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Red sauce drizzles from a cup over a basket of fried chicken and fries.
Harold’s fried chicken with mild sauce is the iconic food of the South Side.
Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Where to Eat Chicago’s Most Iconic Dishes

Classic foods every local needs to try at least once

by Eater Staff and Ashok Selvam Updated
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Harold’s fried chicken with mild sauce is the iconic food of the South Side.
| Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago
by Eater Staff and Ashok Selvam Updated

Trying to define Chicago is a challenging notion, which this list of the city’s iconic dishes shows. Some have existed for decades — Vienna Beef hot dogs have been around for 130 years. Others, like the butter chicken calzone, combine the allure of the pizza puff (a Chicago invention) with the city’s history with Indian food (the country’s largest grocer, Patel Brothers, debuted in Chicago). Avec’s bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo continued to please, while there are two types of pizza to argue about. But simmer down, don’t get too mad — brighten up your day with one of these icons.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Great Sea Restaurant

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Lollipop Chicken Wings: Here is one of the best examples of a Chicago invention: the lollipop chicken wing, based on gam pong gi, a classic Korean Chinese chicken stir fry. A chef named Hsing-Tseng Kao at a nearby restaurant, the now-defunct Peking Mandarin, came up with the idea of using wings in gam pong gi, but it was Nai Tiao, Great Sea’s owner back in the 1980s, who first frenched the wings into a lollipop shape and drenched them in a sweet, spicy sauce. The rest is Chicago food history.

3253 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 478-9129
(773) 478-9129

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Superkhana International

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Butter Chicken Calzone: Chicago has a bit of a culinary history with Indian cuisine as the city gave birth to Patel Brothers, the country’s largest Indian grocer which opened its first location in 1974 on Devon Avenue. Mingle that fact with the history of the pizza puff, the deep-fried treat served at many hot dog stands across the city; the puff is also a Chicago invention. That takes us to Superkhana International, a modern Indian restaurant serving up riffs on classic dishes. The butter chicken calzone is the best pizza puff imaginable, made with naan and baked in a pizza oven, stuffed with juicy butter chicken that strikes the right notes with a hint of Amul cheese. Prepare to get messy. This is the (Chicago) way.

3059 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9028
(773) 661-9028
A baked and folded naan bread pocket on a blue and white plate stuffed with orange butter chicken sauce. Nick Fochtman/Eater Chicago

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Gene & Jude's

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Depression Dog: The classic Chicago-style hot dog — a Vienna Beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun topped with mustard, onions, relish, tomatoes, sport peppers, pickle spear, and celery salt — is among the most revered foods in the Windy City. Legendary suburban stand Gene & Jude’s offers a variant, the “Depression Dog,” that withholds some traditional ingredients but tosses a heap of fries on top of the whole thing. Many critics and fans have hailed it as the finest of its kind. A note to visitors: ketchup is expressly forbidden.

2720 N River Rd, River Grove, IL 60171
(708) 452-7634
(708) 452-7634
A row of Depression Dogs on a counter. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

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Fixin Franks

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Chicago Dog: Home Depot has become an unlikely home for one of the best renditions of a Chicago-style hot dog — the traditional kind and “dragged through the garden” with mustard (never ketchup), onion, relish, pickle spear, tomatoes, celery salt, and sport pepper. One of the reasons Fixin Franks, the little cart located at the exits at select Home Depot locations in the use of a premiere hot dog. Makowski’s Real Sausages have disrupted Vienna Beef’s dominance, and while the latter is tried and true, Makowski’s red hots are a little thicker and provide a meatier bite. Say that with a straight face. Add giardiniera from JP Graziano’s and you’re set. Of course, if you’d up for an upgrade, there’s also wagyu sausage from Vander Farms in Michigan. It’s a nice novelty.

2570 North Elston Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647
A Depot Dog.
Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Jibaritos y Mas

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Jibarito: The jibarito is another Chicago original, invented at Borinquen, a Puerto Rican restaurant in Humboldt Park, in 1996, when its owner, Juan C. Figueroa, was inspired by an article he read in a Puerto Rican newspaper about a sandwich that substituted fried plantains for bread. Jibaritos y Mas offers a textbook version of the original recipe with sliced steak, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, but plenty of other options are available, including a vegetarian version.

