Everyone In Illinois Absolutely Loves These 10 Foods And Drinks (2024)

Illinois is known for its Italian Beef sandwiches, generally topped with giardiniera. But definitely topped with tons of juice--the wetter the better. There is fierce debate over which sandwich shop makes the best, but you should eat at all of them just so you're sure that you make an informed decision.

Ranch dressing should be our official state condiment. I would even say that its most popular use isn't even on salad. People love to use it to dip fries and even pizza.

You probably have to drive at least to Springfield to sample this one, but a horseshoe is an open-faced sandwich--typically a thick piece of bread, a burger, and then those are a bunch of fries on top. Absolutely amazing.

This one makes sense, because there is corn everywhere here. But one of the most satisfying foods is just corn that's been roasted slow and low on the grill.

Sure, some people in Illinois prefer the thinner stuff, but everyone likes deep dish once in a while. Just because it's Chicago-style doesn't mean you have to go to Chicago to get a good pie. Maybe the best is Papa Del's in Champaign.

Gyros are a Greek meat sandwich, served with a cucumber yogurt sauce. They are delish, and you can find great gyros joints across the state, and definitely tons in Chicago.

Named the state snack food, popcorn is something people from Illinois love to have on hand. And we don't discriminate. But we're famous for Chicago-style, which is a blend of cheese and caramel popcorn.

These are such a simple food, but a staple in Illinois cuisine. Try it Chicago-style, with tomatoes, sport peppers, and mustard (no ketchup allowed!).

Who doesn't love a burger? But people in Illinois are picky about burgers. Plenty of people eat at McDonald's, obviously, but Illinois people will pay a pretty penny to have a big, juicy burger.

Celebrating our Eastern European immigrants, pierogies have become something all people from Illinois love. Pierogies are dumplings that are filled with some sort of filling (potatoes, cheese, etc.). Think of little raviolis. They are delicious and people take them seriously.