Italian beef would become Illinois’ state sandwich under bill

Chicago is known for plenty of iconic food items from hotdogs to deep dish pizza and, of course, Italian beef.

Italian beef is so beloved, a bill has been proposed in the Illinois legislature to name it the official state sandwich.

House Bill 4669 would amend the State Designations Act to designate the Italian beef sandwich as the official State sandwich of Illinois. The bill, which was introduced on Feb. 3, is sponsored by Reps. Rick Ryan, Anthony DeLuca, Dave Vella, Natalie Manley and Jeff Keicher.

The legislation has since been referred to the House Rules Committee.

There is a catch, however. Illinois already has a state sandwich.

Created in 1928 by a Springfield chef, “the Horseshoe” is basically a toasted ham and cheese sandwich covered in French fries.

Also from the early 1900s, Italian beef’s roots trace back to Chicago’s Little Italy community, according to an article from Choose Chicago.

“Looking for a way to feed large families on a low budget, these savvy Chicagoans would stretch a modest quantity of beef by braising, thinly slicing, and serving on hearty bread for a filling and cost-effective meal,” a portion of the article read.

The story of the first-ever Italian beef is uncertain.

The sandwiches were popular budget-friendly Italian weddings, including one where a guest named Anthony Ferreri got the idea to begin selling them. Years later, in 1938, he opened Al’s Bar-B-Q, which paved the way for Chicago’s iconic Al’s Italian Beef.

The Chicago area is also home to other famed Italian beef spots including Buona Beef, Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park and Portillo’s.