Italian Beef

An Italian beef sandwich with a side of pickles and Coke (November 2, 2025). Photo by Jayden Kim.

Chicago's Sandwich: Italian Beef

by Jayden Kim

As I stood in line at Portillo’s, I faced a large decision: Order a plain hot dog, my go-to favorite for as long as I could remember, or take a leap of faith and try the Italian beef sandwich my mom has always sworn by? For a nine-year-old, it felt like the most important decision of the summer. I decided to go for it, excitedly waiting to try the famous sandwich. With my first bite, the warm beef juices flooded my mouth, creating a wet sensation that overpowered the rich savoriness of the beef, while the Italian roll had turned into mush. After just one bite, I hated Chicago’s signature sandwich. It had a long way to go to justify its legendary title.

While confusing, yes–Italian beef is Chicago’s sandwich. The origins of the sandwich have long been a source of debate, but it is agreed upon that it stems from the city’s Italian-American immigrants and their weddings during the early 1900s. At these weddings, people served simple foods, such as peanuts and sandwiches made with cheap cuts of meat (Kindelsperger). The current Italian beef is said to have been invented by peddler Al Ferriri when he first sliced the beef into thin sheets. However, some believe that Pasquale Scala was the first to do so. (Gentile). Regardless of who the creator is, Italian beef has established itself as the sandwich of Chicago, sitting on par with the famed Chicago-style hot dogs and deep-dish pizza (Kindelsperger).

With my annual visits to the Chicago suburbs to visit my extended family, my taste buds have learned to appreciate the savory ribbons of beef (Peterson), the now not-too-spicy hot peppers, and the unique contrast between the Italian roll’s soft, warm interior and hard, structured exterior. These three ingredients create the perfect bite, where the spice complements the beefiness, and the bread adds the finishing touches. The customer also remains in full control, customizing the sandwich’s wetness and heat to match their own preferences.

Beyond flavor and texture, Italian beef sandwiches are also very nutritious. According to a 2024 study by the Center for Chemical Regulation & Food Safety, beef sandwiches are an “important source of energy, protein, vitamin B12, iron, and choline” (Murphy), meaning that the savory beef and fresh rolls not only satisfy your palate but also provide the body with essential nutrients.

Unfortunately, this perfect sandwich is hard to find outside of Chicago. As a result, my family has an annual tradition where, after every flight into O’Hare airport, we stop at the same Portillo’s on Golf Road and enjoy our favorite sandwich together.

I will never forget the summer when my parents, exhausted from taking care of my newborn brother on the plane, were desperate to go home. Unfortunately for them, I was adamant not to break our tradition. After lots of begging (and help from my aunt), I found myself at Portillo’s, munching on the perfectly tender beef slices and crunchy hot peppers, while slurping up refreshing Minute Maid lemonade—A core memory with my family.

In search of a good Italian beef in my new home of Ann Arbor, I ended up at Amer’s Delicatessen on State Street. The classic deli serves many different types of sandwiches, soups, and sides. Their Italian beef wasn’t perfect, but surprisingly close for being hundreds of miles away from Chicago. Their beef slices were warm and tender, bursting with flavor and sitting beautifully atop the white roll. The au jus had the perfect amount of savoriness and the sweet peppers were roasted to perfection. The deli even offered the traditional moisture levels: dry, wet, and dipped, where “your entire sandwich is baptized in the au jus sauce, bread and all” (Mortell). As I enjoyed the last bite, I thought back to those times with my family in Chicago. Italian beef is not just my favorite sandwich; to me, it is a tradition that carries my excited memories of landing in the U.S., beginning my summer vacation, and spending time with family.

Outside Amer’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, MI (November 2, 2025). Photo by Jayden Kim.

Inside Amer’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, MI (November 2, 2025) Photo by Jayden Kim.

Works Cited

Gentile, Jay. “How the Italian Beef Became the Iconic Sloppy Sandwich of Chicago.” Thrillist, Vox Media, 28 Mar. 2016, thrillist.com/eat/chicago/history-of-chicagos-iconic-italian-beef-sandwich. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Kim, Jayden. Photo of exterior of Amer’s Delicatessen. 2 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Kim, Jayden. Photo of interior of Amer’s Delicatessen. 2 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Kim, Jayden. Photo of Italian beef sandwich. 2 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Kindelsperger, Nick. “Dip into Chicago’s Italian beef history: From peanut weddings to ‘The Bear,’ how this sandwich became a staple.” Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2024, chicagotribune.com/2024/01/15/dip-into-chicagos-italian-beef-history-from-peanut-weddings-to-the-bear-how-this-sandwich-became-a-staple/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Mortell, Alana. “An ode to Italian beef: everything you need to know about Chicago’s iconic sandwich.” Choose Chicago, 24 Jun. 2025, choosechicago.com/blog/dining/italian-beef-chicago/#:~:text=During%20this%20time%2C%20many%20Italians,Beef%20is%20still%20going%20strong. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Murphy, Mary M., et al. “Consumption of Beef Sandwiches in the United States and Contributions to Intake of Energy and Select Nutrients.” Frontiers in Nutrition (Lausanne), vol. 11, 2024, pp. 1355490-, doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1355490. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Peterson, Lucas Kwan. “This Chicagoan explains why true Italian beef is so hard for other cities to get right.” Los Angeles Times, California Times, 23 Sep. 2022. latimes.com/food/story/2022-09-23/italian-beef-sandwich-chicago-johnnies-portillos-the-bear. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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