RAVENSWOOD — A trio of influential pizza critics ranked Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe as one of many high locations for a slice within the nation.
Jimmy Kang’s restaurant at 2434 W. Montrose Ave. is thought for its New York-style pizza by the pie and the slice, in addition to for morning beignets and occasional.
Whereas locals are fast to sing reward of Jimmy’s pizzas, this 12 months is the primary time Kang has been acknowledged by Italian meals critics Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro and Albert Sapere.
Since 2018, the trio has put out a yearly checklist of one of the best pizzerias in Italy and all over the world, with none choice to type. For this 12 months’s information, Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe was ranked quantity 9 within the information’s checklist of fifty Prime Pizza Slices within the USA for 2024.
“They’re sort of just like the Michelin of pizza,” Kang instructed Block Membership.
Jimmy Kang (left) accepts an award rating his pizza cafe quantity 9 within the 50 Prime Pizza Slices checklist within the USA for 2024 on June 25, 2024 in New York Metropolis. Credit score: Supplied.
The critics go incognito to unsuspecting pizza joints internationally to see if the restaurant qualifies for the influential checklist. That is the primary time the critics ranked particular person slices as a separate class from full pies, Kang stated.
“They by no means reveal who they’re. I didn’t even know they got here by to eat till I acquired an electronic mail from them on the finish of April. It was an enormous honor. The awards ceremony was all one of the best pizza-makers within the nation in only one room,” Kang stated.
Kang headed to New York Metropolis Tuesday to obtain the distinction throughout an award’s ceremony hosted by Scott’s Pizza Excursions founder Scott Wiener.
“On its face, it’s a helpful information for pizza lovers. However extra importantly, it’s a unification of the pizza neighborhood sitting on this room immediately. By figuring out pizzerias and people equivalent to yourselves, 50 Prime Pizza is presenting to the world examples of pizza’s unbelievable potential,” Wiener stated in the course of the ceremony. “Everybody on this room displays that potential. This isn’t only a quick meals. It’s a nice meals, made quick.”
Jimmy Pizza Cafe proprietor Jimmy Kang at his restaurant on March 1, 2022. Credit score: Alex V. Hernandez/Block Membership Chicago
The information’s description of Jimmy’s highlights its “spacious and heat surroundings” because of the fire, wood tables and brick partitions that invitations prospects to remain, particularly in the course of the winter, whereas having fun with the perfume of freshly baked pizza.
“Excellent consistency for this New York Type pizza, extremely popular in Chicago for its distinctive style and high-quality substances. The french fries and garlic knots are additionally wonderful,” in accordance with the information.
Kang opened his store in 2011 in Lincoln Sq.. Loyal followers adopted him to Ravenswood when he was pushed out of his unique location at 5155-5159 N. Lincoln Ave. by a developer’s plans.
Through the early days of the pandemic, Kang’s pizza was so well-liked amongst its followers that the store was working out of dough. That hasn’t been a difficulty since he relocated to Montrose Avenue with a larger-capacity oven in 2022.
Jimmy’s wasn’t the one Chicago pizzeria acknowledged by the critics this 12 months.
The 50 Prime Pizza USA checklist for 2024 additionally ranked Streeterville ’s Robert’s Pizza and Dough Firm at quantity 10 ; Ravenswood’s Spacca Napoli Pizzeria at quantity 23; and Lakeview’s Coda di Volpe at 47.
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