Chicago Food (A Local’s Guide to 18 Best Dishes to Try)

Chicago’s food has made its mark on locals and the world. The food scene is diverse and vibrant. It’s no surprise that Chicago is the birthplace and home of iconic dishes. For example, deep dish pizza, brownies, and Italian beef sandwiches. 

I’m a Chicago local and in this guide, I cover the foods that have made Chicago famous. Eating at Chicago restaurants and exploring the food scene is one of the best ways to enjoy the Windy City. I hope this guide helps kickstart your foodie journey!

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18 Best Chicago Food Experiences

Deep-Dish Pizza

This thick-crusted, layered, and baked pizza is Chicago’s most famous dish. 

🍽️ Where to Find Deep-Dish Pizza: Lou Malnati’s (River North), Pequod’s Pizza (Sheffield Neighbors)

Deep-dish pizza is undoubtedly Chicago’s most famous dish and what most people associate with the city. This distinct style of pizza is almost like a pie, with a thick crust and layers of cheese, sauce, and toppings. It’s also baked! Deep-dish pizza traces back to the 1940s when Pizzeria Uno’s founder, Ike Sewell created it. 

You can find deep-dish pizza all over Chicago but Lou Malnati’s (a local chain) and Pequod’s Pizza (a local favorite spot) are the top places to go. 

Don’t just take it from me, though – Our New York City writer, Niamh absolutely loved deep-dish on her spontaneous friends trip to Chicago. If a New Yorker says the pizza is good, that says a lot!

📚 Related Reading: Best Things to Do in Chicago

Tavern-Style Pizza

A thin and crispy style of pizza that’s popular with locals. 

🍽️ Where to Find Tavern-Style Pizza: Professor Pizza (West Loop), Bungalow by Middle Brow (Palmer Square – only on Tuesdays)

Tavern-style pizza is pretty much deep-dish pizza’s opposite. This thin, almost cracker-like crusted pizza is what many call the “real” pizza of Chicago. Truth be told, most locals prefer tavern-style (myself included!)

Tavern-style pizza has a thin and crispy crust with sauce, cheese, and toppings that are spread to the edges of the pizza. The specific origins of tavern-style pizza are unclear, but it’s thought to have originated on Chicago’s South Side around the 1940s. [source]

Chicago-Style Hot Dog

An all-beef hot dog in a poppy seed bun topped with spicy, snappy, and sweet and salty toppings. 

🍽️ Where to Find a Chicago-Style Hot Dog: Portillo’s (River North), Chicago’s Dog House (Lincoln Park), Redhot Ranch (Bucktown and Lakeview)

A Chicago-style hot dog is made up of a poppy seed bun and an all-beef hot dog (typically Vienna Beef). It’s topped with yellow mustard, tomato, white onion, sweet pickle relish, pickled sport peppers, a spear of dill pickle, and some celery salt. This hot dog is also known as a “Chicago Dog” or “Chicago Red Hot.” 

The Chicago Dog’s origins date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Immigration, the 1893 World’s Fair, and the Great Depression all played a role in forming the Chicago-style hot dog we know today. [source]

Brownies

This classic, chocolatey, and delicious American dessert was invented in Chicago.

🍽️ Where to Find Brownies: Lockwood Restaurant & Bar in the Palmer House Hotel (Loop), Sweet Mandy B’s Bakery (Streeterville)

Brownies were invented right in downtown Chicago at the historic Palmer House Hotel in 1893. It’s said that Bertha Palmer (who was the wife of Potter Palmer, the hotel owner) wanted a dessert that could be easily transported to the World’s Fair. She asked the kitchen staff to create something and brownies were the result. 

The original brownies were topped with walnuts and an apricot glaze. Today, you can still try these brownies at the restaurants inside the Palmer House Hotel. [source]

Garrett Popcorn

A gourmet popcorn shop that’s worth the hype.  

🍽️ Where to Find Garrett Popcorn: Garrett Popcorn (multiple locations)

Garrett Popcorn is a local chain that makes handcrafted popcorn. It’s a Chicago staple that visitors and locals alike love. Garrett’s is best known for their “Garrett Mix” (also called the “Chicago Mix”) which is a blend of cheddar and caramel popcorn. 

Be sure to stop by one of Garrett’s multiple locations if you’re only in Chicago for one day. It’s the perfect food memento to take on the go. 

Italian Beef Sandwich

This historic and hearty sandwich is one of Chicago’s most iconic foods. 

🍽️ Where to Find an Italian Beef Sandwich: Al’s #1 Italian Beef (Little Italy), Mr. Beef (River North), Johnnie’s Beef (Elmwood Park)

The Italian beef sandwich is Chicago’s unofficial, yet official, sandwich. It’s a French roll filled with thinly sliced roast beef. It’s topped with Chicago-style giardiniera and Italian sweet peppers, and there should be beef au jus for dipping. 

The story goes that a man named Anthony Ferrari invented the sandwich and sold it on the streets. This eventually led to the infamous, Al’s Italian Beef shop [source]. However, the exact origins of the sandwich are a bit up for debate. 

