Chicago is my hometown. From Portillo's to Wrigley Field, Chicago is chock full of iconic specialties. My personal favorite specialty — deep dish pizza. There is constant debate on which is the best spot to get a slice of heaven, but hands down, Lou Malnati's is my favorite. The crust is super buttery and flavorful, and you can customize the toppings and cheese any way you'd like. But those aren't the only reasons why I love my Lou. Here are 5 reasons why Chicagoans love their Lou Malnati's.

1. You can buy their pizzas frozen.

Any Chi-town college student who is away from home can get a little homesick. The great thing about Lou Malnati's pizzas is that they come frozen, so you can store a bunch and be a little less homesick. 

2. They have Lou Malnati's branches all over the suburbs. 

Even though we all love the city, it can be a pain for those of us who live in the suburbs to travel downtown. By ordering from a local Lou Malnati's , you can get all the Chi city vibes in the form of flavorful and bubbly deep dish. 

3. Their butter crust has a distinct flavor. 

I feel like Chicago deep dish lovers can always distinguish Lou Malnati's from the rest, just because of the crust. When it comes to deep dish, the crust is everything. The buttery and super flavorful crust is crunchy as a crouton, yet soft in the middle. 

4. Every piece of deep dish is a "corner piece". 

Unlike our New York friends, we don't need to fight over "corner pieces" because every slice of Lou Mal's deep dish has the same amount of crust, cheese, and toppings. That means every slice is the same, and all Chicagoans are happy.

5. Lou's offers thin crust pizzas.

pizza, spinach, tomato
Sarah Arora

Whenever our friends from New York swing by Chi Town for a visit, they may find deep dish overwhelming. Lou Malnati's thin crust is not exactly New York style, but it's got a rich butter crust with the same Chicago flair. 

Chicagoans should love their Lou Malnati's deep dish. When it comes to Chicago pizza, go big or go home. If you're from Chicago and don't go big, you'll already be home.