Italian Beef and Deep Dish Pizza Combine in This Ultimate Chicago Food Mashup

Mike Pomranz
·2 min read
5
Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza
Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza

Courtesy of Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s

The success of The Bear has put a renewed focus on the chaos of kitchen culture. But the TV show has also generated increased interest in the food its fictional restaurant serves, namely Chicago-style Italian beef. Of course, as one of America's top culinary destinations, Chicago has plenty of other local specialities — and now, two of the city's most iconic names have teamed up to create a dish combining two iconic Chicago menu items: a Lou Malnati's x Portillo's Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza.

Lou Malnati's — which boasts over 50 locations around the Chicago area and beyond — has been making deep dish pizzas in the city since 1971. Meanwhile, Portillo's — which is arguably better known for its hot dogs than its beef — opened its first restaurant in the Chicago area in 1963 and now has over 60 locations nationwide. Despite all that combined history, however, the two brands say this marks the first time they've ever worked together, resulting in an "epic collab that's almost too Chicago (is there such a thing?)."

Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza
Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza

Courtesy of Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s

Available for a limited time only, and exclusively for nationwide shipping via the website Tastes of Chicago, the Lou Malnati's x Portillo's Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza is built to be cooked at home and sold in both a "Hot" (with hot giardiniera) or "Sweet" (with sweet peppers) style in a variety of packages.

The bundled options include two, four, or six pizzas; two pizzas with a Portillo's make-it-yourself Italian beef sandwich kit; two pizzas with a Portillo's chocolate cake; or a pizza, a cake and the sandwich kit. Pricing starts at $72.99 (shipping included) and goes up from there depending on which package you opt for.

And what if you don't want the pizzas shipped? Well, too bad. Tastes of Chicago — which is run by Lou Malnati's — clarifies that these pies will only be sold through the website and aren't available in Lou's restaurants or Portillo's restaurants. It's almost as if this Chicago deal unintentionally comes with a bit of The Wieners Circle's attitude.