Where to Eat in Chicago: Deep-Dish and the Local Classics

If you are wondering where to eat in Chicago, start with the four dishes the city is known for: deep-dish pizza, the Italian beef sandwich, the Chicago-style hot dog and the Puerto Rican jibarito. This guide gives you 12 restaurants inside Chicago city limits, each confirmed open on its own official site, with what to order at every one.

The short version: pizza in River North, the Loop and Lincoln Park; beef on Taylor Street; a hot dog at a Northwest Side drive-in; a plantain sandwich near Logan Square; and a corned beef sandwich at a cafeteria-style deli on the Near West Side.

How we chose these places

Every pick below is inside the city of Chicago, Illinois, and was checked against the restaurant's own official website for an open listing and a street address. We chose places known for the exact dish, not just nearby. Hours change, so we give them as typical and tell you to check the official site before you go. Some famous names are left out on purpose: Johnnie's Beef, for example, is on North Avenue in Elmwood Park, a separate village just west of the Chicago city limits.

What is Chicago-style deep-dish pizza?

Chicago deep-dish pizza is a tall, pan-baked pie with a buttery crust, a thick layer of cheese and chunky tomato sauce on top. Plan on a wait, because these pies bake for a good while after you order. Order a pie and a salad for two people, and you will not leave hungry.

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, River North

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria says it has served deep dish since 1971, when it started in Lincolnwood, a suburb just north of Chicago, and its River North restaurant in Chicago is at 439 N. Wells Street. Order the deep dish on the Buttercrust, the chain's trademarked buttery crust, with sausage. It typically opens at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. Reservations go through OpenTable, which helps on weekends. Browse more of the area on our River North guide.

Pequod's Pizza, Lincoln Park

Pequod's Pizza at 2207 N. Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park is known for its pan pizza, which its own site says starts with a ring of mozzarella that caramelizes against the edge of the pan. That dark, crispy edge is the reason to come: ask for a slice with plenty of it. The restaurant typically stays open until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, so it works for a late dinner. See Lincoln Park for what else is nearby.

Gino's East, Magnificent Mile

Gino's East says it has served Chicago deep dish since 1966. Its downtown restaurant at 162 E. Superior Street sits just off the Magnificent Mile, and a second Chicago location is at 521 S. Dearborn Street in the South Loop. Order the classic deep dish and take your time with it. The location page lists reservation and ordering links, so check the official site for current hours. See the Magnificent Mile page for the neighborhood.

Giordano's, The Loop

Giordano's has a Loop restaurant at 223 W. Jackson Boulevard, with other Chicago locations at 130 E. Randolph Street near Millennium Park and 730 N. Rush Street in the Gold Coast. It is a handy deep-dish stop if you are downtown and already on foot. Order a deep dish and check the official site for hours and reservations. Explore the Loop around it.

The Art of Pizza, Lakeview

The Art of Pizza at 3033 N. Ashland Avenue in Lakeview is a neighborhood deep-dish spot, and the site says it has served Lakeview for over 30 years. Order a deep dish. It typically opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. It is a good choice if you want pizza away from the downtown crowds. More on Lakeview.

Where to eat Italian beef in Chicago

An Italian beef is thin-sliced roast beef piled on a long roll and served with its juices, and Chicagoans order it with a choice of peppers on top. Eat it leaning over the wrapper.

Al's Beef, Little Italy

Al's Beef says it has served Italian beef since 1938, and its Little Italy shop is at 1079 W. Taylor Street. Order the Italian beef sandwich, then decide how wet you want it. The Taylor Street page typically lists hours of 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and it is closed Sunday. Read more about Little Italy and University Village.

Portillo's, River North

The flagship Portillo's at 100 W. Ontario Street is a big, busy restaurant with a Prohibition theme, kiosk ordering and a drive-thru. It typically runs 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. Order the Italian beef or a Chicago-style hot dog, since both are on the menu here. It is the easiest place in River North to feed a mixed group fast.

