19 Takeout Favorites Illinois Locals Can’t Stop Ordering By City
Illinois offers a delicious variety of takeout options that locals just can’t resist. From Chicago’s iconic deep dish pizza to Springfield’s unique horseshoe sandwich, each city boasts its own culinary claim to fame.
Join us on a mouthwatering journey across the Prairie State as we explore the most ordered takeout dishes that keep residents coming back for more.
1. Deep Dish Pizza – Chicago
Nothing says Chicago quite like a piping hot deep dish pizza with its towering crust walls holding rivers of tangy tomato sauce and pools of melted cheese.
Locals swear by Lou Malnati’s and Giordano’s for that authentic deep dish experience.
What makes it special? The upside-down layering technique – cheese first, then toppings, with sauce on top to prevent burning during the long bake time.
2. Italian Beef Sandwich – Chicago
Ask any Chicagoan about their go-to comfort food, and Italian beef will likely top the list.
Paper-thin slices of seasoned roast beef soaked in savory au jus, piled high on a sturdy French roll that somehow manages to hold it all together.
Johnny’s Beef and Al’s #1 keep locals debating which spot deserves the crown, while the eternal question remains: dipped, wet, or dry?
3. Chicago-Style Hot Dog – Chicago
Chicagoans take their hot dogs seriously – so seriously that putting ketchup on one might get you playfully exiled from the city.
A proper Chicago dog comes dragged through the garden: Vienna beef frank on a poppy seed bun topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt.
Gene & Jude’s and Portillo’s keep locals lined up year-round for this iconic street food.
4. Pierogi – Chicago
Within Chicago’s vibrant Polish community, pierogi reign supreme as the ultimate comfort food.
Smiling grandmothers in neighborhood spots like Staropolska and Kasia’s Deli craft these little dumplings by hand, stuffing them with potato and cheese, sauerkraut, or sweet fillings.
Fried crisp with onions or simply boiled and topped with sour cream, pierogi delivery orders spike dramatically during Chicago’s notorious winter months.
5. Horseshoe Sandwich – Springfield
Springfield’s claim to culinary fame looks more like a heart attack on a plate – and locals wouldn’t have it any other way!
A thick slice of Texas toast topped with your choice of meat (hamburger patty being the classic), then absolutely smothered in crispy french fries and drenched in a rich, creamy cheese sauce.
D’Arcy’s Pint serves what many consider the definitive version of this open-faced indulgence.
6. Toasted Ravioli – Collinsville
Just outside St. Louis, Collinsville residents have embraced the regional specialty of toasted ravioli with unmatched enthusiasm.
Despite the name, no toaster is involved – these meat-filled pasta pockets are breaded, deep-fried to golden perfection, and served with marinara sauce for dipping.
Roma’s Pizzeria serves the area’s most-ordered version, with a satisfying crunch giving way to savory filling that keeps locals ordering again and again.
7. Pulled Pork Sandwich – Champaign
University students and townies alike rally around Black Dog Smoke & Ale House’s legendary pulled pork sandwich when hunger strikes in Champaign.
Slow-smoked for hours until fork-tender, the pork shoulder gets hand-pulled, lightly sauced, and piled onto a buttery brioche bun.
What separates the great from the good? Their house-made pickles and tangy slaw that cut through the rich meat perfectly.
8. Fried Chicken – Rockford
Rockford residents have a passionate love affair with perfectly fried chicken from local institution Abreo.
Marinated in buttermilk for 24 hours, dredged in a secret spice blend, and fried until the skin shatters like glass while the meat stays impossibly juicy.
Mobile ordering apps show peak demand on Sunday afternoons when families place massive orders for what locals affectionately call “the crispiest bird in Illinois.”
9. Gyros – Skokie
Skokie’s large Greek population has blessed the suburb with some of the finest gyros in America.
Crossroads Eatery crafts the gold standard: vertical spits of seasoned beef and lamb rotate hypnotically before being shaved into thin, crispy-edged slices.
Wrapped in warm pita with cool tzatziki, ripe tomatoes, and crisp onions, locals order these handheld delights so frequently that delivery drivers know the route by heart.
10. Ribs – Peoria
Famous Dave’s might be a chain, but Peoria residents have made their location’s ribs the most-ordered item in town.
