Illinois looks to make Italian beef state’s official sandwich

One thing to note about Christopher Zucchero, owner of Mr. Beef, who also portrays minor chara…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianfood #illinoisstatesandwich #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #ItalianFood #italiano #italy #officialillinoisstatesandwich #rickryan #thebear #thebearitalianbeef #whatisanitalianbeef #wheretoeatitalianbeef
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2654667/illinois-looks-to-make-italian-beef-states-official-sandwich/

Giornata Nazionale del Panino con Carne di Manzo all’Italiana!🍔

Un morso tra storia e tradizione (che profuma di Chicago!)

Il Italian Beef Day si celebra nel 2026 il 23 maggio, come da tradizione il quarto sabato di maggio.
Protagonista assoluto? Il celebre panino nato a Chicago negli anni ’30, creato dagli immigrati italiani per sfamare tante persone con carne economica ma saporita.

Carne di manzo sottilissima, immersa in un brodo speziato, servita in un panino lungo e accompagnata da peperoni o giardiniera: semplice, ma con un’anima decisamente “wow”.

Cosa aggiungere (e raccontare) nel 2026

Rispetto all’articolo precedente del 2025, ecco qualche chicca fresca e curiosa:

✨ Nuove tendenze food 2026
Il panino con carne di manzo si reinventa: sempre più versioni fusion con ingredienti gourmet, salse creative e varianti “green” con alternative vegetali ispirate all’originale.

🌍 Diffusione globale
Se un tempo era un simbolo quasi esclusivo di Chicago, oggi il Italian Beef Sandwich è diventato un fenomeno internazionale, presente anche nei food truck europei e nei festival street food.

🔥 Come si mangia davvero (alla Chicago style!)
Non tutti lo sanno: esistono tre modi ufficiali per gustarlo:

• “Dry” (asciutto)
• “Wet” (leggermente bagnato)
• “Dipped” (completamente immerso nel brodo… sì, proprio così!)

Spoiler: il più amato è quello super succoso!

Come celebrarlo in perfetto stile “Perfettamente Chic”

• Organizza una serata street food homemade
• Prova una versione italiana con pane artigianale e carne locale
• Oppure… concediti un panino esagerato e condividilo sui social con #ItalianBeefDay

Una chicca finale

Tra panini iconici e nuove reinterpretazioni, questa giornata ci ricorda una cosa semplice ma irresistibile:
a volte basta un buon panino per fare il giro del mondo… senza alzarsi da tavola. 🍔✨

Il collegamento goloso

Se vuoi approfondire storia e curiosità (e farti venire ancora più fame 😄), torna all’articolo completo del 2025:

🍔National Italian Beef Day🍔

🍔 Croccante fuori, succoso dentro… oggi celebriamo il re dello street food!
È online il nuovo articolo sulla Giornata Nazionale del Panino con Carne di Manzo 😍
Scopri curiosità, storia e le novità 2026!

👉 Corri a leggerlo sul blog!

#NationalItalianBeefDay #ItalianBeef #StreetFoodLovers #Foodie #Panino #FoodBlog #GiornateDaCelebrare #PerfettamenteChic #perfettamentechic

http://perfettamentechic.com/2026/05/23/giornata-nazionale-del-panino-con-carne-di-manzo-allitaliana%f0%9f%8d%94/

Illinois Name-Checks ‘The Bear’ in Proclaiming Italian Beef as Official State Sandwich

Chalk up another accoladed for Th…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianrestaurants #fooddelivery #Gary“Sweeps”Woods #illinois #IllinoisGeneralAssembly #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #Italianfooddelivery #ItalianRestaurants #italiano #italy #Restaurants #sandwichshop #stateproclamation
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2651304/illinois-name-checks-the-bear-in-proclaiming-italian-beef-as-official-state-sandwich/

National Italian Beef Day: Rosati’s Pizza in St. Augustine celebrates Chicago’s messiest sandwich

RIVER CITY LIVE There’s nothing neat about a perfect Italian beef sandwich — and that’s exactly the point. Saturday marks Natio…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianfood #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #ItalianFood #italiano #italy #RiverCityLive #rosati'spizza
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2651023/national-italian-beef-day-rosatis-pizza-in-st-augustine-celebrates-chicagos-messiest-sandwich/

Nick’s Pizza Co. brings Chicago tavern‑style pizza to Mandarin

A new family‑run pizzeria in Mandarin is bringing Chicago tavern‑style pizza — the ultra‑thin, square‑cut pies favored by locals back home — to…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianmeals #chicago #HeatherVoigt #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #italianmeals #italiano #italy #Jacksonville #JakeVoigt #Nick #NickVoigt #Nick’sPizza #Pizza
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2645117/nicks-pizza-co-brings-chicago-tavern-style-pizza-to-mandarin/

