The Best Italian Beef Sandwiches In The US You Need To Try ASAP
Chicago and the Italian beef sandwich are synonymous to each other and rightly so. Yes, "The Bear" definitely influenced the boom but the sandwich's history is intrinsically tied to the city dating back to the early 20th century, when the Italian immigrants decided to turn the cheap cuts of meat into an iconic dish. In an NPR article Chicago historian Shermann "Dilla" Thomas notes that the Italians took these less tender parts of the meat, sliced them really thin, and cooked for a longer period to tenderize it.
Traditionally, the meat is stuffed inside a crusty Italian or French bread roll and garnished with peppers and giardiniera — vegetables like celery and carrots pickled in vinegar and eaten like a condiment. But what sets Italian beef sandwiches apart from other roast beef sandwiches? That would be the au jus made with the drippings of the roasted beef. The sandwich is dipped in this thin juice right before serving to make it moist. However, it is also absolutely okay to go for a dry sandwich with a cup of jus on the side.
The sandwich is a Chicago original and while the internet is full of lists on where to eat the best Italian beef in Chicago, it was quite a challenge to compile a list of the best Italian beef sandwiches in the U.S. There is a methodology slide at the end for those who would like to know the process behind putting together this list. While the Windy City is home to some of the best Italian beef sandwich shops in the country, other cities and states are not too far behind.
Al's Italian Beef
Once a front for a gambling spot, Al's is now one of the most coveted Italian beef sandwich shops in Chicago. According to historians, it is also the first shop that started selling the sandwich and became so popular that it replaced the family's gambling business. The shop opened in 1938 and moved to its current location in Little Italy in the 1960s. Al's now has multiple locations in and around Chicago.
Al's legacy rests in its beef and the recipe that has stayed unchanged since the time it opened. Fine quality sirloin is slow roasted for over four hours in spices. It is then stored overnight before being thinly sliced and stewed in juice the next morning. The sandwich is then assembled with loads of meat in fresh Italian bread and topped with a spicy giardiniera made of celery, and sweet pepper. The sandwich is dipped in the au jus — not just the ends, the whole thing goes in — before it is ready to be bitten into. The best part, despite soaking in the gravy the bread holds right till the end and does not get too soggy.
Multiple locations
Mr. Beef
What happens when your customer is also a screenwriter and director? You become a part of the central plot in one of the most popular television series that accurately portrays the realities of the restaurant stress. Christopher Storer, the creator of "The Bear," was a regular at Mr. Beef and used it as an inspiration for his show shooting some parts of it outside and even inside the restaurant. An exact replica of the shop was created at a studio in Chicago, which according to the owner Joseph Zucchero quoted in an NPR article, made his mouth drop.
Zucchero opened Mr. Beef in 1979 and it is now being run by his son Chris Zucchero. The Italian beef sandwich here comes packed with meat, roasted bell peppers, a home-made giardiniera made largely of celery, and has both the ends dipped in au jus. Every bite has a mouthful of juicy beef and that's how a classic Italian beef should be. A review suggests that it may get a little oilier than usual so grab extra napkins.
(312) 337-8500
666 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654
Portillo's
"The Bear" star Jeremy Allen White who plays Chef Carmy Berzatto in the popular series, named Portillo's as his favorite Italian beef sandwich joint in an interview with Indie Wire. The Chicago original that opened in 1963 as a hot dog stand originally named The Dog House is now spread across 70 locations, most of them in Illinois. During summer Portillo's first Chicago outlet has a long queue of hungry patrons waiting to grab a sandwich.
The sandwich here has really thin slices of beef slow roasted for four hours, mildly spicy, and crunchy giardiniera, and bread that holds up well despite being soaked in a rich and meaty gravy. At Portillo's customers can choose from multiple options for how moist they want their sandwich: dipped, extra dipped, wet, dry, and gravy on the side. Over the years the brand has expanded its menu and included dishes like Italiano bowl, but the Italian beef sandwich continues to be a top ranker.
Multiple locations
Emmett's
In 2013, the Chicago native Emmett Burke opened Emmett's in New York with a desire to serve the Chicago-style deep dish pizza to New Yorkers. Burke, who studied at Fordham University severely missed the food of his hometown and wanted to create a space for the homesick Chicagoans. Over the years the restaurant has become far bigger than just being a pizza joint, becoming somewhat of a Windy City institution in the Big Apple. Apart from pizza, the menu at Emmett's also includes Chicago classics like the Chicago-style hot dog and Italian beef sandwich.
The food is made fresh to order and uses best quality ingredients. The slow roasted Italian beef with spicy giardiniera is sandwiched in a crusty bread that holds up despite being dipped in the au jus. It is not a surprise since Burke uses the Turano French bread, the Chicago-based Turano Baking Company delivers to some of the top Italian beef sandwich joints as well as supplying fast food giants such as McDonald's. Purists may frown at the absence of sweet pepper and the option of mozzarella cheese, but Emmett's Italian beef sandwich truly holds its space amongst the OGs.
(917) 639-3571
50 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
3 Little Pigs
Nothing beats the authentic Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich. But, to be honest, who doesn't like a classic with a bit of a twist? 3 Little Pigs is an American-Chinese fusion restaurant in downtown Chicago that takes the city's favorite Italian beef sandwich and puts an Asian spin on it. Chef and owner Henry Cai started his business taking orders via Instagram and cooking in a 200-square feet shared kitchen in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. He eventually opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Bridgeport.
The menu represents Cai's Chinese-American heritage preserving his father's legacy and recipes. The original hot pot beef originated when Cai, who does not enjoy the traditional Chinese hot pot, stuffed the meat in the bread and dipped the sandwich in the hot pot broth. His version has chili oil soaked giardiniera and hot pot-inspired spicy jus that is served on the side for dipping. Reviews suggest that giardiniera comes with olives in it and the sandwich, while different from the classic Italian beef, is still so tender it melts instantly in your mouth.
Multiple Chicago locations
Blues City Deli
This St. Louise favorite is the owner Vince Valenza's love letter to blues music and the food of the cities that fall on U.S. Route 61 aka the Blues Highway, serving Chicago Italian beef and Memphis-style pulled pork. Initially, Valenza opened the place as a one-stop shop for deli meats, breads, salads and spices. But in the first year itself it gained popularity as a sandwich shop. Prior to Covid, Blues City Deli hosted live blues performances that were a big hit among the patrons as well as the musician community.
The deli's menu has a lot of New Orleans flavors and has been known for its po' boys and muffulettas since the time it opened in 2004. The Italian beef sandwich is made of moist house-made roast beef, hot giardiniera peppers or grilled sweet peppers in a hoagie roll. The beef is cooked to perfection and the delectable au jus compliments the sandwich perfectly. One YouTube reviewer calls it the kind of sandwich that can turn a bad day around.
(314) 773-8225
2438 McNair Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104
Uncle Franky's
The little red building in Northeast Minneapolis is a family run store that started as a hot dog stand. Before opening Uncle Franky's, owner Jay Grobstein honed his restaurant skills working at Erté — an upscale steakhouse and lounge in the Twin Cities. The restaurant has a dive-bar like feel to it. It is the kind of place where one can get the vibe of the neighborhood, have a friendly chat with strangers, or just people watch while biting into a loaded sandwich. Reviews on Yelp suggest that the staff is super friendly too.
Their Italian beef sandwich has half pound of thinly sliced seasoned beef dripping with the jus, spicy or mild giardiniera peppers stuffed densely inside a toasted traditional Gonnella Italian roll (a Chicago legacy dating back to 1886) that is soft from the inside and has a golden crust. The beef is spicy with charred flavors. The bread plays a perfect foil to the juicy beef soaking up the delicious gravy.
(612) 455-2181
728 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Romanelli's Italian Deli
This family-owned Italian deli, bakery and grocery store that opened in 1975 has been a local favorite for decades. In 2023 Romanelli's won in the Italian Deli category at Best of Phoenix awards given by Phoenix New Times. The deli's menu lists 24 sandwiches and subs, all of them made with 10-inch bread with white, wheat, sliced rye, and hard-crust Italian roll to choose from. It's known for its breads — made in-house every day — and also supplied to many restaurants in the city.
The Italian beef sandwich is a fat sandwich loaded with beef, giardiniera and peppers. The bread has a slightly crunchy crust but the crumb is soft. At Romanelli's they do not dip the Italian beef sandwich in the jus and instead serve it on the side. Customers would be wise to pay heed to how liberal they are with the juice, as the moist bread may not hold up. So either dip your bread in the cup of jus bit by bit or pour it over the filling before eating the sandwich. Romanelli's can also pack the individual ingredients separately if you want to take the sandwich home and eat it the next day. Some reviews suggest that parking could be a problem here, so plan your visit accordingly.
(602) 249-9030
3437 W Dunlap Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
Pappa Gyros
Pappa Gyros is slated as one of the best Greek food joints in Katy, Texas. The owner Christos Bastios, who is of Greek origin, grew up in Michigan and comes from a family of restaurateurs. Painted in Greek colors — blue and white — the restaurant is popular for its gyros and souvlaki and Greek-American flavors, but it also makes mean hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. Yelp reviews mention that Bastios is often around and is a warm person to interact with. Always a good sign when the owner makes sure his customers are taken good care of.
The Italian beef sandwich is made of slow roasted top sirloin beef packed inside a 7-inch roll and topped with a equally spicy and sweet giardiniera relish. Bastios also add onions to the sandwich, which is not a common addition to an Italian beef. Here the restaurant dips the sandwich in the jus before serving but one can always ask for it to be served on the side. A popular order for regular customers is the Italian sausage and beef combo with a side of onion rings.
(832) 391-6172
21910 Franz Rd, Katy, TX 77449
Johnnie's Beef
This Elmwood Park favorite has been around since 1961 and is a true-blue quick service restaurant. There is no seating inside the shop, just a compact counter indoors and a few tables out in the patio. Johnnie's Beef also only accepts cash payment, so go prepared. The shop uses a live charcoal grill for the meat and the air around here is of course heavy with that delicious aroma of charred meat.
There's customization available for the Italian beef to get it just the way you like. "Juiced" for those who want it dipped in gravy, and "hot" will come with giardiniera, while "sweet" has roasted peppers, and finally, "hot and sweet" comes with both. One can also opt for a beef and sausage combo that comes with a char-grilled Italian sausage stacked along with beef. Fans recommend getting the hot peppers on the side, drain out the juices from it, and then add them to your sandwich to get the maximum flavor and avoid the sandwich from getting too soggy.
(708) 452-6000
7500 W North Ave, Elmwood Park, IL
Bobbi's Italian Beef
Owner Jason Lux opened Bobbi's Italian Beef in 2022 and turned it into a time capsule with the classic movies playing on the television and the old-style seating booths are all a reminder of the diners of the 1980s. There is even a coin machine that dispenses prints of artworks made by local Brooklyn artists. The menu is a whole Chicago vibe with Chicago dogs, tamales, party-cut pizza, and Italian beef sandwiches, both classic as well as with chopped cheese.
The restaurant makes its own beef and the process of preparing the top round — seasoning and curing, slow roasting, chilling, slicing, and warming in the jus — takes about four days. The spicy giardiniera is made in-house too and some diners have found it spicier than expected. Bobbi's also puts onions and tomato in the sandwich along with hot and sweet peppers (choose both) and optional cheese — customers can choose from yellow cheddar or provolone. Some reviews suggest that the sandwich is huge and can be too much for one person, so take a friend along and split it up.
(718) 873-1480
228 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Methodology
Finding the top spots serving Italian beef sandwiches across the U.S. was not an easy task, especially when the challenge was to have representation from other states as well. However, it was not surprising to see this legendary Chicago sandwich find its way in other regions. To compile this list, a number of factors were considered such as ratings, social media reviews, mention in other articles, and last but not the least, the consistency in taste and flavors.
For this list, the criteria was not limited to just the "classic" recipe and allowed for bit of crossover. For example, 3 Little Pigs made it to the list for its delicious fusion of Chinese hot pot and Italian beef. The restaurants adding cheese to their sandwiched also got a place here as well as those that offer a combo option of Italian sausage and beef, such as Pappa Gyros and Johnnie's Beef.