3400 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 799-8601
(773) 799-8601
A jibarito sandwich.
The bread is replaced by fried plantains on this Chicago icon.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

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Pequod's Pizza

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Deep Dish Pizza With Caramelized Cheese Crust: The deep dish pizza is perhaps Chicago’s best-known, least-understood, and most-ridiculed exports. And it’s true that the exported versions — the Uno’s chain and Lou Malnati’s mail order — do a terrible job of representing it to the outside world. But outsiders would think differently if they knew about the deep dish invented by Burt Katz, the greatest innovator of the form after its inventor Ike Sewell. Katz had the genius idea to let cheese caramelize on the edge of the crust. Pequod’s was one of several pizzerias he founded, and it still serves a great example of that style. Milly’s Pizza in the Pan in Edgewater and Burt’s Place in suburban Morton Grove also have excellent caramelized crusts.

2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 327-1512
(773) 327-1512
Two Pequod’s pizzas. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

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Johnnie's Beef

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Italian beef: There’s much debate over the best way to eat an Italian beef. Hot or sweet peppers? Dry or au jus? No matter the order, Johnnie’s will execute it to perfection. For an even meatier option, try the combo: an Italian sausage topped with shredded beef. There’s a second location in suburban Arlington Heights.

7500 W North Ave, Elmwood Park, IL 60707
(708) 452-6000
(708) 452-6000

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Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House

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Shrimp DeJonghe: Shrimp DeJonghe was invented in Chicago near the turn of the 20th century. It's a simple casserole of shrimp, garlic, breadcrumbs, and either wine or sherry. Many Italian and seafood restaurants in the area serve it, but Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House’s version is one of the best.

1024 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 640-0999
(312) 640-0999

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Gene & Georgetti

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Chicken Vesuvio: The origins of Chicken Vesuvio are murky, though the Vesuvio Restaurant (now long gone) takes the credit, hence the name. It’s a simple Italian American dish: chicken sauteed in garlic, oregano, olive oil, and wine then baked until the skin is crisp and served with seasoned wedge potatoes and sometimes peas. The classic steakhouse Gene & Georgetti serves a good, pea-less variation; it can also be found at Harry Caray’s and other Italian restaurants around the city.

500 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 527-3718
(312) 527-3718

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Greek Islands

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Saganaki: Flaming saganaki originated in Chicago, dating back to the late ’60s at the now-shuttered Parthenon. The dish is a spectacle that involves servers bringing out a platter of white cheese (sheep’s milk cheese is commonly used), setting it on fire at the tableside, and yelling “opa!”

200 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 782-9855
(312) 782-9855

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Jim's Original

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Maxwell Street Polish: While hot dogs get all the glory, the Maxwell Street Polish — a kielbasa sausage topped with mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers — is also a Chicago classic that was first sold at Chicago’s old Maxwell Street Market.

1250 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-7820
(312) 733-7820
Two Maxwell Street Polishes with fries. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

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Rubi’s Tacos

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Tacos: Chicago has one of the largest Mexican American populations in the U.S., and Chicagoans take their tacos very seriously. Rubi’s, which existed as a stall at the Maxwell Street Market for 20 years, recently moved to a permanent storefront on 18th Street in Pilsen. The mole rojo (braised pork on a fresh corn tortilla) stars. The pastor is also worth ordering. But anything tastes better due to the delicate yellow corn wrappings. These are some of the best tortillas in the city.

1316 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 318-9526
(773) 318-9526

Also featured in:

Maxwell Street Depot

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Pork Chop Sandwich: For more than half a century, Chicagoans have been giving dentists nightmares by ordering a South Side specialty: the bone-in pork chop sandwich. The thin pork chop, sandwiched between a hamburger bun and onions, is a delicacy.

