You Cannot Visit Illinois Without Eating These 5 Iconic Foods

Welcome to Illinois. 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 single one of the amazing foods on this list would likely be found on any menu anywhere in the country that wants to give their patrons a true Illinois experience. We love you for trying, but nobody can cook this stuff up like an Illinoisan.

One of these 5 iconic foods you may never have heard of before

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, will eat.

The Italian beef sandwich is beef sliced thinly then piled high into a sub (or hoagie) roll with spicy giardiniera, sweet peppers, and au jus. I personally have never had a better Italian beef sandwich than Portillo's. The most important thing to remember when ordering is to ask for it soggy. The au jus is outstanding

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 don't know. 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.

Not only do all these things taste amazing, but they're also wonderful to look at...

You Cannot Visit Illinois Without Trying These 5 Iconic Foods