it was so very delicious!
The pizza came out in no time and our waitress was great. Hopefully coming back within the next week or so!

We’ve visited Coalfire several times in the last 6 months and we love this place.
The atmosphere is fun. You’ll see young couples on a date, families, friends night out, and everything else in between.
We have enjoyed…
1) Pepperoni and whipped ricotta pizza– hands down our favorite. Delicious pepperoni and airy ricotta are delicious.
2) Honey and salami pizza– not your typical pizza but still delicious. It’s a sweet and savory dish with savory salami.
3) Sausage and onion– so good! I’m not a fan of purple onion but it works so well in this pizza. The sausage in this dish is by far my favorite sausage around.
4) White pizza– whipped ricotta, mozzarella, and romano cheese with oregano.
5) House salad: no frills, very fresh salad with lettuce, mushrooms, purple onions, and tomatoes in a vinaigrette.
The desert cupcakes are amazing! They are brought in from a local cupcake shop and are so good. I’ve tried them all and can say they are all delicious. If you love peanut butter try the peanut butter cup cupcake; it has an entire peanut butter cup backed inside.
The service is pleasant and friendly. It’s a small place and they usually have long waits on the weekends; be aware that they will ask you to move (nicely) if you’ve paid the bill.