Chicago based Fodorites - The best place to mail order Italian beef sandwiches?
 

We have been ordering from Al's#1 and we're happy with the product.

Just recently we tried Vienna Beef and we're not impressed. The beef is somewhat flavorless but it's the bread rolls that really suck.

Are there any other places that ship an Italian beef kit (beef, hot peppers and bread rolls)?

or should we just stick with Al's?

I don't know if they do that specifically, but Zingerman's from Ann Arbor started as a deli and has expanded... their food is fabulous! I used to live near their Bakehouse. yum.

here is a link to their cured meat page:

http://www.zingermans.com/Category.aspx?category=meat

I think they used to have a sandwich kit... you may have to create it yourself, but call them and talk to them - they are terrific.

<b>surfmom,

thanks for your reply, but they have nothing close to Chicago Italian beef.

It's basically a Chicago/regional dish.

It's rump roast that has to be cooked with specific spices and then sliced paper thin, dipped in it's own juices which are combined with water and beef bouillon. and then served on a good French roll with either hot or green peppers. Some (like me) like it wet which means you dip the sandwich in the juice.

There are some places in Chicago that just make you salivate as soon as you get close to them and then there are some places that just treat it like another fast food and don't take the time to cook the beef right, slice the beef thick (a big no-no) make the juice the way it's suppose to be, make the giardiniera (hot peppers) just the right way and worst of all, the bread is your common 7-11 type rolls.

Al's#1 Italian beef makes a pretty mean sandwich but I'm just wondering if there is another place that will ship a sandwich kit.


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sorry about the bold type.... :-)

I've only ordered pizza and Eli's cheesecake through Lou Malnati's, but they do ship a couple types of Italian beef kits--Vienna Beef (which you don't like) and Portillo's--among other Chicago goodies. I've never had Italian beef at Portillo's; don't know how it rates compared to Al's, which I have had and like.

http://www.tastesofchicago.com/product/407/14

I've had Portillos Italian beef and think its great. However, I haven't had Al's, so can't compare. sorry!