Chicago is without a doubt one of the world’s best cities for food. The Chicago Dog and Deep Dish Pizza put the Windy City’s food on the map. But there’s also an unbeatable modern food scene meshing the line between dining and entertainment. Chicago invented or perfected a lot of dishes, but a few classics stand out. Here are the iconic Chicago foods and where to find them.
Short on time and want to taste all of Chicago’s food icons in one day? Check out this food and architecture tour or this food bike tour (hey, you gotta work off those calories somehow!).
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in 2022.
8 Iconic Chicago Foods and Where to Eat Them
1. Deep Dish Pizza
Let’s start with the most obvious — and most famous iconic foods in Chicago: deep dish pizza. (After all, Chicago is the world’s top city for pizza.) Calling it “deep dish” is almost an understatement and even the designation as “pizza” is a stretch. The inch-thick pie has a crispy buttery crust lining the side of the pan holding all the ingredients. Traditionally that includes mountains of mozzarella, a solid layer of sausage, green peppers and onions, then topped with tomato sauce. Yep, the toppings are layered opposite of other pizzas. And it’s eaten with a knife and fork (which I adore).
Where to eat deep dish pizza in Chicago
Here’s where the real debate is: which pizza place does it best? Chicagoans argue Giordano’s versus Pizzeria Uno (who claims to have invented it) versus Pequod’s versus Lou Malnati’s. But Lou Malnati’s is the best, so just go there. :)
Or learn how to make Chicago-style deep dish pizza at this cooking class in Chicago.
Related :: The Ultimate Weekend Guide to Chicago
2. Barbecue
Chicago might not be Kansas City, Memphis, the Carolinas, or Texas but Chicago-style barbecue is still worthwhile. The city has always been a meatpacking hub (the country’s largest until 1920) and where there’s good meat, there’s good barbecue. Chicago style barbecue is a combination of techniques from Eastern Europeans and Southerners, making a unique style all its own. (Here’s an incredibly thorough account of Chicago barbecue on AmazingRibs.com here.)
Where to eat barbecue in Chicago
If you’re willing to venture away from downtown, Smoque has some of the best barbecue in a fast-casual restaurant tucked away in Irving Park. And now there’s an outpost in the Rivival Food Hall downtown. The Gold Coast’s Chicago q is more upscale, with amazing barbecue, even for brunch. (Try the brisket eggs benedict flight.) Or, for casual, hit Bub City downtown, which doubles as a whiskey/country bar, or Wrigley BBQ.
3. Steak
Furthering the argument that Chicago is a meatpacking madhouse, the city knows how to do a good steak. There are tons of steakhouses here and they all stay in business for decades. So either Chicagoans love their beef or we’re all trying to get high cholesterol!
Where to eat steak in Chicago
Most steakhouses have identical menus, so it’s really all about the beef. And the city’s best? It’s at Bavette’s Bar and Beouf in River North. They serve a mean Old Fashioned, their mac and cheese is the best I’ve ever had and the chocolate cream pie isn’t bad, either. Bonus points for ordering it with Shrimp de Jonghe, a classic Chicago dish created over a century ago. Gene & Georgetti’s, RPM, and Gibsons are other famous “bests” in the city that won’t let you down.
Related :: Why Bavette’s is the Best Steakhouse in Chicago
4. Italian Beef Sandwich
The history of the Italian Beef is, like everything else in Chicago, hotly debated. Thrillist covered the he-said/she-said of who claims to have created it, but the gist is the same. After WWI an Italian immigrant who sold beef sandwiches stretched his meat by slicing it thinner and cooking it in its own juices to feed more people for a wedding. The idea caught on and was eventually called “Italian beef.”
Today beef is covered with spices and slow-cooked in beef stock. Then it’s thinly and loaded in French bread with green peppers (known as “sweet”) or giardiniera (“hot”) and dipped in the au jus. How much it’s dipped is up for more debate. “Dry” is not dipped (no Chicagoan would ever recommend); “regular” with the juice just on the meat; “dipped,” a quick dip in the sauce; and “wet” where the whole sandwich is dunked. Even though it’s soggy, still eat it with your hands.
