Portillo's And Lou Malnati's Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza Is Back For Its Third Year
Innovative food mashups can sometimes be a miss, but we've got no beef with this latest release from two iconic Chicago establishments. When renowned street food chain Portillo's brings its legendary beef sandwiches to meet Lou Malnati's classic deep dish pizzas, what do you get? The Italian Beef Deep Dish. This pie was such a hit its first two years, it's now back for its third launch in 2024.
The creative combination boasts the flaky, buttery crust that Lou Malnati's is famous for along with vine ripened tomatoes, Wisconsin mozzarella cheese, and Portillo's homemade, slow-roasted Italian beef. True to Chicago-style pizza, you can choose from a sweet pepper or hot giardiniera topping, the latter of which includes a mixture of spicy, pickled veggies. "With flavorful beef that has been slow roasted for four hours, mouthwatering gravy, and the option to enjoy it with sweet or hot peppers, our Italian Beef sandwiches are quintessential Windy City cuisine," said Nick Scarpino, Portillo's Chief Marketing Officer, in a press release.
The collab won't last forever, as the two establishments have only teamed up in honor of Italian Beef Week, which runs from May 20 to May 26, 2024. If you want to nab yours to bake at home, head to your local Lou Malnati's or visit the Tastes of Chicago website. A few combos are available to ship nationwide — you can select the Italian Beef Deep Dish alongside other Lou's varieties, like the Veggie Pizza and Heart-Shaped Sausage Pizza.
Come for the pizza, stay for the Beef Week fun
We were lucky enough to get our hands on the Italian Beef Deep Dish in 2023, and it did not disappoint. The thick, crunchy crust perfectly balances out the creamy mozzarella cheese and melt-in-your mouth beef slices. Whether you go the pepper or giardiniera route, you'll get added depth of flavor from either the sweet or spicy ingredients.
If you sample one of these pizzas and still want more from Italian Beef Week, you can enter on the same website to win a $300 gift card to use toward Tastes of Chicago goodies. Plus, if you post a photo or video on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #ItalianBeefGiveaway while tagging @PortillosHotDogs, you'll be entered for a chance to win a summer trip to the Windy City.
And if you're a fan of Chicago food in general, your love for deep dish and Italian beef doesn't have to stop at this collab. The Tastes of Chicago website offers plenty of classic local foods, such as Eli's Cheesecake, Portillo's Maxwell Street Polish Sausage, and the ever-delicious Garrett Popcorn. So, even after you polish off your pie, you'll have plenty of nostalgic Windy City treats to keep you satisfied until next year's Beef Week.