The Italian Sandwich Shop Anthony Bourdain Absolutely Loved, Just West Of Chicago

Anthony Bourdain may have been a lifelong New Yorker, but second to NYC, he was singing the tune of Chicago. He once named Chicago as "the only other real metropolis in America" (via NBC5), and in the Chicago episode of "Parts Unknown" (which aired in 2016, just two years before the chef's death), he declared, "Chicago is a town, a city, that doesn't ever have to measure itself against any other city. Other places have to measure themselves against it." Even though he wasn't crazy about the Windy City's deep-dish pizza, he praised Chicago-style hot dogs as the best regional weenie in America. And when it came to sandwiches, Bourdain had an outspoken affinity for Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park, Illinois, roughly a 30-minute drive west of The Bean in downtown Chi.

In a 2016 interview with Thrillist, Bourdain expounded upon his love for Johnnie's Beef, telling the outlet, "Either on my way into town or out of town, I'm going Italian beef at Johnnie's." Elsewhere online, local tourism Instagram account @chicago_history shared a rare photo of a smiling Bourdain chowing down on a sandwich from Johnnie's. 

Fans have taken to the comments section to sound off their love for both Bourdain and the neighborhood eatery. One fan writes, "Johnnie's is at the end of our block. It's a treasure and there's always a line." Another agrees, "I've eaten that same beef hot dipped and Italian lemonade at that same table many times in my life."

Located at 7500 W North Ave, Johnnie's Beef is a gem in humble digs. Inside, an ordering counter; outside, a perimeter of picnic tables. It's as quaint as it is timeless, evidenced by the fact that Johnnie's has been serving the community Italian beef since 1961. More specifically, that's ultra-thin-sliced, water-dipped beef on an Italian-style roll, smothered in peppers. The menu offers rich, savory fare from pepper and egg sandos to double hot dogs and fries.

Yelp customer reviews also rave about the frozen lemonade Italian ices — one of which can be spotted in the @chicago_history pic of Bourdain's meal. As one fan puts it, Johnnie's "absolutely lived up to the hype [...] It has that old-school charm with food that hits every note. Not too far from the city and totally worth the line." Over the years, Johnnie's has become so popular that it has expanded to a second, larger location in Arlington Heights, but the flagship restaurant remains a beacon for Italian beef fans near and far.

As for Bourdain, his Johhnie's cravings went back years. In 2012, local news outlet the Wednesday Journal reported that Bourdain was spotted filming at Johnnie's (footage which would appear in an episode of "The Layover"). According to the Journal, the chef-slash-writer Tweeted a photo of an Italian Beef sandwich with hot and sweet peppers and extra juice shortly after his visit, captioning the fully-loaded jewel, "The glory that is Chicago."