Finding a good Italian beef sandwich in the Chicago area certainly isn't a bear, but with plenty of options to choose from, how can you find the best of the best?
A new ranking has picked the top spots in the city and beyond.
Bon Appétit named the top eight Italian beef sandwiches in the city and the burbs and, with season two of "The Bear" set to debut this week, there's no better time to quench your thirst -- unless you like your sandwich dry, that is.
The top places named in the ranking included Al's Beef - specifically the Taylor Street location - Scatchell's in Cicero, Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park, Portillo's, Buona Beef, Odge's in Chicago, Budacki's Drive-In in Chicago and Kasama in Chicago.
Chicago is considered by many the birthplace of the Italian beef sandwich, but the popular FX series "The Bear" put a new national spotlight on the coveted staple.
The fast-paced, chaos-ridden show spurred a flurry of interest for Italian beef sandwiches when it was released last June.
While The Original Beef of Chicagoland doesn't exist in real life, some of the picks in the latest ranking were among the most-searched for after the show's debut as well.
Al's Beef and Johnnie's Beef were among two of the highly searched locations sought during the frenzy.
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Mr. Beef on Orleans also surged following the show's premiere. The restaurant, which is speculated to be the inspiration behind "The Bear," sits on 666 N. Orleans St.
