Deep-dish pizza is an essential part of any discussion about Chicago food. Although thin crust pizza has its place in Chicago, deep-dish pizza has become almost synonymous with the city.
Chicago barbecue is just as excellent and complicated as the barbecue scenes in Kansas City and the Carolinas, despite being less well-known. There are a few different types of barbecue in Chicago, including "boilbecue" and smokeless roast. The most famous, though, are the Delta style rib tips from the South Side.
The Jibarito — pronounced “hee-barito” — is a Chicago-born sandwich inspired by the flavors and culinary traditions of Puerto Rico.
Chicago steakhouses frequently rank among the best in the country, according to rankings published by Travel + Leisure, The Daily Meal, Thrillist, and Forbes, to name a few. Because of Chicago's stockyard background, it's no surprise that some of the city's most well-known restaurants are known for their high-quality meats.
Joseph Sapp and his wife Kathrine opened The Original Rainbow Cone in 1926. This beloved Chicago treat is a colorful stack of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House, pistachio and orange sherbet ice cream piled high on top of a cake cone.
Although some eateries offer pizza puffs that you might confuse for a calzone, an authentic pizza puff is different. These are wrapped in a tortilla-like dough, stuffed with cheese, meat and sauce, and deep-fried.
Flaming saganaki was born in Chicago’s Greektown, in the kitchens of the now-closed Parthenon restaurant. This delicacy features a slab of fried, breaded Greek kasseri cheese — though you can ask for substitutions — that is lit on fire, tableside, by igniting the splash of alcohol that’s been drizzled on top.
While the exact origin of the Italian beef sandwich is up for debate, the Chicago staple is one of the most famous foods in Chicago. Regardless of its precise origin, the premise for the creation of this iconic Chicago sandwich is always the same.
If you’re asking yourself what food you absolutely must try during your visit to Chicago, the answer is a classic Chicago-style hot dog. The Chicago-style hot dog was born out of the Great Depression and is almost as — if not just as — closely associated with the Windy City as deep-dish pizza.
Did you know brownies were created right here in the Windy City? It’s true! During the 1893 World’s Fair, Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer asked the pastry chef at The Palmer House to create her something that would fit neatly into boxed lunches for the Women’s Pavilion.