Now back by popular demand for a limited time this fall, Lou Malnati’s x Mike’s Hot Honey collaboration.

 

Imagine biting into a perfectly crisp, golden crust that is both thick yet airy inside with a slight buttery, yeasty flavor–the iconic flavor of Lou Malnati’s with the sweet-heat punch of Mike’s Hot Honey, drizzled over the top, leaving a warm, lingering heat on your palate.

 

Say What? 

This combination featuring Lou Malnati’s, Chicago’s very own deep best dish pizza (and thin crust, too!) since 1971, will surely be the new way you enjoy pizza.

 

 

Brought to us by the genius of none other than the master of hot honey himself, Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, and the samurai of deep dish pizza, Marc Malnati, Lou Malnati’s.

In the promo, Marc is enjoying some hot honey with ice cream when he gets a FaceTime call from Mike (of Mike’s Hot Honey) to check in on him. Marc informs him that the previous collaboration was “one of the best ever and people are just demanding we bring it back again.”

This combination features sausage, cupped pepperoni, and giardiniera, topped with mozzarella cheese. It, of course, gets a healthy drizzle of that delicious sweet heat we love so much–hot honey.

We sent our scouts on a mission to give this awesomeness a try–and let us be the first to tell you that it's a match made in heaven!

 

Released on National Deep Dish Pizza Day!

We first took note of this delicious deep-dish pizza in the Spring when it was released for National Deep Dish Pizza Day (April 5).

 

 

Our scouts made a special trip to Lou Malnati’s in Chicago specifically for the Mike’s Hot Honey collab. 

 

Wait, there are two types of Chicago pizza?

If you’re a Chicagoan, feel free to bypass this part–you know about the deep-dish magic. What’s awesome about this pizza? You can have it more than one way!

 

I’m sure you’ve had a thin-crust pizza in your lifetime, so I’ll spare you. But if you’ve never had a Chicago deep-dish pizza, then you’re in for a surprise.

 

For first-timers, Chicago is known for having two styles of pizza, deep dish and tavern-style –which one is official? According to the Washington Post, it depends on who you ask. 

 

Deep dish pizza is reverse-assembled (toppings on the bottom, sauce on top), baked in a deep, round pan with a buttery crust that is absolutely delicious and holds a thick layer of cheese, sausage, and chunky tomato sauce.

This one is topped with cupped pepperoni and giardiniera and gets a healthy dose of that sweet heat, Mike’s hot honey!

Here is some friendly advice when ordering a deep-dish pizza for the first time: Be patient, perfection takes time. Your pie needs time to cook, but we assure you, it’s well worth the wait!

 

The pizza: Have it your way - with hot honey on top!  

We tried both the deep dish and thin crust (tavern-style) pies. Your taste buds will thank you for whichever style you choose. Both are popular and come in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes, with the option for a gluten-free crust.

You have the option to customize the cut (sliced or not), doneness (just right, well done, gooey, half-baked), cheese (mozzarella, low-fat mozzarella, no cheese), toppings (add or remove virtually any topping), and the option to add a dip cup of Mike’s Hot Honey–for those of you want more of that sweet heat!

 

We ordered a deep dish uncut (highly recommended as it helps to keep the heat in), done “just right”, with regular mozzarella and the standard toppings and a tavern style to compare the two.

 

 

Our scouts agree that on the first bite, your taste buds are introduced to the sweet, and then the saltiness from the signature sausage and pepperoni rushes in. All the scouts agree that this pie is very well-balanced. The melted cheese helps balance the classic chunky, rich, and slightly sweet tomato sauce and spicy pepperoni.

 

Lou Malnati’s is known for its signature sausage. This layer is hidden underneath all the toppings and below the gooey, stretchy mozzarella cheese and sauce.

Don't just take our word for it, check out the cheese pull by @jmattmke (TikTok) post. 