411 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-3514
(312) 326-3514

Also featured in:

Birrieria Zaragoza

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Birria: Long before quesabirria tacos swept the nation, this beloved mom-and-pop operation was introducing Chicago to traditional Jalisco-style birria. The fragrant, mouth-watering stew is made with organic goat meat that’s been steam-cooked for hours, marinated in an ancho-based mole, and then finished in the oven. It arrives at the table accompanied by corn tortillas, cilantro, onions, fire-roasted salsa, and a side of consommé so that diners can assemble what are arguably the most exceptional tacos in town. Online ordering is available here.

4852 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 523-3700
(773) 523-3700
A table full of birria, consommé, and sides.
Goat is the specialty at this Mexican spot.
Jaclyn Rivas/Birrieria Zaragoza

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Harold's Chicken Shack

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Fried chicken with mild sauce: A favorite among locals and celebrities, Harold’s dishes out what many consider to be the best fried chicken in the city. (Its closest rival is Uncle Remus.) The chicken’s distinctive flavor is a result of being cooked to order in vegetable oil and beef tallow. Mild sauce is also a condiment of utmost importance, a sweet and tangy liquid that locals abide by. Even though the chicken and sauce recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant, a Harold’s half chicken dinner covered in mild sauce is a quintessential Chicago meal. There are dozens of locations in the area, with a majority on the South Side.

1208 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 752-9270
(773) 752-9270

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Weber's Bakery

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Atomic Cake: Born on the city’s South Side, this lesser-known dessert that dates back to the Atomic Age (aka the 1950s) is an indulgent combination of banana, yellow, and chocolate cake. The three layers are separated by glazed strawberries and sliced bananas with Bavarian custard, and topped with rich fudge and whipped cream frosting. Long-standing Weber’s Bakery calls its version a “Banana Split Torte.”

7055 W Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 586-1234
(773) 586-1234

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Lem's BBQ House

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Rib tips: Rib tips are an often overlooked barbecue specialty but they’re the main attraction at this old-school joint. The tender, flavorful cuts are cooked in a customized aquarium smoker — the largest in the city — and slathered in a sweet sauce so expect to get a little messy. While pork is what Lem’s is famous for, turkey tips have risen in popularity in recent years.

311 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 994-2428
(773) 994-2428

Also featured in:

Stony Sub

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Gym shoe: It’s unclear where the gym shoe sandwich (sometimes spelled Jim shoe) was created or how it got its name, but this South Side shop is one of its most well-known purveyors. Despite the odd name, the gym shoe is a tasty trifecta of roast beef, gyro meat, and corned beef stuffed in a hoagie roll and topped with giardiniera, sweet peppers, onions, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, mayo, and Swiss cheese.

8440 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 978-4000
(773) 978-4000

Also featured in:

Vito & Nick's

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Tavern-style pizza: Most outsiders associate with Chicago pizza with deep dish, but tavern style is just as important to the city’s culinary identity. It’s what Chicagoans eat on a regular basis; deep dish is for special occasions, like entertaining out-of-town visitors. This essential pizzeria makes what is arguably the finest thin crust in town, topping the crispy dough with ingredients like sausage, sliced beef, shrimp, and giardiniera. And in true Chicago fashion, the pies are best enjoyed with a cold pint of Old Style.

8433 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 735-2050
(773) 735-2050
A thin crust pizza.
Vito & Nick’s is an exemplar of tavern-style pizza.
Vito & Nick’s [Official Photo]

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Rainbow Cone

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Rainbow Cone: This ice cream parlor opened in 1926 and only recently was franchised with locations opening across the city, suburbs, and outside of Illinois in places likes LA. The ice cream is sliced, not scooped which provides a unique texture so the wedges (not scoops!) can be stacked. The colorful signature combo stacks five flavors (Orange Sherbet, Pistachio, Palmer House, Strawberry, and Chocolate).

9233 S Western Ave (at 92nd Pl), Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 238-7075
(773) 238-7075
A rainbow ice cream cone. Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

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Home of the Hoagy

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Sweet steak: Chicago’s counterpart to the Philly cheesesteak is a sweet variant from the South Side. While it’s not as widely known as Italian beef, this hoagie — featuring coarsely-chopped rib eye, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a signature sweet sauce — has earned loyal fans in Morgan Park.

