Top 10 Famous Delicacies in Chicago
“The Windy City”, “City of Big Shoulders”, “The Second City”, “The City That Works”, or better known as Chicago City is a city rich in culture and history. Dating back from its proclamation in 1837, the very city hosted many firsts not only in the United States but also in the world - just like the world’s very first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Company, which was built in1885 and the very first Ferris wheel ever built which debuted at the 1893 World’s Columbian Expedition. It also houses plenty of museums - 56 to be exact, and libraries like the Harold Washington Library Center and Museum of Science and Industry, which features a million stories to reminisce about the beauty of the city and its people.
With over 52 million tourists visiting the 237-mile city, in which possible ways can the city itself tell its fascinating history, rich culture, and diverse traditions aside from its antiquated and historical architectures? The answer is simple, that is, through everyone’s longing taste buds! Through the food that it offers to approximately 1.7 million residents plus its visitors, and over 5,195 restaurants, here are top 10 must-try food delicacies, and restaurants around the city of Chicago:
Brownies at Palmer House Hilton Brownies
First in the list is the Palmer house’s brownies, this is a century old delicacy made by Bertha Palmer which she used to serve at the Columbian Exposition World Fair in 1893. Palmer made the “brownie” by accident since she intended to make a cake treat which has the consistency of a cake but is not really a cake. With these she created a semi- sweet crushed walnut apricot-glaze preserve cake-like treat that could fit inside a lunchbox which is now known as the brownie.
Chicago Hot Dog
Again, as an entry in the 1893 Columbian Exposition World Fair, Vienna Beef debuted the water simmered dog or the Chicago dog. This delicacy was first known as the depression sandwich filled with mouth-watering ingredients like yellow mustard, onion, relish, pickle spears, stork peppers, celery, as well as sliced tomatoes. These are all nestled inside a poppy-seed bun together with the famous water simmered hot dog. It might not be graceful to eat but the flavor that this specific hot dog produces is an ultimate eye-popper legend.
Garret’s Popcorn
The Garret family improved the use of popcorn in such memorable ways since they are experimenting with all kinds of different flavors up until they landed on the perfect flavor which they called as the Chicago mix which was later on changed into the Garret’s mix due to some legal issues. Because of the specific flavor of mixed cheese corn and caramel infused in crunchy popcorn, visitors and residents wait in a long line in order to grab and have a taste of this Chicago delicacy. The Garret’s mix was originally two separate flavors of cheese and caramel and people would usually buy these 2 bags with both flavors and asks another bag in order for them to mix both in a single bag. The company noticed this and decided to make a flavor wherein these 2 flavors are combined into one single flavor. Hence, the Garret’s mix was released.
Invented in 1943 by Chef Rudy Malnati, Pizzeria Uno has been serving deep-dish pizzas for 75 long years already. Deep-dish pizzas are the extreme versions of thick crust pizzas. It looks more like a pie than the typical flatbread, thin crusted ones. Pizzeria Uno’s number one and best-selling pizza, a.k.a. the “Numero Uno” is topped with specialized sausage, pepperoni, fresh onions, peppers, and mushrooms drizzled with mozzarella and Romano cheese. The pizza is then finished with Uno’s very own chunky vine- ripened tomato sauce which purposely harmonizes all the flavors after every bite. In just a modest price, you can now have a flavorful and filling meal. You know, not every pizza doesn't have to have a thin crust!
Doughnuts by Doughnut Vault
Sixth in the list is the famous doughnuts by the Doughnut Vault. Many Chicagoans and visitors wait in line just to have a taste of the classic doughnuts made by the Doughnut Vault. But what makes it special aside from other doughnuts being made? Well, Doughnut Vault’s owner, Brendan Sodikoff, makes sure that the doughnuts being produced here is of excellent quality especially with its ingredients. The doughnuts are homemade and not machine- made hence well-handled. These handcrafted doughnuts offer a huge variety of classic flavors you can choose from like gingerbread, old-fashioned buttermilk and vanilla glazed, except for the occasional “featured” doughnut, like the crunchy pistachio glazed. For two to three dollars apiece, you can now enjoy an extraordinary handcrafted doughnut while still on a budget!