Today, you can still grab a sandwich from the original Al’s Italian Beef. Mr. Beef is another hotspot for the Italian beef sandwich, and you may even recognize its name from the hit TV show, The Bear. 

Gym Shoe Sandwich

A messy, monstrous sandwich filled with three different meats and countless toppings.

🍽️ Where to Find a Gym Shoe Sandwich: Sun Sub (Austin), Stony Sub (Avalon)

A “gym shoe” sandwich might not sound appetizing, but bear with me. The Gym Shoe is another classically Chicago sandwich. It originates from Chicago’s South Side, but its exact origins are unknown. 

This messy, mega-sandwich is piled high with shaved gyro meat, corned beef, and roast beef. It’s got iceberg lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, mayo, tzatziki, mustard, and giardiniera. I know — it’s a lot, but people love it! 

👉 Note that one of Chicago’s top places to get a Gym Shoe is Sun Sub in Austin, which is one of Chicago’s more dangerous areas by crime rate. Read our guide to Is Chicago Safe? for more helpful information. 

Rainbow Cone

A cake cone piled high with five colorful flavors of ice cream. 

🍽️ Where to Find a Rainbow Cone: The Original Rainbow Cone (multiple locations)

A rainbow cone is a classic Chicago dessert and definitely not your typical ice cream cone. This ice cream cone has a whopping five flavors: chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio, and orange sherbert. The flavors have to go in that order and each layer is sliced, not scooped, on top of a cake cone. 

Origins of the rainbow cone date back to 1926 as a signature flavor of the Original Rainbow Cone ice cream shop. Today, there are four different Original Rainbow Cone shops around Chicago. 

👉 Pro Tip: Head to the Original Rainbow Cone located at Navy Pier to enjoy your ice cream with lakefront views! This is especially scenic if you visit Chicago during the warmer months. 

Au Cheval Cheeseburger

The cheeseburger from this West Loop restaurant is known as one of the best burgers in America. 

🍽️ Where to Find the Au Cheval Cheeseburger: Au Cheval (West Loop)

In 2012, Bon Appetit reviewed Au Cheval’s cheeseburger and said it was “just about perfect.” This review sealed the deal and made the locally beloved Au Cheval cheeseburger a legend. Today, people line up outside of the West Loop’s Au Cheval restaurant to taste this infamous cheeseburger. 

The bun is from a local bakery and the patty is prime beef. It’s layered with Kraft American cheese, Dijonnaise, and housemade pickles. You can add a fried egg, bacon, and even foie gras if you want. 

🛎️ Need a Hotel? The West Loop is the best place to stay in Chicago for foodies. Nobu Hotel Chicago is conveniently located in the West Loop and has an on-site restaurant and two cafes/bars. 

Old-Fashioned Donuts

This crunchy, cakey style of donut is popular around Chicago. 

🍽️ Where to Find Old-Fashioned Donuts: Firecakes Donuts (multiple locations), Stan’s Donuts & Coffee (multiple locations)

Old-fashioned donuts don’t originate from Chicago but they are popular around the city. These donuts are a kind of cake donut known for its cracked edges and glaze-covered outside. They have a slightly crunchy texture but are cakey and chewy inside. Buttermilk, vanilla bean, and pistachio are popular flavors. 

Stop by one of the abovementioned donut shops and pick up a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop for the perfect sweet breakfast in Chicago. 

Jeppson’s Malört

This dry, bitter, and unusual-tasting spirit is known as “Chicago’s drink.”

🍽️ Where to Find Malört: The Violet Hour (Wicker Park), Scofflaw (Palmer Square)

Malört is “Chicago’s drink” and is seen as a rite of passage for first-time visitors. The liquor is known for its strong, dry, and bitter taste. It’s made using wormwood and the flavor is so strong that people know it because of its bad flavor. 

Jeppson’s Malört is the only “true” Malört and the recipe comes from Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant. The story is that he sold Malört as medicine during prohibition and authorities allowed it because they agreed that “nobody would drink his concoction recreationally” [source]. Today, Malört is still produced in Chicago. 

Old-Fashioned

The name of this classic whiskey cocktail was first coined in Chicago. 

🍽️ Where to Find an Old-Fashioned: The Violet Hour (Wicker Park), Union (Palmer Square), Longman & Eagle (Logan Square)

An Old-Fashioned is a classic whiskey cocktail made with bitters, sugar, and an orange peel. The Old-Fashioned wasn’t invented in Chicago. However, it was named here by a Chicago bartender who coined the name in 1882 after being quoted in the Chicago Daily Tribune [source]. 

You can find an Old-Fashioned at just about any bar in Chicago. The abovementioned Violet Hour, Union, and Longman & Eagle bars all make top-notch Old-Fashioneds to get you started.  

Jibarito

This Puerto Rican sandwich with fried green plantains as bread gained popularity in Chicago. 