1316 W 111th St, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 238-7171
(773) 238-7171

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Great Sea Restaurant

3253 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Lollipop Chicken Wings: Here is one of the best examples of a Chicago invention: the lollipop chicken wing, based on gam pong gi, a classic Korean Chinese chicken stir fry. A chef named Hsing-Tseng Kao at a nearby restaurant, the now-defunct Peking Mandarin, came up with the idea of using wings in gam pong gi, but it was Nai Tiao, Great Sea’s owner back in the 1980s, who first frenched the wings into a lollipop shape and drenched them in a sweet, spicy sauce. The rest is Chicago food history.

3253 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 478-9129
(773) 478-9129

Superkhana International

3059 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Butter Chicken Calzone: Chicago has a bit of a culinary history with Indian cuisine as the city gave birth to Patel Brothers, the country’s largest Indian grocer which opened its first location in 1974 on Devon Avenue. Mingle that fact with the history of the pizza puff, the deep-fried treat served at many hot dog stands across the city; the puff is also a Chicago invention. That takes us to Superkhana International, a modern Indian restaurant serving up riffs on classic dishes. The butter chicken calzone is the best pizza puff imaginable, made with naan and baked in a pizza oven, stuffed with juicy butter chicken that strikes the right notes with a hint of Amul cheese. Prepare to get messy. This is the (Chicago) way.

3059 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9028
(773) 661-9028
A baked and folded naan bread pocket on a blue and white plate stuffed with orange butter chicken sauce. Nick Fochtman/Eater Chicago

Gene & Jude's

2720 N River Rd, River Grove, IL 60171

Depression Dog: The classic Chicago-style hot dog — a Vienna Beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun topped with mustard, onions, relish, tomatoes, sport peppers, pickle spear, and celery salt — is among the most revered foods in the Windy City. Legendary suburban stand Gene & Jude’s offers a variant, the “Depression Dog,” that withholds some traditional ingredients but tosses a heap of fries on top of the whole thing. Many critics and fans have hailed it as the finest of its kind. A note to visitors: ketchup is expressly forbidden.

2720 N River Rd, River Grove, IL 60171
(708) 452-7634
(708) 452-7634
A row of Depression Dogs on a counter. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Fixin Franks

2570 North Elston Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647

Chicago Dog: Home Depot has become an unlikely home for one of the best renditions of a Chicago-style hot dog — the traditional kind and “dragged through the garden” with mustard (never ketchup), onion, relish, pickle spear, tomatoes, celery salt, and sport pepper. One of the reasons Fixin Franks, the little cart located at the exits at select Home Depot locations in the use of a premiere hot dog. Makowski’s Real Sausages have disrupted Vienna Beef’s dominance, and while the latter is tried and true, Makowski’s red hots are a little thicker and provide a meatier bite. Say that with a straight face. Add giardiniera from JP Graziano’s and you’re set. Of course, if you’d up for an upgrade, there’s also wagyu sausage from Vander Farms in Michigan. It’s a nice novelty.

2570 North Elston Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647
A Depot Dog.
Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Jibaritos y Mas

3400 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Jibarito: The jibarito is another Chicago original, invented at Borinquen, a Puerto Rican restaurant in Humboldt Park, in 1996, when its owner, Juan C. Figueroa, was inspired by an article he read in a Puerto Rican newspaper about a sandwich that substituted fried plantains for bread. Jibaritos y Mas offers a textbook version of the original recipe with sliced steak, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, but plenty of other options are available, including a vegetarian version.