 

The sausage is juicy and flavorful, adding a rich, meaty depth to each bite. It’s seasoned perfectly with a hint of fennel, helping to cut the natural sweetness of the tomato sauce. The fat from the sausage melts into the crust while it's being cooked, enhancing the overall richness of the pie.

 

The cupped pepperoni is far superior to regular pepperoni. They curl up into crispy cups where each one acts as a pool for the hot honey, with their edges charred to perfection, adding a crunchy contrast to the soft, stretchy cheese interior. The cupping effect helps ensure you get that sweet heat in every bite. 

The giardiniera (pickled peppers, cauliflower, and carrots) adds a crunchy, briny zing that brings a bright, tangy heat that contrasts beautifully with the savory sausage and cheese.

 The ‘heat’ from the giardiniera adds an extra ‘kick’ of spice that pairs nicely with the sweetness from the hot honey, leaving a subtle fiery tingle on the back of the palate and roof of the mouth.

One scout rated the heat a 2/10 (this is coming from someone who usually dislikes spicy foods).

 

Wings your way - bone in or out!

You can tell just by looking at these boneless wings that they’re fried to perfection. 

The outer layer is a rich, golden brown, perfectly crispy (even delivered). The light, crunchy breading doesn’t overpower the moist and tender, all-white chicken breast inside. Instead, it wraps snugly around it without being overly chewy or dry. 

 

As you can see in the photo, the darker hue on the breading is where the hot honey was drizzled. The darker color is where Mike’s Hot honey glaze seeped into the crevices of the breading; adding a swicy (sweet and spicy) note that contrasts with the savory chicken.

 

“The spiciness of the hot honey isn’t overwhelming. It's just enough to leave a hint of warmth on your tongue.”

 

One of our scouts reports that “the spice is mild, and the creaminess of the dip meshes well with the spice of the hot honey.” Another scout felt the regular chicken wings were a bit spicier than the pizza. 

Some of our scouts dipped the wings in the herbaceous and creamy gorgonzola cheese. 

Speaking of, we have to give the gorgonzola dip a shout! The gorgonzola cheese was so creamy (side note, it's awesome that they paired a dairy sauce with the hot honey) and lumpy, there were chunks in every bite. 

They enjoyed dipping both the pizza and wings in the gorgonzola sauce; in fact, we highly recommend that you do the same, especially for those of you who want to tame the heat a bit.

 

You can get it delivered locally

We loved this collab so much that we ordered it through our favorite local delivery service a few days after trying it the first time in the restaurant and a few times again (who’s keeping count?!)

We ordered both the deep dish and tavern-style pizzas and wings, so we can try it again–lucky us and you! Whatever you do, order it uncut.

We can confirm that this pizza, including the wings, delivers (and reheats) well. Our scouts noted that “the wings were still crunchy and hot just like in the restaurant!”

 

Or, you can get it delivered across the nation! 

Speaking of ordering take-out, the demand for this pie is so great that Lou Malnati’s is shipping it (and their other delicious pizzas) nationwide through Tastes of Chicago; Yes, that means you can get it anywhere, even in New York!

 

Show your hot honey partner(s) in crime how much you really miss them with the gift of sweet heat and your favorite Chicago flavors. You can send it to your loved ones, co-workers, friends, and family as a holiday gift (if it lasts).

 

You can host a virtual dinner party and order it up so you can dine together virtually—whatever you choose, choose Lou’s x Mike’s Hot Honey! 

 

As for tavern-style or deep-dish…we’ll leave it up to you. Heck, they’re both delicious. Get 'em both and the wings before they’re gone...again!

 

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Did you try the Lou Malnati’s x Mike’s Hot Honey Collab on a deep dish or thin crust? Let us know in the comments.

 

 

This review reflects the independent opinions of the author(s) and is provided solely for informational purposes. Lou Malnati’s and Mike’s Hot Honey did not influence, endorse, or compensate the author(s) in any way. All views expressed are impartial and unbiased. All trademarks and logos mentioned are the property of their respective owners.