The Best Italian Beef Sandwiches In Chicago That Bring The Bear To Life

The Italian beef sandwich may not be as well-known as some of Chicago's other iconic foods, such as deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs, but it has an equally storied history. The sandwich traces its roots back to the early 1900s when Italian immigrants facing discrimination were only sold cheap, tough cuts of meat. To make the beef more palatable, they would slow cook it, slice it very thin, and place it on fresh bread. Italian families would often enjoy the dish at weddings and parties. Slowly but surely, Italian beef became ubiquitous throughout the city of Chicago.

Nearly a century later, the sandwich is getting more attention than ever thanks to the hit show "The Bear." The series chronicles the trials and tribulations of an acclaimed fine-dining chef returning home to Chicago to run the family sandwich shop, which sells — you guessed it — Italian beef. The show's popularity has introduced many non-Chicagoans to this regional specialty, thus vaulting it into the national spotlight. In turn, it has resurrected the question: Where can you get the best Italian beef sandwich in the Windy City? While everyone will have their own personal favorites, you'll never go wrong dining at one of these 10 Chicago restaurants.

It would not be a list of Chicago's top Italian beef purveyors without Al's, which is widely credited as being the first Italian beef shop in the city. The story of this iconic establishment begins roughly a century ago when a sandwich salesman named Anthony Ferreri was hit with an idea after eating a thick-cut beef roast sandwich at a wedding. By adding some spices and cutting the meat thinner, Ferrari believed he could not only make a delicious sandwich, but make twice as many with the same amount of beef.

His creation, dubbed the "Beef Sandwich," was an immediate hit. In 1938, Ferreri's children opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant called Al's Bar B-Q. The original name stayed until 1980 when Chicago Magazine named Al's Italian beef the best in the city. From that point on, it's been Al's #1 Italian Beef. Al's follows the principle of good things come to those who wait. The process of making the sandwich begins more than a full day before it gets to the customer. The beef simmers in a pot of spiced broth for four hours. It is then allowed to rest for 24 hours before a final dip in the meaty juice to soak up some more flavor.

For decades, Al's Italian beef sandwich has drawn guests from far and wide, including plenty who know a thing about food. The restaurant has hosted a who's-who list of culinary celebrities, including Anthony Bourdain, Bobby Flay, and Guy Fieri.

One thing you won't have to worry about when heading to Scatchell's is finding the place. Located just outside of Chicago in Cicero, Illinois, the stand's neon lights and signage are impossible to miss. But don't be fooled by its over-the-top appearance since the menu is decidedly simple. In fact, it hasn't deviated much from the original 1953 menu. The eatery specializes in just three things: hot dogs, pizza, and, of course, Italian beef.

Scatchell's seasons its beef the same way it did in the 1950s, with a blend of oregano, salt, black pepper, and garlic. The meat is then cooked for five hours before being chilled for an entire day. Once ready, the beef gets cut into delicately thin slices, and then layered onto a thick roll until there is a perfect meat-to-bread ratio. It's topped with homemade giardiniera that's heavy on the celery, which provides a delectable crunchy texture. Finally, the sandwich can be dipped in Scatchell's famous gravy. The sauce is so good owner Barry Reggi credits it as the secret ingredient separating the sandwich from the competition, and keeping customers coming back through the doors (via WGN).

We're not sure if any characters in "The Bear" will ever venture out to the suburbs for one of Scatchell's Italian beefs, but the restaurant has appeared on screen before. During Wayne and Garth's iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody" joy ride scene in "Wayne's World," the pair can be seen driving past the unmistakable bright lights of Scatchell's.

Eating at Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park is like transporting back in time. Diners enter through one end of the building (which has not been renovated since the restaurant opened in 1961), place their order, pay with cash, exit out the opposite end, and take their food to one of the nearby picnic tables. The old-school approach at Johnnie's Beef goes even further. The restaurant does not accept credit cards and doesn't even have a website.

Even without the convenience of cashless payment and online ordering, diners continue to flock to this Chicago landmark to get their hands on one of its mouth-watering Italian beef sandwiches. So, how is it made? The beef is prepped with a secret spice blend known only to a handful of the original Johnnie's family members. The fat is trimmed off the meat before it goes in the roaster for four hours. It's then cooled, sliced, and ready to make into a delicious sandwich.

"Isn't that a beautiful thing?" a longtime customer told WTTW of his Johnnie's Italian beef sandwich. "It has not changed. It's like we're going back in time." Another patron claimed on Yelp that it is, "Hands down the best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago...If you don't like the Italian beef here, you just don't like Italian beef." Maybe the highest compliment came from Eater Chicago, which included it in its list of Chicago's most iconic dishes. High praise within a city teeming with Italian beef outlets.

Bob-O's Hot Dogs first opened as a hot dog stand way back in the 1950s. Some 20 years later, the business was purchased by Phyllis Bartell, who incorporated some of her own homemade recipes into the menu, including Italian beef. Bob-O's has continued making the sandwich the same way in the half-century since.

So, what is this magical, mystery recipe? First, the meat is browned in the oven for one hour. It's then seasoned with a secret blend of spices and a coat of garlic juice. After being cut paper thin and dipped in a gravy bath, the beef gets layered on bread, topped with homemade giardiniera, and delivered to a happy customer.

And boy are those customers happy. "Italian beef is my all-time favorite food. Love Bob-O's beef, so far my favorite in Chicago land," one commented on Reddit. Another was even more percussive in their praise of Bob-O's Italian beef. "In terms of favorites this beats out everyone else," they wrote. "It's just so perfect. The meat has the classic cut, but retains its own juiciness, and taste like that I can only describe as a hamburger...If you want a pure meat, and soaked bun experience that should be illegal, go to Bob-O's."

Novi's Beef has been in operation since 1960. Over that time, it has grown from a tiny, corner shack into a 70-seat Chicago landmark. It has also developed quite a reputation thanks to its famous Italian beef sandwiches. In a 2016 USA Today poll, readers voted Novi's Beef as having the best Italian beef in the entire state of Illinois.

Novi's prepares its beef in a unique manner. Instead of seasoning the meat, the restaurant flavors its gravy with a mixture of 15 different spices. (The beef takes a bath in the gravy before being made into a sandwich.) It's this deliciously savory gravy, along with a unique giardiniera, that separates a Novi's Italian beef sandwich from all the others. "The secret to making the best Italian Beef is the sauce or as some say, gravy!," one customer posted on Yelp. "I like Novi's the best because it has more spices than your run-of-the-mill Italian beef restaurant!" Another customer confirmed this, writing, "They have their own distinct flavor for their beef and their giardiniera is incredible. Very crunchy and overall makes for a spicy Italian beef...You can never go wrong with Novis."

A quick note to anyone wanting to visit Novi's Beef — it's located just outside Chicago, in the suburban city of Berwyn. If you can't spare the 20-minute drive or don't live anywhere near Chicago, you're in luck! You can get Novi's Italian beef shipped right to your doorstep.