Chicago food is largely characterized by its wide range of regional specialties, which is reminiscent of the working class and ethnic roots of the city, including the historically renowned deep dish pizza, believed to have originated in Chicago’s Pizzeria Uno. The two most popular foods synonymous with the city are the Chicago Hot Dogs and Chicago Style Pizza. The other well known foods of this American city located in Illinois State are Maxwell Street Polish Sausage, barbecued ribs, Eli's Cheesecake, Mother-in-Law Tamale and Italian Beef.
Popular Food in Chicago
Chicago style pizza– The authentic Deep Dish Pizza and the Thin Crust Pizza of Chicago are widely popular. Pan pizza and stuffed pizza are other two well known varieties. These are mostly sold in the thin crust specializing Chicago pizzerias and some Mom and Pop shops.
Chicago style hot dog– This popular Chicago food is basically a Vienna Beef dog that is stuffed with neon green pickle, sport peppers pickle, wedges of tomatoes, dill pickle spear and yellow mustard with a salted celery topping. Generally this delicacy is savored with Ketchup, and often with added Giardiniera.
Chicago sandwiches– These come in several variations, with the commonest of them being Italian beef sandwiches made by simmering thin beef slices and packed into an Italian bread roll and served with a seasoning of spicy giardiniera or sweet peppers. The Combo sandwich is another popular dish, which is again an Italian beef sandwich with an Italian sausage addition. Yet another well known Chicago sandwich is the legendary Maxwell Street Polish, which is basically a hot dog roll stuffing in deep fried or grilled kielbasa, yellow mustard, hot sport peppers and grilled onions.
Places Famous for Chicago Foods
- Popular Hot Dog outlets– Located in 3324 N. California Ave. Hot Doug's is famed for the most popular Chicago food beside pizzas i.e. hot dogs. Other equally famed Hog Dog sellers in Chicago are Gold Coast Dogs situated in 159 N. Wabash Ave., at Randolph Street, Portillo's standing on 100 W. Ontario St. and Murphy's Red Hots at 1211 W. Belmont Ave.
- Best Sandwich brands- Maxwell Street is the historically renowned for its "Depression Sandwich" believed to have been originated and popularized by Fluky's in the year 1929. Vienna Beef frankfurters in business since 1893, is the next best name for this Chicago food.
- Top Pizza Outlets– Pizzeria Uno, which invented the Deep Dish Pizza in 1943 and Gino's in operation since 1966, are the two most reputed places selling Chicago pizzas.
Food in Chicago: Trivia
· Taste of Chicago is the largest food festival in the world, which is held every year in the city in the month of July for 10 days with some of the best known restaurants of Chicago and around 80 food vendors participating in the event. This Chicago food festival attracts millions of visitors from far and wide with the wide array of authentic local fares on offer by the various food sellers.
· In the year 2003, Chicago was declared the "most exceptional dining destination" by the popular American luxury-lifestyle magazine - Robb Report.
· With the growing interest of locally grown seasonal Chicago food, 30 Farmer Markets have mushroomed in different neighborhoods of the city with participating farmers from Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan.