🍽️ Where to Find a Jibarito: Jibaritos Y Mas (Logan Square), Papa’s Cache Sabroso (Ukrainian Village)

The jibarito is a Puerto Rican sandwich born in Chicago. Juan “Peter” Figueroa introduced the jibarito at his Humboldt Park restaurant, Borinquen Restaurant, in 1996 [source]. Today, the jibarito is a quintessential Chicago sandwich that’s up there with Italian beef sandwiches and the Gym Shoe. 

The crunchy “bun” made from flattened and fried green plantains is what makes the jibarito unique. The inside typically contains thinly sliced steak, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and garlic mayo. You can still get a jibarito at Borinquen Restaurant, but Jibaritos Y Mas and Papa’s Cache Sabroso are fantastic options.  

Tamales from “the Tamale Guy”

Keep an eye out for Chicago’s infamous “tamale guy” if you go bar hopping on the North Side!

🍽️ Where to Find the Tamales: The Tamale Guy (Avondale)

The “Tamale Guy” is Claudio Velez, a man and urban legend who’s been an infamous part of Chicago’s bar scene for years. The Tamale Guy sells chicken, pork, and cheese and jalapeño tamales out of his signature red cooler. His tamales are the perfect anecdote after a night on the town or a pick-me-up to help you keep partying. 

There’s no official route that the Tamale Guy takes, which adds to his lore. You can typically find him in North Side neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Bucktown, West Town, Logan Square, and even West Loop. So, bring cash if you plan on going out in Chicago’s North Side and maybe you’ll run into Tamale Guy!

👉 Local Tip: Don’t have time to hit the bars but still want a tamale? The Tamale Guy has a brick-and-mortar restaurant, “The Tamale Guy” near Logan Square. 

Chicago-Style Barbecue

Chicago’s unique style of rib tip barbecue comes from the South Side. 

🍽️ Where to Find Chicago-Style Barbecue: Lem’s Bar-B-Q (Chatham), Smoque BBQ (Villa District)

It might be surprising to hear that Chicago has its own barbecue style, but it does! Chicago’s most notable style of barbecue comes from the South Side. 

Rib tips are cooked in giant aquarium smokers. The rib tips are drenched with a thinner, glaze-like sweet sauce. This style of barbecue is unique because you’ll only find it on Chicago’s South Side at long-time institutions like Lem’s Bar-B-Q. It’s typically served with hot link sausages, French fries, and white bread. 

Chicago’s North Side also serves up great barbecue, but it’s different. North Side barbecue is typically brisket or pork butt cooked on rotisserie cookers and topped with thicker sauces. [source] 

Pierogies

Soft and chewy Polish dumplings are made with sweet or savory fillings. 

🍽️ Where to Find Pierogies: KASIA’S DELI (Ukrainian Village), Pierogi Kitchen (Wicker Park)

Pierogies are Polish dumplings that are typically filled with potato and cheese topped with sour cream or an onion-butter sauce. It can also be filled with other sweet or savory fillings. The texture is soft and chewy and the dumplings feel like a comfort food. 

Pierogies don’t originate from Chicago. However, Chicago has a large Eastern European population which makes this a popular dish around the city. 

Flaming Saganaki

Head to a Greek restaurant to experience this flaming cheese appetizer that originated in Chicago.

🍽️ Where to Find Saganaki: Greek Islands (Greektown), Athena Greek Restaurant (Greektown)

Flaming saganaki is a Greek specialty that was actually made in Chicago! Saganaki is typically a Mediterranean cheese like kefalotyri. It’s served as an appetizer and simply set on fire to give it a crisp outside and gooey inside. Shouts of “Opa!” typically accompany the experience. 

The origin of flaming saganaki dates back to the 1960s in Chicago. It’s said that Chris Liakouras, owner of the Parthenon Restaurant (now closed) decided to flambé saganaki after some female customers gave him the idea. 

Greek Islands is the go-to place to try flaming saganaki. However, you can find it at Greek restaurants all around Chicago. 

Chicken Vesuvio

Try this old-school Chicago dinner of roasted chicken and potatoes.

🍽️ Where to Find Chicken Vesuvio: Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse (River North), La Scarola (Fulton River District)

Chicken Vesuvio is a hearty roasted dish of bone-in chicken, potato wedges, and peas topped with a garlic white wine sauce. The origins of the dish are hard to pin down but most speculate that it emerged from an Italian restaurant in Chicago around the 1930s. Some claim it came from Vesuvio Restaurant, a downtown Chicago restaurant open around that time. 

Harry Carray’s Italian Steakhouse is the most popular place to get Chicken Vesuvio. La Scarola is another old-school Italian restaurant that serves the dish. 

FAQs

What foods is Chicago known for?

Deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and rainbow cones are foods Chicago is known for. 

What foods are traditional in Chicago?

Deep-dish pizza, tavern-style pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Malört are “traditional” foods in Chicago. 

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Feeling hungry yet? Be sure to add some of these foods and restaurants to your Chicago itinerary! The food and drinks covered in this article are tasty and truly reflect the hardiness and inventiveness of the Midwest. Have you tried any of these foods or drinks? Let us know below! 

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