Al's #1 Italian Beef
Best Italian Beef in Chicago · IL
The original Italian beef stand, since 1938.
Al's #1 Italian Beef has been the standard-bearer of Chicago's signature sandwich since 1938, when the Ferreri family began thin-slicing slow-roasted beef, piling it on French bread, and dunking the whole thing in seasoned jus on Taylor Street in Little Italy. Order it dipped with hot giardiniera and eat it standing, elbows out, in the posture Chicagoans call "the lean."
From that original beef stand it grew into an institution credited with launching the city's national sandwich — and the 2025 Centurion Award winner in Chicago.
What they're known for
- Italian beef, dipped ("wet")
- Hot giardiniera
- The Chicago lean
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Italian Beef in Chicago Chicago, IL · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Al's #1 Italian Beef
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Al's #1 Italian Beef (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
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If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.