Rubbed with a secret spice blend, slow-smoked over hickory, and finished with a sticky-sweet house sauce, each rack arrives with the telltale pink smoke ring of barbecue done right.
Lunch orders spike dramatically on Fridays when office workers treat themselves to what locals call “weekend-worthy ribs” to celebrate surviving another workweek.
11. Thin-Crust Pizza – Chicago
While tourists chase deep dish, savvy Chicagoans often prefer the city’s lesser-known specialty: tavern-style thin crust pizza cut into squares.
Vito & Nick’s creates the quintessential version with a cracker-thin crust that somehow supports a generous layer of tangy sauce and bubbling cheese right to the edge.
Why cut in squares? Neighborhood bars started the tradition so patrons could easily eat while holding a beer!
12. Tamales – Chicago
Little Village residents know that the best tamales come from unassuming storefronts like Manolo’s, where corn husks are unwrapped to reveal steamed masa treasures.
Handmade daily by families using recipes passed through generations, each tamale offers perfect spice-to-meat ratio that keeps locals coming back.
Many Chicagoans have standing weekly orders, and lucky suburbanites will drive miles for what they lovingly call “masa magic” wrapped in corn husks.
13. Catfish – East St. Louis
Friday nights in East St. Louis mean one thing: catfish orders flooding in at Tienda El Ranchito.
Farm-raised fillets get a cornmeal coating before hitting hot oil, creating that perfect contrast between crispy exterior and flaky, mild flesh.
Served with hot sauce, lemon wedges, and sides of slaw and hush puppies, locals say nobody should leave town without trying what generations of residents call “weekend gold on a plate.”
14. Burgers – Naperville
Naperville burger enthusiasts have crowned Schmaltz Deli’s pastrami burger as their delivery champion.
Starting with prime beef smashed thin on a hot griddle for maximum caramelization, then topped with warm pastrami, Swiss cheese, and house-made Russian dressing on a toasted pretzel bun.
Local food bloggers regularly photograph this beefy masterpiece that requires two hands and plenty of napkins – delivery orders double during big sports weekends.
15. Shawarma – Oak Brook
Oak Brook’s diverse population has made Al Bawadi Grill’s chicken shawarma the suburb’s most-ordered Middle Eastern dish.
Marinated for 24 hours in a complex blend of spices, the chicken slowly rotates on vertical spits until perfectly charred outside while remaining juicy inside.
Wrapped in fresh flatbread with garlic sauce, pickles, and herbs, locals say the restaurant’s careful attention to authentic techniques creates what they call “edible nostalgia” for many immigrant families.
16. Sushi Rolls – Evanston
Northwestern University students and faculty keep Kansaku’s delivery drivers constantly busy with orders for their signature Evanston Roll.
Crispy soft-shell crab wrapped in perfectly seasoned rice and nori, topped with spicy tuna, avocado slices, and unagi sauce drizzle.
Many locals have standing weekly orders, particularly during finals week when students claim the protein-rich rolls fuel late-night study sessions better than any energy drink.
17. BBQ Brisket – Decatur
Locals joke that Decatur runs on brisket from Whit’s End BBQ, where pitmaster Whitney uses post oak wood and 16-hour smoke sessions to transform tough beef into tender magic.
Sliced thick against the grain, each order reveals the prized pink smoke ring and pepper-crusted bark that signals barbecue perfection.
Factory workers from nearby Archer Daniels Midland often place group orders large enough to feed entire shifts.
18. Pad Thai – Aurora
Aurora residents have developed a passionate addiction to Bua Hana’s perfectly balanced pad thai.
Rice noodles wok-fried to that elusive chewy-yet-soft texture, tossed with tamarind-forward sauce that achieves the perfect sweet-sour-savory harmony.
Monday nights show a curious spike in orders – locals revealed this coincides with when many family cooks take the night off, turning to what they affectionately call “Thailand in a takeout box.”
19. Italian Sausage – Cicero
Freddy’s Pizza keeps Cicero residents well-supplied with their legendary house-made Italian sausage sandwiches that inspire fierce loyalty.
Coarse-ground pork shoulder seasoned with fennel, garlic, and secret spices, grilled until juicy, then nestled in crusty Italian bread with sautéed peppers and onions.
Cicero’s large Italian-American population has kept this tradition alive for generations, with some families placing standing weekend orders for what they call “Sunday gravy’s perfect partner.”
