Illinois’ 5 Most Iconic Foods All Visitors Must Try

Every state has some food for which they're well-known. Welcome to Illinois, where we have several legendary foods. When you visit the Land of Lincoln, these are the state's most iconic foods you must try.

The Most Important Thing to Do When Visiting Illinois

EAT

While you're here, we're going to make sure you eat well. Not just delicious food, but the most important foods our state offers.

Every one of the amazing foods on this list would likely be found on the menu in every state in the country that wants to give their patrons a true Illinois or Chicago experience, the big difference being that nobody can cook this stuff up like an Illinoisan.

Illinois' 5 Most Iconic Foods You Must Try

Illinois is home to two professional baseball teams, which means we eat lots of ballpark hot dogs. The ONLY hot dog that matters:

The Chicago-Style Hot Dog is the kind of hot dog people who say they don't like hot dogs might find themselves wanting to eat. NO KETCHUP.

MORE: 5 Unspoken Rules of the Chicago-Style Hot Dog

The Italian beef sandwich is thinly sliced and then piled high into a sub (or hoagie) roll with spicy giardiniera, sweet peppers, and au jus.

Personally, I have never had a better Italian beef sandwich than Portillo's. The most important thing to remember when ordering is to ask for the au jus (aka "gravy) it's outstanding. On the side for dipping, or get your sandwich served 'soggy'.

MORE: One of Illinois’ Top Italian Beef Sandwiches Will Put You in a Meat Coma

Chicago-style popcorn is a blend of salty and buttery popcorn, cheddar popcorn, and sweet caramel popcorn. While you'll find many places that make great popcorn throughout Illinois, my personal favorite is Garrett's.

Get our free mobile app

That thick, delicious crust has so much flavor. Then pile on the cheese, meat, and sauce. Bring your appetite and a little bit of patience, because it takes a little longer to cook a hefty Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.

And now, the sandwich you probably have never heard of, perhaps because it's also the only food on this list that you don't see outside of its city of origin very often.

The Horseshoe sandwich is a specialty of Springfield, Illinois. It is made by topping two pieces of toast with meat, fries, and cheese sauce. The sandwich was created in 1928 by chef Joe Schweska at Springfield's Leland Hotel.

You Cannot Visit Illinois Without Trying These 5 Iconic Foods