3400 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 799-8601
(773) 799-8601
A jibarito sandwich.
The bread is replaced by fried plantains on this Chicago icon.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Pequod's Pizza

2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Deep Dish Pizza With Caramelized Cheese Crust: The deep dish pizza is perhaps Chicago’s best-known, least-understood, and most-ridiculed exports. And it’s true that the exported versions — the Uno’s chain and Lou Malnati’s mail order — do a terrible job of representing it to the outside world. But outsiders would think differently if they knew about the deep dish invented by Burt Katz, the greatest innovator of the form after its inventor Ike Sewell. Katz had the genius idea to let cheese caramelize on the edge of the crust. Pequod’s was one of several pizzerias he founded, and it still serves a great example of that style. Milly’s Pizza in the Pan in Edgewater and Burt’s Place in suburban Morton Grove also have excellent caramelized crusts.

2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 327-1512
(773) 327-1512
Two Pequod’s pizzas. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Johnnie's Beef

7500 W North Ave, Elmwood Park, IL 60707

Italian beef: There’s much debate over the best way to eat an Italian beef. Hot or sweet peppers? Dry or au jus? No matter the order, Johnnie’s will execute it to perfection. For an even meatier option, try the combo: an Italian sausage topped with shredded beef. There’s a second location in suburban Arlington Heights.

7500 W North Ave, Elmwood Park, IL 60707
(708) 452-6000
(708) 452-6000

Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House

1024 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

Shrimp DeJonghe: Shrimp DeJonghe was invented in Chicago near the turn of the 20th century. It's a simple casserole of shrimp, garlic, breadcrumbs, and either wine or sherry. Many Italian and seafood restaurants in the area serve it, but Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House’s version is one of the best.

1024 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 640-0999
(312) 640-0999

Gene & Georgetti

500 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654

Chicken Vesuvio: The origins of Chicken Vesuvio are murky, though the Vesuvio Restaurant (now long gone) takes the credit, hence the name. It’s a simple Italian American dish: chicken sauteed in garlic, oregano, olive oil, and wine then baked until the skin is crisp and served with seasoned wedge potatoes and sometimes peas. The classic steakhouse Gene & Georgetti serves a good, pea-less variation; it can also be found at Harry Caray’s and other Italian restaurants around the city.

500 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 527-3718
(312) 527-3718

Greek Islands

200 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661

Saganaki: Flaming saganaki originated in Chicago, dating back to the late ’60s at the now-shuttered Parthenon. The dish is a spectacle that involves servers bringing out a platter of white cheese (sheep’s milk cheese is commonly used), setting it on fire at the tableside, and yelling “opa!”

200 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 782-9855
(312) 782-9855

Jim's Original

1250 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60607

Maxwell Street Polish: While hot dogs get all the glory, the Maxwell Street Polish — a kielbasa sausage topped with mustard, grilled onions, and sport peppers — is also a Chicago classic that was first sold at Chicago’s old Maxwell Street Market.

1250 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-7820
(312) 733-7820
Two Maxwell Street Polishes with fries. Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago

Rubi’s Tacos

1316 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Tacos: Chicago has one of the largest Mexican American populations in the U.S., and Chicagoans take their tacos very seriously. Rubi’s, which existed as a stall at the Maxwell Street Market for 20 years, recently moved to a permanent storefront on 18th Street in Pilsen. The mole rojo (braised pork on a fresh corn tortilla) stars. The pastor is also worth ordering. But anything tastes better due to the delicate yellow corn wrappings. These are some of the best tortillas in the city.

1316 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
(773) 318-9526
(773) 318-9526

Maxwell Street Depot

411 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616

Pork Chop Sandwich: For more than half a century, Chicagoans have been giving dentists nightmares by ordering a South Side specialty: the bone-in pork chop sandwich. The thin pork chop, sandwiched between a hamburger bun and onions, is a delicacy.

411 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-3514
(312) 326-3514

Birrieria Zaragoza

4852 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60632

Birria: Long before quesabirria tacos swept the nation, this beloved mom-and-pop operation was introducing Chicago to traditional Jalisco-style birria. The fragrant, mouth-watering stew is made with organic goat meat that’s been steam-cooked for hours, marinated in an ancho-based mole, and then finished in the oven. It arrives at the table accompanied by corn tortillas, cilantro, onions, fire-roasted salsa, and a side of consommé so that diners can assemble what are arguably the most exceptional tacos in town. Online ordering is available here.

