10 Foods People Miss Most After Leaving Chicago

Whether you lived in Chicago for years and moved away or simply visited the city for a quick getaway, there are some dishes that you can enjoy fully in the Windy City. Sure, you may be able to find a deep dish pizza in Detroit, but it's not really going to taste the same as it does as Lou Malnati's or Gino's. There also may be a random place slinging Chicago-style hot dogs in LA, but it's certainly not going to beat the one you might eat at Wrigley Field.

If you've left Chicago for whatever reason, there's probably a good chance that you miss some of these quintessentially Chicagoan foods. We've created this list to tide you over until you can get back to Chi-Town. And, if you haven't been to Chicago before, let this list inspire you and serve as a must-try compilation of dishes that you should absolutely seek out once you visit.

There are so many different fascinating hot dog variations from around the world, but few are more delicious than a classic Chicago-style hot dog. Perhaps the most important thing to know about a Chicago dog is the fact that it absolutely, categorically should not contain ketchup. In fact, former President Barack Obama, one of Chicago's most well-known public figures, once said that adults shouldn't be eating ketchup at all in reference to his hot dog preferences.

Instead, a Chicago dog features a very specific list of ingredients. First of all, a Chicago dog should always come with an all-beef frank, specifically served in a poppy seed bun. Then, they layer on yellow mustard, pickle relish, and chopped white onion. But, here's where things get interesting: You'll also find sport pickles, sliced tomatoes, and a whole pickle spear on a Chicago dog. It's finished off with a sprinkling of celery salt, an ingredient that may not seem that important, but is actually essential to the overall symphony of flavors that will happen in your mouth once you take a bite of this delicious dog. If we're being honest, we think it's the best hot dog style in the whole country.

If you've spent any time in the Midwest at all, then you probably know that it's a region that absolutely loves a casserole. It should come as no surprise, then, that one of the most famous types of pizza coming out of Chicago almost seems like a hybrid between pizza and a casserole. It's deep dish pizza, and it's just what it sounds like: A pizza that's served in an almost casserole-like, cavernous dish. The shell functions as a de facto pie crust, while the toppings are all stacked inside in layer-upon-layer of goodness.

Just like with any other type of pizza, the toppings on a deep dish pizza can vary, depending on what you like. Some people prefer more of a meat-heavy deep dish pizza, while others like theirs layered with plenty of vegetables to bring some lightness to the mix. But, perhaps the most important element is the sauce placed on top of the pizza. Yes, that sauce is even placed over the cheese itself. If you've never had deep dish pizza before, it may sound bizarre, but believe us when we say that it's a pizza construction that really works.

There's nothing like a big, meaty grinder with perfectly puffy bread, and that's just what Chicago's famous Italian beef sandwich has to offer. Arguably the most important part of this sandwich is the beef itself, which is roasted and then sliced very thinly. The texture of the beef is crucial — those thin slices create a bite and chewiness that Chicago Italian beef sandwiches are known for. That beef is seasoned with au jus, which gives the sandwich some much-needed moisture and tons of flavor. This is all served on a relatively soft bun that still has enough structure to hold the hulking sandwich together without disintegrating.

If that sounds like a pretty heavy sandwich to you, you'd be correct. But, luckily, there's one more ingredient that offers some brightness and tang to the dish and therefore really brings it together. It's hot giardiniera, a spicy, tangy combo of pickled vegetables that's delicious on its own, but that especially shines on this sandwich. If you want to try one of the best sandwiches in the United States, a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich is an absolute must-have.

The jibarito, a sandwich that features fried plantains in the place of bread, hails from Chicago, but it has its roots in Puerto Rico and is a testament to Puerto Ricans' impact on the city's food scene. It features a unique combination of both Puerto Rican and American influences, from that tostones "bread" situation to the American cheese that gives the dish a subtle creaminess.

This sandwich is also loaded with a generous serving of beef, along with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and garlic mojo. Mojo is a sauce that predominantly features garlic, of course, but that also has a sweet and acidic zing from the inclusion of orange juice and a signature earthiness from cumin. There's also olive oil in the mix, which gives the sauce (and the sandwich) some extra fattiness (read: deliciousness). And, because this sandwich is made with tostones, you don't even need fries on the side to get that crunchy, crispy texture that works so well with basically any kind of sandwich.

When most outsiders think of pizza from Chicago, their mind goes immediately to the deep dish variety. That's a fair conclusion to jump to, since deep dish pizza has gained notoriety across the country. But, that's not the only type of pizza that you'll find in Chicago and likely won't be able to get in most other parts of the country. There's also tavern-style pizza. Unlike deep dish pizza, this variety is made with a thin crust, and, instead of being cut into triangles, tavern-style pizza is cut into squares, meaning that some pieces have a shelf of attached crust and others don't. If you're the kind of person who always leaves their crusts on the plate after eating a slice of pizza, tavern-style is probably perfect for you.

