I spent the better half of my childhood in a suburb about 40 minutes from of downtown Chicago, which meant regular trips on the Metra for a game at Wrigley or a new dinner spot in West Loop. While I left over 10 years ago for college and have only been back since for a handful of weekend visits, the food scene left a lasting impression on my palate.
But, ICYMI, I’m not the only Chicagoan who looks good in summer whites (kidding) (kinda). The Vatican just named a new pope— the first-ever American, Robert Francis Prevost, born and raised in the Windy City. In honor of his appointment, we’ve ranked the best culinary delicacies to have come out of the city, including everything from the widely-debated deep dish pizza to Portillo’s chocolate cake.
Honorable Mention: Malort
Okay, so while technically this isn’t a food dish—it’s an infamously bitter liquor with a polarizing reputation—Mälort deserves honorable mention on the list nonetheless. Even if the new Pope’s prob not throwing back shots, it’s a rite of passage in Chicago that deserves acknowledgement when discussing the food and beverage scene. Even if, personally, I never want to look a shot glass full of the brown, gasoline-like liquid in the eye again.
#8- Chicago Hot Dog
I’m going to offend a lot of locals when I say this (and prob catch a few “traitor” accusations), but I prefer a New York-style hot dog to a Chicago-style dog—which is why it lands in last place on my list. There, I said it. Sue me. Revoke my midwestern badge of honor.
A Chicago dog includes an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun with mustard, bright green relish (the kind that looks neon green and totally artificial), chopped white onions, tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, celery salt, and no ketchup—ever, ever, ever. While I can get on board with almost everything about the Chicago dog, I hate onions and—sorry, don’t hate me—love ketchup on my glizzy.
#7- Maxwell Street Polish
While you prob know the Chicago dog, you might not be quite as familiar with its sibling: The Maxwell Street Polish. The popular spin on the classic, which is still beloved in Chi, includes a grilled or fried Polish sausage with grilled onions and yellow mustard. Add green sport peppers for good measure.
#6- Garrett’s Popcorn
Garrett’s Popcorn is a Chicago staple, and while pretty much anything in the iconic striped tin reminds me of trips to the city growing up, the Garrett Mix—which has since been renamed the Chicago Mix—is especially nostalgic, and probably the most notable. It includes a mix of sweet CaramelCrisp and savory CheeseCorn.
#5- Deep Dish Pizza
Talk your sh*t about deep dish, but it’s cheese, sauce, and bread. It can’t be bad. While I personally don’t love it quite as much as our other style pizza (yes, there’s another and I wax poetic about it below), deep dish is still damn good.
#4- Italian Beef
Nothing hits quite like an Italian beef loaded with hot giardiniera, preferably from Portillo’s or Al’s. The roast beef is tender, juicy, and packed with so much flavor all on its own that when combined with a rich au jus and the peppers, it’s unbelievable.
#3- Portillo’s Chocolate Cake
Nothing—and I mean nothing!—will ever satiate my sweet tooth quite like Portillo’s perfectly moist chocolate cake. It’s rich, but not too rich, with the perfect texture and most decadent chocolate frosting that hits every time. Now, I’m gonna need to book a flight to Chicago just to get it out of my head.
#2- The Au Cheval Burger
Au Cheval may have found its way to New York, but it’s a Chicago establishment through and through, with a burger worthy of its claim to fame. It has two (or even three, if you’re feeling wild) griddled beef patties, gooey melted American cheese, a dijon mustard and mayo combo, house-made pickles, and a toasted bun. But what makes it truly feel like the Chicago version I know and love and think about more often than a normal person prob should is the add-ons: Thick-cut bacon and a fried egg, which make it so indulgent.
#1- Tavern-Style Pizza
Now, the real star of the show. Deep dish is not our only pizza in Chicago. In fact, if you ask anyone who grew up in the city or suburbs, they’ll likely tell you that tavern-style was their go-to. I’m one of those people! It has a cracker thin crust with edge-to-edge toppings and it’s cut into small squares so you can have 20 and pretend you ate nothing.
Megan Schaltegger is an NYC-based writer. She loves strong coffee, eating her way through the Manhattan food scene, and her dog, Murray. She promises not to talk about herself in third person IRL.
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