Chicago magazine

Chicago magazine delivers an authoritative guide to life in one of America's greatest cities. From insight into the best dining and shopping to interviews with fascinating figures shaping the future of Chicago, every issue is your source for living city smart.

Chicago magazine

Baptism by Beef

Photo Synthesis

Grading the Schools • There is way too much emphasis on income [adjustments] in the rankings [“Best Public High Schools,” September]. Lincoln Park and Amundsen got dinged badly because of it. Both are rated way too low. @WindyCitySooner via X

Q: What’s the story behind the phrase “We don’t want nobody nobody sent”?

Talking Points • This month’s conversation starters

The Day and the Hour • Should terminally ill patients be able to get help in ending their own lives? The Illinois legislature is grappling with that question.

Super Sophs • A trio of second-year guards has the high school hoops scene buzzing.

Voices of Chicago • Melissa Bell aims to revive the partnership between WBEZ and the Sun-Times.

SLIM PICKINGS • Candidates are running unopposed in nearly half of General Assembly races.

Ad Man’s Manor • A home built for an advertising wizard comes to market.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD HUMBOLDT PARK • HERITAGE RESTAURANT & CAVIAR BAR MANAGER BRADLEY JOHNSON RECOMMENDS THESE FOUR SPOTS.

Matt Mueller • Legacy actor, mountain bike fanatic, caffeine moderator

Studio Audience • In a new exhibition, photographer Mark Ballogg lets us into local artists’ workspaces.

AGENDA • Top 10 reasons to fill up your calendar this month

Bayan Ko Goes Big • How the Cuban-Filipino mash-up evolved into a tasting menu while adding a diner down the street

Feld Experiment • Chef Jake Potashnick puts his TikTok theories into practice with his first spot and, after a rough start, finds his footing.

Cold Brews • Chillier fall weather calls for bold beers that pack a flavor punch. Try these four new local options.

Ask the Dining Editor

Holiday Helper

The Hot List • 10 places everyone’s talking about (in order of heat)

Johnny, Bill, and Me • The author once served as the legman for a celebrated writer. And when that writer died before completing his opus, it was his protégé who finished it for him.

Italian Beef’s Golden Age • THANKS TO THE BEAR, CHIC AGO’S FAVORITE SANDWICH IS NOW EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE. OUR GUIDE TO ALL THINGS ITALIAN BEEF COMES LOADED WITH OUR TOP PICKS, CLASSIC AND NEW-SCHOOL TAKES (FANCY A VEGAN VERSION?), A RECIPE FOR HOME, AND MUCH MORE.

Where’s the Beef? • In Chicago, the answer is everywhere.

The 10 Best • Our street food guru ranks his favorites.

CHEFS’ PICKS

The Beefless Italian Beef • Laricia Chandler Baker, better known as Chef Fab, has been slinging veganized versions of meaty classics at her restaurant chain, Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat, since 2019. (It has three locations: Near North Side, Hyde Park, and Orland Park.) So, of course, the Italian Not Beef ($15.95) was a natural offering.

How to Eat an Italian Beef in Five Easy Steps • If you’re a neophyte, follow these rules to experience the sandwich right.

ITALIAN BEEF BY THE NUMBERS

Italian Beef, Hold the Bread • These chefs take inspiration from the sandwich for other foods — and even a cocktail.

The Asian Italian Beef • The summer after they opened Phodega in 2019, Nathaniel Hoops and Anthony Ngo wanted a seasonal menu replacement for pho. Their solution: the Viet Dip ($12.99), which transforms the flavors of the traditional Vietnamese soup into sandwich form. This love child of a French dip, banh mi, and Italian beef has been a hit at the Wicker Park restaurant ever...