4852 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 523-3700
(773) 523-3700
A table full of birria, consommé, and sides.
Goat is the specialty at this Mexican spot.
Jaclyn Rivas/Birrieria Zaragoza

Harold's Chicken Shack

1208 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615

Fried chicken with mild sauce: A favorite among locals and celebrities, Harold’s dishes out what many consider to be the best fried chicken in the city. (Its closest rival is Uncle Remus.) The chicken’s distinctive flavor is a result of being cooked to order in vegetable oil and beef tallow. Mild sauce is also a condiment of utmost importance, a sweet and tangy liquid that locals abide by. Even though the chicken and sauce recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant, a Harold’s half chicken dinner covered in mild sauce is a quintessential Chicago meal. There are dozens of locations in the area, with a majority on the South Side.

1208 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 752-9270
(773) 752-9270

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Weber's Bakery

7055 W Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60638

Atomic Cake: Born on the city’s South Side, this lesser-known dessert that dates back to the Atomic Age (aka the 1950s) is an indulgent combination of banana, yellow, and chocolate cake. The three layers are separated by glazed strawberries and sliced bananas with Bavarian custard, and topped with rich fudge and whipped cream frosting. Long-standing Weber’s Bakery calls its version a “Banana Split Torte.”

7055 W Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 586-1234
(773) 586-1234

Lem's BBQ House

311 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619

Rib tips: Rib tips are an often overlooked barbecue specialty but they’re the main attraction at this old-school joint. The tender, flavorful cuts are cooked in a customized aquarium smoker — the largest in the city — and slathered in a sweet sauce so expect to get a little messy. While pork is what Lem’s is famous for, turkey tips have risen in popularity in recent years.

311 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 994-2428
(773) 994-2428

Stony Sub

8440 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60617

Gym shoe: It’s unclear where the gym shoe sandwich (sometimes spelled Jim shoe) was created or how it got its name, but this South Side shop is one of its most well-known purveyors. Despite the odd name, the gym shoe is a tasty trifecta of roast beef, gyro meat, and corned beef stuffed in a hoagie roll and topped with giardiniera, sweet peppers, onions, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, mayo, and Swiss cheese.

8440 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 978-4000
(773) 978-4000

Vito & Nick's

8433 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652

Tavern-style pizza: Most outsiders associate with Chicago pizza with deep dish, but tavern style is just as important to the city’s culinary identity. It’s what Chicagoans eat on a regular basis; deep dish is for special occasions, like entertaining out-of-town visitors. This essential pizzeria makes what is arguably the finest thin crust in town, topping the crispy dough with ingredients like sausage, sliced beef, shrimp, and giardiniera. And in true Chicago fashion, the pies are best enjoyed with a cold pint of Old Style.

8433 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 735-2050
(773) 735-2050
A thin crust pizza.
Vito & Nick’s is an exemplar of tavern-style pizza.
Vito & Nick’s [Official Photo]

Rainbow Cone

9233 S Western Ave (at 92nd Pl), Chicago, IL 60643

Rainbow Cone: This ice cream parlor opened in 1926 and only recently was franchised with locations opening across the city, suburbs, and outside of Illinois in places likes LA. The ice cream is sliced, not scooped which provides a unique texture so the wedges (not scoops!) can be stacked. The colorful signature combo stacks five flavors (Orange Sherbet, Pistachio, Palmer House, Strawberry, and Chocolate).

9233 S Western Ave (at 92nd Pl), Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 238-7075
(773) 238-7075
A rainbow ice cream cone. Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Home of the Hoagy

1316 W 111th St, Chicago, IL 60643

Sweet steak: Chicago’s counterpart to the Philly cheesesteak is a sweet variant from the South Side. While it’s not as widely known as Italian beef, this hoagie — featuring coarsely-chopped rib eye, tomatoes, bell peppers, and a signature sweet sauce — has earned loyal fans in Morgan Park.

1316 W 111th St, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 238-7171
(773) 238-7171

Related Maps