Iconic dishes in Chicago, IL
Discover the 20 most iconic, must-try dishes in Chicago, IL.
🍕 Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
A thick, savory pie with a buttery crust, loaded with cheese, toppings, and a rich tomato sauce, baked in a deep pan.
🌭 Chicago-Style Hot Dog
An all-beef frankfurter in a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt.
🥪 Italian Beef Sandwich
Thinly sliced, seasoned roast beef, dripping with savory meat juices, served on a long Italian roll, often dipped in au jus (wet) or served with giardiniera (hot).
🍿 Garrett Popcorn Chicago Mix
A popular blend of Garrett's signature CaramelCrisp and CheeseCrisp popcorn, offering a unique sweet and salty combination.
🥪 Jibarito
A unique sandwich where flattened, fried plantains replace traditional bread, typically filled with steak, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and garlic mayonnaise.
🌭 Maxwell Street Polish
A grilled or char-broiled Polish sausage, topped with grilled onions and yellow mustard, often served on a plain hot dog bun.
🍰 Eli's Original Plain Cheesecake
A rich, creamy, and dense cheesecake with a signature buttery shortbread cookie crust, a Chicago classic.
🍕 Lou Malnati's Buttercrust Deep Dish
Known for its flaky, buttery crust and signature sweet tomato sauce, a quintessential Chicago deep dish experience.
🍕 Giordano's Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza
A truly unique deep dish with two layers of crust filled with cheese and toppings, then topped with tomato sauce, creating a savory pie.
🥪 Portillo's Italian Beef
A beloved local chain famous for its consistently delicious Italian beef sandwiches, often enjoyed 'dipped' with hot giardiniera.
🌭 Superdawg Chicago Hot Dog
A unique, oversized hot dog served with pickled green tomatoes, Spanish onions, and a secret relish, at a classic drive-in.
🧀 Flaming Saganaki
Pan-fried kefalotyri or graviera cheese, flambéed tableside with a shout of 'OPA!', then doused with lemon juice.
🍦 The Original Rainbow Cone
A towering ice cream cone featuring five distinct flavors: chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House, pistachio, and orange sherbet.
🍗 Harold's Chicken Shack Fried Chicken
Crispy, juicy fried chicken, known for its distinctive mild sauce and served in no-frills establishments across the city.
🍕 Pizza Puff
A deep-fried, turnover-style snack filled with cheese, sausage, and tomato sauce, often found at hot dog stands.
🍕 Chicago Thin Crust Pizza
A crispy, cracker-like crust pizza, often cut into squares (tavern style), a local favorite distinct from deep dish.
🍖 Chicago-Style BBQ Ribs
Slow-smoked and tender pork ribs, often finished on the grill and slathered in a tangy, sweet, and sometimes spicy barbecue sauce.
🍋 Italian Lemonade
A refreshing, icy, slushy-like beverage made from fresh lemons, a popular cool-down treat in Chicago summers.
🍔 Cheeseburger (from local diners)
A classic, no-frills cheeseburger, often griddled and served with simple toppings, a staple of Chicago's many diners and casual eateries.
🍩 Paczki (Bridgeport Bakery)
A dense, rich Polish doughnut, traditionally filled with fruit or cream and dusted with powdered sugar, especially popular around Fat Tuesday.