In the US, Italian Sausage must have fennel, by law
My Italian ex boyfriend was baffled by this.
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I went for years never even touching the basic pepperoni pizza. Then I got one because it was basically the only choice. And it was amazingly good–better than the multitopping pizzas I’d had. Only supreme gives it a run for the money.
So, yeah, pepperoni. From a local chain that does gluten free, and lets me bring my own dairy-free cheese.
Mushrooms.
I don’t think I have seen anyone ask for a Margeherita pizza. This pizza is just sauce and cheese, and I guess the topping would be the few pieces of fresh basil they put on the top. I would order it from http://famoso.ca/ who specialize in Neapolitan pizza, maybe just in Canada.
The great thing about the pizza is the crust which is crispy and chewy and tastes pretty close to the best margeherita pizza we had when travelling.
I’m pretty happy with any pizza, it is one of my favorites. So pepperoni would be just fine also. Never been a fan of chicken on pizza, though.
Extra Cheese.
(Its kind of a chain… there are easily a dozen with the same name or a similar name… all fighting to say that they were the first or the best. Please make mine “Famous Rays”…)
Since I’ve been meaning to try a new chain in town, I’d like a deep-dish pepperoni from Paxti’s.
I’ll take “anywhere but Papa John’s” because the one time I had their pizza I didn’t like it. The sauce was too sweet, and the cheese and crust just didn’t taste right.
Topping: Pepperoni. Or mushrooms. Either one.
Anchovies.
I did not know this, but this is apparently correct. Well, it must contain fennel and/or anise (which are the same general flavor.)
I know I’ve had pizzas with Italian sausage here in Chicago where the sausage is not fennel- or anise-based. I’m racking my brain remembering which place it was, but their sausage was mostly flavored with white pepper, from what I remember. And I could almost swear that the local Italian delis sell “Italian sausage” that is fennel-less, but maybe they are labeled differently (like “Sicilian sausage” or something) or otherwise are not subject to the same rules if sold freshly made in a deli. I’m not sure how labeling laws apply to stuff that is not labeled, but sold in butcher’s paper with a price scribbled on it with a marker, or on a pizza restaurant’s menu.
Anyhow, yes, what we know as “Italian sausage” here in the US is dissimilar to most of the fresh sausages sold in Italy. I know of finnochino, which is something like a fennel-spiked salami. I’m not entirely sure where the fresh fennel sausage originated in Italy or even if it’s sold much at all there, but I’d guess poking around the markets in Sicily might turn up something similar.
Also, Lou Malnati’s (one of the chains I mentioned above) does not use fennel in their sausage, AFAIK. But it’s just listed as “sausage” on the menu (which is how it’s normally listed even at places that use fennel sausage.)
Mushrooms. I don’t really care where it’s from. I’m not an enormous fan of Papa John’s, so maybe Little Caesar’s or Dominos.
Me, too. I’m OK with it either way-- “lumpy” or actual slices of links.
If calories were not an issue I would say I want a sausage pizza but it has to be one of the pizzas they sell by the slice. The by the slice pizzas are usually thicker and have more toppings.
But calories are an issue so I will pick Mushroom which is my favorite vegetable topping. Still needs to be the pizza by the slice pizza.
Huh. This must depend on location. I’ve never seen a difference. Any pizza place I’ve been in, by the slice is exactly the same pizza as when you purchase a whole one. The only difference is that instead of putting in a box to take away, they put it on the display counter and you can ask for one or more slices of it.
Well, hell, if we can choose Chicago “chains,” then I’ll take Giordano’s (or probably any of the other ones mentioned so far) with sausage.
New York doesn’t have those mini-chains. Just independents and those horrid, horrid national chains.
Hey, wait…Frank Pepe’s of New Haven opened a branch in Bridgeport. Does two count as a chain?
Anything. Surprise me.
Honestly I have never seen a pizza place where what I wrote wasn’t true. Also the slices are larger but that wasn’t relevant here since the generous OP was buying a whole pie 
Sausage pizza from Home Run Inn
Thinking about it, I think they do cut the slices larger, so they’re not exactly the same (in fact, takeout or delivery is usually cut very haphazardly regarding slice size); but you said that they were thicker, which is not the case in my experience.
This. It’s not pizza without pepperoni. I would even fight the hypothetical and say pepperoni should already be on it BEFORE choosing the one topping…then it would be bacon.