Bonci Pizzeria
Author & Photographer: Hsin Min Zee
Because I like to make use of my time in Chicago by trying new things, there are few places that I like enough to revisit. Bonci Pizzeria is one of them -- I’ve been there maybe five times now. They’re incredibly consistent and make some of the best pizzas I’ve had. I always leave happy.
One of the best things about Bonci’s pizza is their bread. I believe it is basically impossible to have good pizza without quality bread. For me, toppings don’t matter nearly as much. Bonci’s bread has an amazing texture, and tastes light and delicious. The bread is crisp on the outside, and chewy and fluffy on the inside. It has a delicate, lightly herbed taste, and is neither oily nor soggy from the toppings.
To be frank, I don’t always find pizza dinners to be the most satisfying. If you aren’t going with a big group of people and are sharing just one type of pizza, it’s easy to get bored of the food. One of my favourite things about Bonci is that they sell pizza by weight, so you can try as many topping combinations as you like. Bonci has more than ten different topping combinations available each day, with some made every day, and others on rotation. Here are some of the ones that I tried.
Slightly spicy. Topped with sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes. Fresh and exciting.
Rating: 8.5/10
{Potato, nduja, burrata, and mint}
Creamy, thick, and silky-smooth burrata. Nduja is rich, spicy and dense. Potatoes sliced thinly, baked to be slightly crunchy.
Rating: 10/10
{Crotino - Chicken, potato, and gorgonzola}
Tender, juicy chicken that melts in your mouth. Cheesy but also delicate. Fragrant rosemary.
Rating: 8/10
{Crostino - Fried onion and mozzarella}
Beautifully caramelised onion. Crispy. Every bite is full of texture.
Rating: 9.5/10
{Crostino - Prosciutto cotto and mozzarella}
Crispy prosciutto. Not overwhelmingly salty. Strong hints of rosemary, keeping the dish tasting fresh and not too heavy.
Rating: 8/10
{Black pepper, lemon peel, and ricotta}
Light citrus. Creamy; tastes like a dessert. Generous amounts of fluffy ricotta cheese. A heavier dish.
Rating: 8/10
Address: 161 N Sangamon St
Price: $10-20/ lb