Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

About

Lauren Hodson opened Lefty's in 2005 after a deep-seated craving for the Chicago of her childhood drove her to obsess over recipes in her California kitchen, force-feeding patient friends until she nailed those perfect mom-and-pop flavors. The North Park location became a quick hit with neighbors—especially fellow Chicago transplants—drawn to that hole-in-the-wall warmth covered floor-to-ceiling in Chicago sports memorabilia. The deep-dish technique honors Sicilian-style dough: oil-rich, proofed overnight, shaped into balls, then placed in well-oiled pans for hours before thin-sliced mozzarella layers line the interior walls, creating that signature caramelized cheese perimeter reminiscent of Burt's and Pequod's. A 16-inch cheese deep-dish runs $30; specialties like Monster of the Midway hit $32. But Lefty's delivers more than pizza: Chicago hot dogs on poppy seed buns with the full lineup of mustard, onion, pickle, relish, sport peppers, celery salt, and tomato; slow-roasted Italian beef dipped in da jus with giardiniera; cheesy beef on garlic bread. Local San Diego craft beers on tap, flat-screen TVs for game days, and that back patio with picnic tables make Lefty's what Lauren built: a family-style community.

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