The Mythic Rise Of Chicago's Italian Beef Sandwich

In a city filled with rich history and iconic landmarks, Chicago is equally well-known for its iconic foods. From Chicago-style pizza (both deep-dish and tavern) to Chicago-style hot dogs to Italian beef sandwiches, the Windy City is a mecca for foodies and those who enjoy classic comfort foods.

The Italian beef sandwich, in particular, has become as synonymous with Chi-Town as Navy Pier. This sandwich, made with thin-sliced roast beef and loaded with toppings, including giardiniera and hot and sweet peppers, is a deliciously one-of-a-kind Chicago creation. It offers tons of flavor, is most often enjoyed after being dipped (or soaked depending on your preference) in flavorful au jus, and flies out the door by the hundreds at stands around the city every single day.

With origins dating back to the early 1900s, Italian beef sandwiches have been a Chicago staple for decades, spanning multiple appearances in pop culture, and many beef stands such as Portillo's, Al's #1 Italian Beef, and Mr. Beef that have become beloved Windy City institutions.

The exact origins of Chicago's Italian beef sandwich are hard to nail down. At the very least, the origins of the sandwich can be traced back to Italian "peanut weddings" of the early 1900s, where the city's Italian immigrants would serve food designed to feed as many guests as possible. Wedding options often included peanuts and thick beef sandwiches, because a single roast could feed more than a dozen people.

The common consensus in Chicago seems to tab Al's #1 Italian Beef as the orginator of Chicago's famous sandwich. Al's story started with a street peddler named Anthony Ferrari, who sold sandwiches and other lunch items around the city. Ferrari had an idea after attending a peanut wedding: He realized that the roast served to the wedding guests could feed more people if it was sliced thinner and cooked in its own juices. His creation, with secret spices mixed in, became known as the "beef sandwich," and Ferrari served it around the city.

In 1938, Anthony's son Al and family members Frances and Chris Pacelli opened Al's Bar B-Q, serving Italian sausage and Italian Beef sandwiches — named as such because of the family's heritage. In 1980, Chicago Magazine named Al's the #1 Italian beef sandwich shop in the city, prompting Al's Bar B-Q to change its name to the current one.

Through the years, Al's reputation continued to grow as did the city's appetite for the sandwich. Much like the Philly cheesesteak, Chicago's iconic Italian beef sandwich became a neighborhood favorite with locals often visiting their favorite stand. 

Customers could enjoy a hearty, affordable handheld meal bursting with flavor and dripping with meat juices depending on how much or how little the sandwich is dipped. Places like Al's offer various degrees of dipping — from totally dry to dry with gravy on the side to bread and meat engulfed in au jus. 

Because the sandwich can be messy, Al's recommends using the "Italian Stance" with forearms placed on a counter, feet spread, and a forward lean as you dig in. By using this distinctly Chicago maneuver, drippings and other contents that fall from the sandwich end up on the counter and not on your shirt.

While Al's may be the originator, Portillo's, Mr. Beef, and other locations have carved out a slice of Italian beef business around the city. Portillo's opened as a hot dog stand in 1963 and has since grown into a go-to spot for Chi-Town staples with nearly 50 spots in the Greater Chicago area — and an Italian beef-inspired pizza. Mr. Beef was opened by Joe Zucchero in 1979, enduring as one of the last remaining food stands in the city as newer and posher restaurants have opened.

While the Italian beef sandwich has been a Chicago favorite for decades, sources say it didn't catch on nationally until the 1980s. At that time, up-and-coming comedian Jay Leno was said to be a regular Mr. Beef customer while performing in Chicago comedy clubs. During an appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman," Leno famously brought Mr. Beef sandwiches onto the show.

As Leno continued to sing Mr Beef's praises through the years, more celebrities are said to have visited Chicago for their Italian beef fix. In recent years, Italian beef sandwiches were featured on Travel Channel shows such as "Food Wars" and "Man v. Food."

The iconic sandwich got a further shot in the arm when Mr. Beef was used as the basis for The Original Beef of Chicagoland — the main restaurant featured in the FX on Hulu series "The Bear." The show sparked a nationwide craving for Chicago's favorite sandwich with many residents of bigger cities seeking a taste of the Windy City in their area and serving as the inspiration for Detroit City Beef, a food cart opened by "The Bear" star Matty Matheson.