Italian Beef Could Become Illinois’ Official State Sandwich

A bipartisan Illinois House bill is gaining serious momentum — and a lot of hungry supporters — in a push to make the Italian beef sandwich the official state sandwich of Illinois.

State Rep. Rick Ryan recently filed House Bill 4669, which would enshrine the Italian beef as Illinois’ official state sandwich. The bill passed unanimously out of the House Rules Committee with support from both sides of the aisle, and now awaits a full House vote later this spring.

Ryan says the bill has taken on a life of its own. Colleagues from Rockford, southern Illinois, and everywhere in between have been stopping him in the rotunda to share their favorite local beef spot — proof, he says, that Italian beef truly unites the state.

What About the Horseshoe?

Not everyone is ready to anoint the Italian beef without a fight. Springfield has long claimed the Horseshoe sandwich as its own — an open-faced creation dating back to 1928, built on Texas Toast, topped with meat and a mountain of French fries, then smothered in cheese sauce.

Rep. Ryan, however, is drawing a hard line on what qualifies as a sandwich: you’ve got to be able to pick it up and eat it. Open-faced doesn’t make the cut. As a compromise, a separate colleague plans to introduce legislation naming the Horseshoe as the official open-faced sandwich of Illinois — giving central Illinois its due without challenging Italian beef’s sandwich crown.

A Chicago Original — Since 1973

At Bari Beef, we’ve been slow-roasting authentic Chicago Italian beef for over 50 years. Long before the legislators took notice, this sandwich was earning its legendary status one dripping, giardiniera-topped bite at a time. We couldn’t be more proud to see it get the official recognition it deserves.

Whether the bill passes or not, one thing is certain: the Italian beef sandwich is already the people’s choice — in Chicago, across Illinois, and now across the country through our nationwide shipping.