Where to eat Italian Beef in Chicago
Yet still more debate on Italian beef is where to get it. Al’s #1 claims to have invented it, but head to Portillo’s and order it sweet and wet. Don’t forget Portillo’s chocolate cake shake either.
5. Italian Food
Chicago has been a mecca for Italian immigrants since the 1850s. By 1920, the Windy City had the third largest ethnic Italian population in the country (surpassed only by New York City and Philadelphia). As always, people brought their food culture with them and a city of Italian restaurants was born.
Where to eat Italian in Chicago
There are dozens of Italian restaurants here, so where to eat it depends on what you want. Italian Village, serving classic Italian fare, is one of the oldest restaurants in Chicago (opened since 1927), who claims to have created Chicken Alfredo. But if you want the best, rumor has it Spiaggia is where to go. The upscale Michelin-rated restaurant has a tasting menu plus a la carte items. My personal favorite is Monteverde, who makes all their pasta in-house.
6. Chicago Hot Dog
The true Chicago dog follows a very specific list of ingredients: a Vienna beef hot dog that’s water-bathed (not boiled) in a poppyseed bun with mustard, florescent green relish, chopped onions, hot peppers, tomato slices, dill pickles and a dash of celery salt. Ketchup is strictly banned, of course.
Where to eat a Chicago hot dog in Chicago
First, a disclaimer: I’m not a fan of hot dogs, so I can’t personally vouch for anywhere in the city. But my research turned up Gene & Jude’s again and again as the best Chicago dog in the city, with Hot Doug’s a close second. Nick at Serious Eats has a breakdown of the best Chicago dogs, so I’ll let him explain here.
7. Molecular Gastronomy / Fusion
Most of these iconic Chicago foods are longstanding features of Chicago’s culture dating back decades. But in the past dozen years or so, the modern food world has recognized Chicago for its incredible contributions to molecular gastronomy (I’m looking at you, Alinea), fusion, and creative culinary spheres. Read any article about the best / most innovative / most outstanding restaurants in the country (or even world) and there’s always a Chicago restaurant or two on the list. I mean, there’s a reason the James Beard Foundation holds their award show here. It’s because all those chefs want to devour our food scene while they’re in town for the awards.
Where to eat modern cuisine in Chicago
If you’re willing to splurge, Alinea and Next are easily some of the best restaurants in the world. In fact, Elite Traveler named Alinea the best restaurant in the world for the 5th year in a row. Au Cheval is known for the best burger in the country; Topolobampo and Girl and the Goat are well-known for their celebrity chefs; Shwa consistently makes best of lists, and my personal favorites are Tanta and Mercat a la Planxa… but seriously, there is no shortage of outstanding restaurants here. Just plan ahead (sometimes months ahead) if you want reservations.
8. And the one drink you have to have: Malört
Malört is one of the nastiest liquors known to mankind. And the funny thing is once you’ve suffered a shot of it, you automatically want others to crush their taste-buds too. (If you don’t believe me, search #malortFace!) Maybe it’s the “we survived” camaraderie, maybe Chicagoans just like to watch people suffer…. Whatever it is, the liquor isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
A Swedish immigrant created Malört and it was made in Chicago until the 70s (it’s now made in Florida). Fun fact: it was the only legal wormwood product sold in the U.S. until 2008. Its rancid taste has become a rite of passage here. It’s been described as “jägermeister heavily diluted in pondwater but less piney,” and “an unbearable, cringe-inducing bitterness that sticks with you for a worrying amount of time.” Even the bottle itself warns it’s “brutal to the palate.”
I mean, who wouldn’t want to experience this at least once?! Yeah, me neither. But since I’ve suffered through it, so should you. …And the tradition lives on!
Where to drink Malört in Chicago
Most bars in Chicago will proudly have a bottle of Malört for those willing to drink it, but if you want to be absolutely sure you’ll find it, here’s a Malört Map to hunt it down.
• • •
There you have the 8 iconic Chicago foods. Most of the main dishes are featured in this food and architecture tour or this food bike tour, if you want an easy way to eat them in a single day. Also check out the Ultimate Weekend Guide to Chicago for more Chicago tips!
Related :: Ultimate Weekend Guide to Chicago, Where to Drink in Chicago, and the Ultimate Guide to Whiskey in Chicago.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Whiskied Wanderlust.
