"A new pizza spot seems to open every hour in 2025, but this fun slice shop stands out with its NY-style slices and full-tilt nostalgia. Cowabunga is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed spot with (mostly) great pizza and Turtles memorabilia filling its tiny space. You’ll find the usual suspects, but Cowabunga shines with the more creative pies. Get the Shredder, which has a great balance of well-seasoned italian beef and giardiniera that adds just the right amount of heat. The chewy, foldable crust has the strength that comes from years of training with a mutant rat. Whether you get that reference or not, Cowabunga adds seriously good NY slices to Chicago’s pizza scene." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen