Italian Beef Sandwich

Illinois' best-known food export is probably Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. But we dare you to find one Chicagoan who eats the stuff when they’re not showing tourists around. Italian beef sandwiches, on the other hand, are a Windy City favorite, thin-sliced sirloin seasoned with oregano and basil, and occasionally nutmeg and cloves. The steaming meat is then placed on a fresh Italian roll with sweet peppers, hot peppers, and giardiniera, then served with au jus for dipping. It’s equally as delicious on a summer afternoon in the bleachers as it is on a freezing winter day.