It was originally served at bars (largely for free!), where it would be cut into squares to yield more pieces per pie. Those smaller portions meant that the establishment could better afford to provide free food to customers, and those customers could still go home and eat a full meal after a few drinks. Even if deep dish isn't for you, Chicago still delivers on the thin crust front.

Sure, you can always make your own popcorn at home (and elevate it with some unexpected toppings), but you really just can't beat the stuff that you get at Garrett Popcorn, a staple on the Chicago snack scene. This isn't your average movie theater-style popcorn — this stuff is flavored in a ton of unconventional, albeit delicious, ways. Choose from savory favorites, like Cheese Corn, to sweet varieties like Chocolate Caramel Crisp. You can also get mixes of different flavors if you want less of a monotone snacking experience.

It's an enormously popular spot, with Chicagoans and visitors alike often posting about how delicious the popcorn is on social media. Just keep in mind that it's not cheap. Tins of the Garret Mix, for example, range from $35 to well over $100, depending on the size. Because of that high price tag, we think that Garrett Popcorn is especially great for a souvenir gift or a special occasion.

If you're not from Chicago, you may not realize that there's a huge Polish-American population there. This community plays an important role in the city's food scene, offering a variety of dishes that can be hard to find in other parts of the country where there are fewer Polish people. Perhaps the most iconic — and the most widely recognizable — dish that you can find in Polish restaurants around the city are pierogi. Pierogi are dumplings that are often filled with cheese, sauerkraut, meat, and sometimes even fruit for a sweet twist. Like dumplings from other cultures, these are considered a comfort food.

Although you can find pierogi in the United States outside of Chicago, the city is known for its wide variety of spots with standout pierogi, so you may be disappointed with the few options available to you when you venture to another city. This dish may not be from Chicago originally, but it has become an essential part of the city's culinary tapestry.

We've already mentioned that giardiniera is an important element in Italian beef sandwiches. That said, it should be regarded as a top-notch Chicago food in its own right. Adding a bit of giardiniera to just about any dish — especially heavy, fatty, meaty ones — instantly brightens it and adds a pop of bold, acidic flavor, not to mention some lightness and nutrition. However, giardiniera did not originate in Chicago. The dish hails from Italy, and Chicago has simply put its own twist on it, thanks to immigrants who moved to the city from the European country.

Generally, you'll find celery, cauliflower, bell peppers, and carrots in giardiniera, but the Chicago variety also includes chile and serrano peppers, which gives it a nice dose of heat and intensity. Chicagoans use the veggie-heavy condiment in many ways, including stirring it into sauces and even adding it to tuna salads. If you like briny, salty, acidic, and spicy foods, you're almost guaranteed to miss this stuff once you leave Chicago.

For a city that's not really known for pizza outside of the Midwest, Chicago does boast a surprising number of pizza and pizza-adjacent dishes that are widely celebrated in the region. One of those dishes is the pizza puff. The dish itself is a testament to Chicago's status as a melting pot: It was developed by an Assyrian family back in the 1970s who used a flour tortilla to house various pizza fillings, like red sauce, cheese, assorted vegetables, and meat. It's then deep fried, making it even more decadent than a standard slice of pizza. They're often sold at convenience stores and hot dog stands, making this one of Chicago's most famous snack foods.

Some of the dishes on this list are available other places in the country, even if they may not be as good as the originals you'd find in Chicago. But, the pizza puff is different — you're really not likely to find it outside of the Chicago area, making it a true Windy City culinary gem.

If you love melted cheese so much you could eat it all on its own, then you're probably a big fan of flaming saganaki. Saganki is a dish of pan-fried cheese that is made using various types of semi-hard fromage, including Greek varieties like halloumi, kefalotyri, and graviera. It's "flaming" because many Greek restaurants in Chicago will actually light it on fire with the help of brandy to make for an impressive dish that should be eaten while it's still piping hot for the most delicious results. It's become popular in many cities with large Greek populations across the U.S., but the dish was actually invented in Chicago back in the 1960s.

You can definitely eat flaming saganaki all on its own, but it's at its best when it's served with olive oil and crusty bread, the latter of which you can easily scoop some cheese onto for a rich bite. It's often accompanied by lemon slices, which adds some brightness to the dish and breaks up all of that decadent fattiness. But, flaming saganaki is about more than just the dish itself — it's also a show, a celebration, and a way to make your dining experience a bit more exciting.