Ask anyone about Chicago food and you'll get the usual suspects. Deep dish pizza, hot dogs (no ketchup obviously), and Italian Beef. Those are all great food options, but there's so much more to offer.
Eater Chicago had the audacity to publish a list of Chicago's 20 most iconic dishes right as I was eating lunch and made me a bit sad there wasn't a buffet with every single item right in front of me. Forsaking gluttony, I opted to share this list with the world rather than sit and daydream about said buffet.
Hats off to the team at Eater Chicago for compiling this list. Undoubtedly, it'll create a debate on what dishes belong and which ones were omitted. Everyone has their personal favorites, but this list accurately nails the essential Chicago food dishes.
As we mentioned above, deep dish pizza, hot dogs, and Italian Beef were all included, so hold off on those angry emails to the Eater staff. Aside from those options, Eater also provides a historical perspective for their choices and why they best represent Chicago.
Read their full piece here and check out a few of the rankings below.
Eli's Cheesecake
Jibarito - Papa's Cache Sabroso
Shrimp DeJonghe - Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House
Broiled T-Bone Steak - Gene & Georgetti
Chicken Vesuvio - Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse
Chorizo-Stuffed Medjool Dates - Avec
Corned Beef Sandwich - Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
Pizza Puff - Albano's Pizzeria
Mother-in-Law - Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots
Rib Tips - Lem's BBQ House
Gym Shoe - Stony Sub
Sweet Steak - Taurus Flavors
Rainbow Cone
Smoked Fish - Calumet Fisheries
