Usually every major city is known to have its respective culinary specialty, Chicago being no exception. I hail from the windy city where much of our specialty fare is considered fun, yet not the healthiest of food choices. Chicago natives tend to find comfort in food as we endure about four months of cold weather on top of season after season of heart break from our sports teams.
So what are the top eats in Chicago? They are as follows:
1. Italian Beef Sandwich. This sandwich cries out “I am Chicago” as it is very difficult to find in most other American cities. The slow cooked seasoned beef is served on Italian bread with choice of cheese, peppers, and the occasional spoonful of hot jardinière. Often patrons will request the sandwich be served “wet” as the sandwich is dunked in a tasty broth prior to be served. This delectable item can be found at such establishments as Portillo’s, Buona Beef, and just about any Chicago area hot dog joint. One of the crowning establishments to experience an Italian Beef Sandwich is at Luke’s Italian Beef in the city of Chicago on the corner of Wells and Jackson. Also noteworthy is the fact that many Italian beef restaurants in Chicago will ship their product to just about all areas of the country. This comes in handy when shopping for gifts to transplanted relatives or those that simply want a taste of Chicago.
2. Deep dish Pizza – I consume pizza at least once every ten days or so. I get immediate homesick for Chicago style pizza when on vacation. What makes pizza Chicago style? Well first of all the pizza has a deeper crust and it is served in a round cast iron cake/skillet pan. The thick rich pizza dough tends to have a buttery rich flavor that keeps you coming back for more. This pizza is also a delight for vegans that can opt for the spinach cheese option. Some notable places to grab some outstanding Chicago Style pizza would be at Gino’s East or Giordano’s. Pizza locations throughout the Chicago land area also tend to use a quality Italian sausage on many of their pizzas which also distinguishes themselves from others.
3. Chicago Style Hot Dog. Another favorite of the city. The Chicago hot dog has criteria to live by. The hot dog has to be all beef, usually Vienna or Best Kosher brand. The hot dog is usually steamed or boiled and placed in bun that is also steamed. The toppings are as follows, pickle relish, diced onions, sliced tomatoes, and pickle spear. The final topping consists of mustard, celery salt and sport peppers. A true Chicago hot dog does not bear the burden of ketchup. There are too many good hot dog establishments in Chicago to name. The first place to opt for would be Portillo’s hot dogs located in numerous parts of the Chicago metropolitan area.
4. Steak. In reality one can probably find a good piece of steak in just about any city in the United States. Chicago boasts some really darn good steak and chop houses. Take a brief stroll down north river district and you will find some good quality steak houses as Gibson’s, Smith & Wolensky’s, and Harry Carays. There are so many quality steak houses to choose from. This is often a good idea if you plan on taking in a show or sporting event, plan your day or evening accordingly by including a visit for nice filet or strip steak.
5. Deli Sandwiches – “Where can I get a good deli sandwich” seems to be a popular question asked when visitors pop into the city. The inquiry is not asking about Subway, Quizno’s or any other franchise. People want to know where the huge deli counter is that boasts the various meats, cheeses, salads, and relishes. There are some great places to go in Chicago as well as the surrounding suburbs. There is a quality delicatessen on west side of the city called Manny’s. The corned beef on rye is out of this world and will be enough to feed you for lunch and then a meal afterwards. The other house specialty here is the accompaniment of potato pancakes which are truly delicious. Another quality deli in chicagoland is Augustino’s rock and roll deli. Not only does the deli provide stellar cold deli sandwiches, but they also serve pretty darn good Italian beef as well.