Gibson’s Prime Angus Beef
In this city, high-quality black angus beefs are cut into the most famous cut in Chicago - the rib-eye cut. Steaks at Gibson came from black angus beef raised in sustainable farms in the upper Midwest part of the United States that is first to be USDA Angus Beef Program Certified. Healthy and nourished cattle were strictly set to Gibson’s standards to maintain its trademark in superior flavor and tenderness, making it premium and of high quality. The steak is aged for approximately 40 days to increase its flavor and tenderness. It is then seasoned with Gibson’s specialty seasoning before cooking in a 1800-degree Fahrenheit infrared broiler. This kind of steak costs 50 dollars per serving. Though being on the pricey side, customer reviews mostly talks about how its taste matches as much as its very worth.
Doughnuts by Bombobar
Eighth in the narrowed list of must-try foods in Chicago are the cake doughnuts in Bombobar. These are not your typical kind of doughnuts. The doughnuts being whipped up in this café are covered with confectioner’s sugar and filled with a filling of your choice. What makes it different from other doughnuts being sold commercially is the way the filling is being served. Their trademark is the squeeze bottle filled with the filling. The doughnut is served with a bottle stacked on top of the doughnut you ordered wherein it is filled with your chosen filling. This will let the costumers fill their doughnuts up to their desired amount of filling. This Instagram-worthy food and place will surely make your jaw drop with much wonderment.
Algeria’s seafood
Started in Mexico in 2011 and bringing the concept for the Chicagoans to taste what it is like to be in Mexico, Algeria’s seafood was established in Chicago. The specialty in the menu is the Alegria’s special which is a mix of different seafoods like crab legs, prawns, stuffed lobster with the stuffing composed of a mixture of shrimp, octopus, scallops, and crab meat all mixed with Alegria’s secret seasoning. This meal comes with French fries, rice, salad and garlic on the side. As expected the price on this delicacy is high but with the portions and the quantity and quality of sea foods being served the flavors really lives up to its price.
Because of the 1932 depression era in Chicago, resources were scarce in both money and food. Two Italian immigrants named Chris and Al found a way in order to preserve the beef longer and to taste a lot better by roasting the beef then shredding its meat to pieces and using the sauce or the fat and drippings produced when cooking as broth for their very own gravy wherein the bread is soaked to give it a lot of flavor. The toppings of this Italian beef were Giardiniera or simply pickled vegetables in either vinegar or oil and either spicy peppers or Italian peppers. Al’s Italian beef where served in 4 different level of juiciness which as follows: First is the “Regular”. This has enough gravy or sauce to make it nice and juicy. Next is the “Wet” which adds an additional gravy in the sandwich. Third is the “Dipped” wherein the sandwich is submerged into the gravy. Lastly is the “Dry” which literally has no gravy in it but the restaurant does not really recommend this level since the gravy for them is the “gold” of the Italian Beef sandwich.
One of the strangest yet one of the iconic dishes in Chicago the Bone- in Pork Chop Sandwich. This sandwich features a pork chop with its bone intact with the meat the pork chops are prepared by dredging it lightly with flour then fried in a healthy amount of oil until it is golden brown and crispy. It is topped with a smear of mustard and loads and loads of sautéed onions. As most reviews say this is a must try when going to Chicago it might get your hands dirty but it will make your tummy happy as well.
These are the top 10 most famous delicacies and the restaurants which serves these delicacies. These delicacy really screams Chicago and it really introduces the culture and tradition just like most museums and libraries in the city. As an old saying say, “The best way to get inside a man’s heart is through his stomach” if you really want to know the city, you should savor the different flavors and tastes of Chicago for it pretty much screams their way of life and their identity as a city.