Pizzeria Uno in Chicago is the original deep-dish pizza shop, opened by Ike Sewell on Ohio Street in 1943, where the city's pan-baked pizza was invented and named.
Signature dishes: Numero Uno deep-dish, Sausage and pepperoni
Must order: The Numero Uno, the canonical deep-dish from the original menu.
Tip: The pies bake 45 minutes; order on arrival. The nearby Due (Pizzeria Due) is the same kitchen if Uno is full.
Address: 29 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611
Portillo's in Chicago is the Ontario Street flagship of the chain founded 1963 by Dick Portillo, with Chicago hot dogs, Italian beef and the chocolate cake shake.
Signature: Chicago hot dog, Italian beef sandwich, Chocolate cake shake
Order: A Chicago dog, an Italian beef dipped, a small chocolate cake shake.
Tip: Drive-thru is faster than the counter. The chocolate cake shake is a chocolate shake with a slice of chocolate cake blended into the cup.
Mr. Beef on Orleans in Chicago is the no-frills Italian-beef counter that inspired The Bear, opened by Joe Zucchero in 1979, with a sandwich line out past the kerb.
Signature: Italian beef dipped, hot peppers, Italian sausage combo
Order: Italian beef, dipped, hot peppers. The combo if you want sausage on top.
Tip: Cash only and counter only. Closes by 16:30 on weekdays, earlier on weekends.
Bonci Chicago is Gabriele Bonci's West Loop pizza al taglio counter on Sangamon, the first US outpost of the Rome bakery, with rectangular pies cut by weight.
Signature: Pizza al taglio by weight, Mortadella and pistachio
Order: Mortadella and pistachio cream; potato and rosemary; whatever seasonal vegetable is current.
Tip: Walk up at 11:30 for the widest selection. By 14:00 the popular cuts are gone for the day.
Vito & Nick's in Chicago is the Ashburn tavern serving the canonical tavern-cut thin pizza on South Pulaski since 1949, family-owned across four generations.
Signature: Original tavern-cut thin, Sausage and onion
Order: Large sausage tavern thin, party-cut, with a side of giardiniera.
Tip: Cash and the bar are the rhythm; first come first served. The kitchen closes at 22:00 sharp; arrive by 21:00.
Pat's Pizza in Chicago is the Lincoln Park tavern-cut thin room on Lincoln Avenue since 1950, with the cracker-crust pies locals send out-of-town visitors to first.
Signature: Tavern-cut thin, Pat's Special with everything
Order: Medium Pat's Special, party-cut; the meatball sandwich as a backup.
Tip: Delivery is the locals' move. The dining room is small, the carryout window quick.
Portillo's in Chicago is the Ontario Street flagship of the chain founded 1963 by Dick Portillo, with Chicago hot dogs, Italian beef and the chocolate cake shake.
Signature: Chicago hot dog, Italian beef sandwich, Chocolate cake shake
Order: A Chicago dog, an Italian beef dipped, a small chocolate cake shake.
Tip: Drive-thru is faster than the counter. The chocolate cake shake is a chocolate shake with a slice of chocolate cake blended into the cup.
Mr. Beef on Orleans in Chicago is the no-frills Italian-beef counter that inspired The Bear, opened by Joe Zucchero in 1979, with a sandwich line out past the kerb.
Signature: Italian beef dipped, hot peppers, Italian sausage combo
Order: Italian beef, dipped, hot peppers. The combo if you want sausage on top.
Tip: Cash only and counter only. Closes by 16:30 on weekdays, earlier on weekends.
Al's Beef on Taylor Street in Chicago is the original 1938 storefront opened by Al Ferreri, the Italian-beef sandwich on Gonnella bread that defined the genre.
Signature: Italian beef dipped, Cheesy beef
Order: Italian beef, double-dipped, sweet peppers. A side of fries to mop the jus.
Tip: Eat standing at the counter with the lean-rail. The sandwich does not survive a sit-down booth structurally.
