How to Order an Italian Beef Like You Grew Up Here

Walking up to a beef stand in Chicago for the first time can feel like ordering coffee in a language you don't speak. The person behind the counter is fast, the line behind you is long, and nobody is going to explain anything. So here's the cheat sheet.

The sandwich

Thin-sliced roast beef, slow-cooked in seasoned juice (the "jus" or "gravy"), piled into a long Italian roll. That's it. Everything else is how you want it dressed and how wet you want it.

Step 1: How wet?

• Dry. Beef lifted out of the jus and allowed to drip before it goes on the bread. Least messy, least Chicago.
• Wet (or "juicy"). A ladle of jus poured over the meat in the bun.
• Dipped. The whole sandwich, bread and all, gets dunked in the jus. This is the move. Plan to eat it leaning forward over the counter, elbows out.

Step 2: Hot, sweet, or both?

• Hot means hot giardiniera: chopped pickled peppers, celery, carrots and cauliflower in oil. Spicy and crunchy.
• Sweet means roasted green bell peppers. Soft and mild.
• Hot and sweet gets you both, and most regulars think that's the right answer.

Step 3: Anything extra?

• Cheese. Usually mozzarella or provolone. Not traditional, but nobody will stop you.
• Combo. A grilled Italian sausage tucked into the bun alongside the beef. Huge, salty, excellent.

Putting it together

"Beef, hot, dipped" is the order you'll hear most. "Combo, hot and sweet, dipped" is the one you order when you're very hungry. Say it fast and with confidence.

Where to practice

• Johnnie's Beef, Elmwood Park. The one many locals swear is the best. Get a lemon ice after.
• Al's #1 Italian Beef, Taylor Street. The family that claims to have invented the sandwich in 1938.
• Mr. Beef on Orleans, River North. The real-life inspiration for the restaurant in The Bear.
• Carm's, Taylor Street. A block from Al's, with arguably better bread and jus.

See all of them in our Italian Beef section.