Jibarito is a unique Puerto Rican sandwich made with smashed, fried plantains instead of bread. The sandwich is typically filled with garlic mayonnaise, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. The origins of jibarito are somewhat hard to untangle, as some claim that the sandwich is originally a Puerto Rican invention, while others claim that it was created by Juan Figueroa at the Borinquen Restaurant in Chicago in 1996. The most probable theory says that the sandwich was invented by Coquí Feliciano and Jorge Muñoz at Plátano Loco restaurant in Aguada, Puerto Rico, and Figueroa probably read about it, which inspired him to make another version in Chicago.
Italian beef is a popular Chicagoan sandwich consisting of thinly sliced, seasoned layers of roast beef in a dense and chewy Italian-style roll, topped with either pickled giardiniera relish or roasted green bell peppers. The sandwich is typically dipped in jus - on one end, both ends, or completely soaked in the flavorful gravy. Additionally, mozzarella or cheddar cheese can be added to the sandwich, according to personal preferences. There are three popular theories about the origin of the Italian beef sandwich. One says that is was invented by Al Ferreri (the owner of Al's Beef restaurant) and his family at the start of World War II. They invented it in response to big Italian weddings that needed to stretch a small amount of food a long way. Another theory says that the sandwich is a version of the French dip, introduced in Los Angeles in 1918. According to Pat Bruno, a critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, it was invented by a man named Tony who worked in a Greek diner and messed around with the French dip recipe, creating the Italian beef sandwich in the process. The third theory gives credit to Pasquale Scala, a supplier of Italian beef in Chicago, who invented it as a way to help consumers to stretch their dollar during the Great Depression. Regardless of the origin of the sandwich, it is still a staple of Chicago's cuisine, found at numerous restaurants and hot dog stands across the city.
This open-faced sandwich is a specialty of Springfield, Illinois, where it was originally invented. A horseshoe typically consists of two slices of toast topped with two meat patties or slices of ham, french fries, and a cheesy sauce. Originally, it was served on a hot metal plate known as anvil, with ham and fries representing the horseshoe nails, hence the name. There is also a variety of this sandwich called a pony shoe sandwich, which is half of a regular horseshoe portion. The sandwich was invented in the late 1920s by a chef named Joe Schweska at Leland Hotel in Springfield.
Bone-in pork chop sandwich is a Chicagoan specialty made with marinated pork loin chops which are seared until brown. The meat is cooked a bit more atop sizzling onions, and the combination is then placed on burger buns with yellow mustard. The sandwich is usually served in brown paper bags, accompanied by french fries and pickled "sport" peppers. Once prepared, bone-in pork chop sandwich should be served and eaten immediately, just be wary of the bone.
Mother-in-law is a sandwich consisting of a tamale topped with chili, usually served in a hot dog bun. Although its origin is still unknown, it is a very popular food item in Chicago's south side. Popular chef Anthony Bourdain once called it "the evil stepbrother of the hot dog." People of Chicago tend to disagree about serving the dish, so some prefer it served on a bun, while others like it served in a cardboard French-fries boat. Variations are abundant, so sometimes the sandwich is called a tamale boat or a tamale sundae, and then there is the humdinger, which consists of a mother-in-law sandwich that is additionally topped with melted cheese. Regardless of the mysterious origins of this sandwich, it is jokingly said throughout Chicago that it will give you heartburn, just like a real mother-in-law.
Gym Shoe or Jim Shoe is a traditional sandwich originating from Chicago. In order to prepare it, any kind of bread (often Italian roll, hoagie, or sub) is filled with shaved gyro meat (usually lamb), roast beef, corned beef, lettuce, tomatoes, tzatziki, sometimes mayonnaise and mustard, followed by onions, Swiss cheese, sweet bell peppers, and giardiniera (a spicy Italian relish). The sandwich is traditionally wrapped in aluminum foil, and it's often accompanied by french fries and a soda on the side. The origin of the name of this sandwich still remains a mystery. This gargantuan sandwich can be found in many eateries that serve sub sandwiches on the South Side.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot,
nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.
For the “Top 6 Illinoisan Sandwiches” list until May 15, 2026, 170 ratings were recorded, of which 132 were recognized by the system as legitimate.
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instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.
