Every city and region has them – foods that are uniquely local and contribute to the area’s reputation. For example, Philadelphia is known for its cheese steaks and St. Louis for its fried ravioli; New England for chowder and the South for fried chicken. So what is Chicago known for? There are three foods that immediately come to mind: hot dogs, pizza and Italian beef.
The Chicago Hot Dog
The Chicago hot dog (aka, the Chicago dog) is one of the original street foods though instead of sold from push carts, today you will find the Chicago hot dog offered from food trucks (located mostly near construction sites) and neighborhood stands. What makes the Chicago hot dog unique is its makeup and construction. A true Chicago hot dog MUST be made by the Vienna Beef Company. Founded during the Chicago World’s Columbian Expedition (1893), the company introduced Chicago to the Vienna-style (i.e. frankfurter) weiner. The dog is made from pure beef, nothing else, and is sealed in a natural casing. (Honest, this is not something from Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle). The dog MUST be steamed, though boiling is sometimes used; a grilled dog is referred as a chardog. The dog MUST be served on a poppy-seed bun, and the following condiments are also MUST haves: yellow mustard (ketchup on a hot dog is supposedly against the law in Chicago), bright green relish (go figure!), onions, tomato wedge, pickle spear, sport peppers and celery salt. The concoction is sometimes described as a salad with a dog or a dog dragged through a garden. One reason for their popularity, which likely started during the Depression, is that the Chicago dog is a cheap but full meal. See this road map for the real thing: http://www.viennabeef.com/culture/chicagostyle.asp.
Also popular with Chicagoans is the dog’s brother, the Chicago Polish. This sandwich is basically kielbasa or Polish-style sausage, served grilled on a bun with yellow mustard and grilled onions.
If you are coming to MLA and want a true Chicago hot dog close to the Hyatt Hotel, try Portillos at 100 W. Ontario or Hot Diggity Dog at 251 E. Ohio. The place that always seems to get national attention is the Superdawg at 6363 N. Milwaukee. A Chicago dog is served here on a “cushion of fries†and is also known for the 12-foot high figures of a hot dog couple (Maurie and Flaurie) that stands over this popular drive-in.
Chicago Deep-Dish PizzaÂ
Everyone by now has heard about Chicago-style pizza. This style is generally known as deep-dish and has several unique features. A Chicago deep-dish pizza is made with cornmeal and olive oil, not your typical, foccacia-style bread dough. The pizza crust is shaped in the pan to form the sides and is then partly baked. The cheese in a Chicago-style pizza is on the inside with the chunky tomato sauce going on top of the cheese followed by a blend of grated cheeses. A stuffed pizza is the same style but with the extra ingredients – sausage, pepperoni, vegetables – going on top of the cheese and covered by the tomato sauce. Pizza in America is a post-World War II phenomenon and was brought to Chicago by Ike Sewell when he opened his Pizzeria Uno restaurant (29 E. Ohio). Another popular location is the Gino’s East restaurant located at 162 E. Superior and Lou Malnati’s at 430 N. Wells.
Italian BeefÂ
Another Chicago iconic food is Italian beef. This popular sandwich is very Chicago. If you ask Italians from the East coast what is Italian beef, they can’t answer because they never heard of it. Basically, Italian beef (sirloin butt or top/bottom round) is well roasted with broth seasoned with garlic and oregano. Once the beef has cooled, it is thinly sliced deli-style and then reheated in its own juices. Served on an Italian roll, the sandwich is dipped in the warm juice and then hot peppers or giardinieria is added. It is often joked that you have to eat the sandwich slightly bent at the waist so as not to ruin your shirt or tie from the soggy but delicious beef. One great location for Italian beef is the beer garden at Navy Pier. The city schedules live entertainment there and you have a terrific view of boat traffic and friendly crowds plus a view of the Chicago skyline. Unfortunately, the Navy Pier beer garden is only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Most neighborhood hot dog stands also sell Italian beef as well.
Enjoy!
- James Shedlock, Northwestern University