What is a Chicago-style hot dog, and where do you get one?

A Chicago-style hot dog is a beef frank on a poppy-seed bun, loaded with toppings in a particular way, and local custom says ketchup does not belong on it. Order it at one of the places below and you will see how seriously the city takes the dish.

Superdawg Drive-In, Norwood Park

Superdawg Drive-In at 6363 N. Milwaukee Avenue began as a hot dog stand at Milwaukee and Devon in May 1948. Today the drive-in typically opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Order the Superdawg, a pure beef hot dog on a poppy-seed bun with mustard, piccalilli, a dill pickle, chopped onions and a hot pepper, which comes with fries. Add a Supershake. A second Superdawg is in Wheeling, which is outside Chicago, so make sure you head to the Milwaukee Avenue one.

The Wiener's Circle, Lincoln Park

The Wiener's Circle at 2622 N. Clark Street is a Lincoln Park hot dog stand with late hours, typically until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Order a char-dog and expect a loud counter. Note the official site is wienerscirclechicago.com, not wienerscircle.com.

What is a jibarito?

A jibarito is a sandwich that uses fried, flattened green plantains in place of bread, and it is said to have been invented in Humboldt Park, according to Choose Chicago. It is the Puerto Rican dish Chicago can claim as its own.

Jibaritos y Mas, Logan Square

Jibaritos y Mas at 3400 W. Fullerton Avenue is a Puerto Rican spot with jibarito-named dishes on its menu, and it takes takeout orders online. We could not see posted hours on its site, so call (773) 799-8601 or check the official page first. To eat near where the sandwich began, read our Humboldt Park guide.

Which Chicago classics aren't pizza or hot dogs?

Chicago's deli and Mexican dining rooms belong on the shortlist too.

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen, Near West Side

Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen at 1141 S. Jefferson Street says Chicago since 1942, and you order cafeteria-style from a counter. The corned beef sandwich is the one to get. It typically opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closes at 7:30 p.m., opens at 8 a.m. Sunday until 3:30 p.m., and is closed Monday.

Frontera Grill, River North

Frontera Grill at 445 N. Clark Street opened in 1987, started by Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless. It serves regional Mexican food, so it is the pick when the group wants something other than pizza. It typically serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Thursday, with longer hours Friday through Sunday, and the site lists no Monday hours. Check the official site and book ahead.

Save this: a one-day Chicago classics route

• Late morning: corned beef at Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen on Jefferson Street.
• Mid-afternoon: an Italian beef at Al's Beef on Taylor Street, a short ride west of Manny's.
• Evening: deep dish at Lou Malnati's in River North or Pequod's in Lincoln Park.
• Late night: a hot dog at The Wiener's Circle on Clark Street.
• Another day: a plantain jibarito at Jibaritos y Mas, and dinner at Frontera Grill.

For more places to eat, browse the food and dining listings or the neighborhood pages.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I eat in Chicago on a first visit?

Start with deep-dish pizza, an Italian beef and a Chicago-style hot dog. Lou Malnati's in River North, Al's Beef on Taylor Street and Superdawg Drive-In on Milwaukee Avenue are three places that cover all three dishes.

What food is Chicago known for?

Chicago is known for deep-dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs. The Puerto Rican jibarito, a sandwich made with fried plantains, is also tied to the city.

Where did the jibarito come from?

The jibarito is said to have been invented in Humboldt Park, Chicago's Puerto Rican neighborhood centered on Paseo Boricua along Division Street, according to Choose Chicago.

Do I need a reservation for deep-dish pizza in Chicago?

Not always, but it helps. Lou Malnati's River North restaurant offers OpenTable reservations, and deep dish takes a while to bake, so expect a wait.

Is Johnnie's Beef in Chicago?

No. Johnnie's Beef is on North Avenue in Elmwood Park, a separate village just west of the Chicago city limits, so it is not included in this guide.