Val and Ryan sit down with musicians and restauranteurs, celebrate Italian Beef Month

April showers bring Taylor Bennett into the “Windy City Weekend” studio! The Chicago-based rap…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianmeals #ABC7Chicago #BillyDec #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #italianmeals #italiano #italy #jeffmauro #RyanChaiverini #TaylorBennett #ValWarner #windycity
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2623941/val-and-ryan-sit-down-with-musicians-and-restauranteurs-celebrate-italian-beef-month/

Knuckles Deli brings Chicago-style Italian beef to Cincinnati

While the hype for FX’s “The Bear” has certainly died down over the years, what hasn’t changed is just how hard an authentic Italian beef hits. Unfortunately for Queen City residents, many local delis have t…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #Italianfood #Eastend #Italia #Italian #italianbeef #ItalianFood #italiano #italy #KnucklesDeli
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2617076/knuckles-deli-brings-chicago-style-italian-beef-to-cincinnati/

Cleaverman

For those who remember the Arizona Center when the development first opened in 1990, nothing may be more indicative of the complex’s changes than the closure of Hooter’s, the last of the original restaurant lineup to go. Even people who never ventured inside the development were aware of the “breastaurant” due to its prominent location at Third Street and Van Buren. When Hooter’s closed, that left a prime spot ready for a prime tenant. With its new steakhouse Cleaveman, Pretty Decent Concepts appears to be betting big on a revitalized Arizona Center.

Pretty Decent is the same company behind Wren and Wolf a few blocks away, as well as Filthy Animal and Roman God of Fire in Tempe. Unlike many upscale restaurant companies that focus primarily on suburban locations, Pretty Decent has wagered on urban vitality in both Phoenix and Tempe. Cleaverman replicates many of the motifs seen at the company’s other properties while adding a distinctive focus on classic steakhouse fare with a few contemporary updates. The result is a new marquee tenant at what is essentially the front door of the Arizona Center.

That door is found just three blocks east of the Van Buren light rail platforms on the B Line and three blocks north of the Third Street stations on the A Line, making the restaurant accessible by both trains. Bike racks are found on Third Street near Taylor, as well as on the other side near the Sheraton hotel. A sign near the restaurant entrance proclaims, “True love is rare,” and a long corridor leads from the entry to a host station. Beyond lies an expansive dining room that is completely transformed from the days of chicken wings, orange shorts, and white t-shirts.

Like other Pretty Decent restaurants, the dining room is filled with banquettes surrounding columns. Here, they’re designed in a style that looks like Corinthian meeting art deco. For the most part, the furniture is dark wood, although a marble counter at the bar and ample mirrors in strategic locations add a bit of light in a space where the sun is blocked by heavy curtains. A raw bar stands in front of an open kitchen helmed by Jared Porter, a prominent local chef known for his prior work at establishments as diverse as the Parlor, Tesota, and the Clever Koi.

In turning from pizza and ramen to classic steakhouse cuisine, Porter and his crew here have created a menu that is simultaneously classic and contemporary. Appetizers include familiar items with creative flourishes. The crab cake is not only excellent on its own merits but also benefits from a topping of lobster bisque, adding a second layer of complementary crustacean flavor. The French onion meatballs involve spheres of ground beef mixed with bread crumbs, herbs, and even a little bit of anchovies, all swimming in a thick version of classic onion soup.

Steaks are of course central to the entrees. That includes filet mignon in both eight and twelve ounce configurations, as well ribeye, strip loin, and premium wagyu options. The desired level of doneness is confirmed via a cleaver-shaped trinket inserted into each steak as it emerges from the broiler. Enhancements available for an additional cost include a crab cake, scallops, shrimp, and shaved black truffle. Extending the a-la-carte approach, sauces such as chimichurri, bordelaise, bearnaise, or brandy green peppercorn can all be added for a few dollars more.

“Plated fare” is the label applied to those entrees that are not steak, and they’re worthwhile in their own right rather than being mere alternatives for those who prefer not to eat red meat. Branzino meunière is a pan-seared white fish accentuated with capers, lemon butter, and tiny tomatoes. Duck stroganoff blends poultry with al dente Sonoran pasta campanelle, mushrooms, and bordelaise sauce with toppings of frisée and a foie gras emulsion. The latter may seem decadent, but it adds a bit of smoothness to balance the salty and umami tastes of the dish.

Although Cleaverman is definitely at peak energy and occupancy at night, it does have a distinct lunch menu, which features not only a subset of what’s offered at dinner, but also some items unique to midday. These include steak frites, a cost-effective alternative to the usual steak and sides ordered a la carte with a six ounce flatiron and fries, a hearty fish and chips entree, and the restaurant’s version of an Italian beef sandwich. Purists may be annoyed by the inclusion of cheese, but with the restaurant’s prime rib in a roll with giardiniera and a side of au jus is sharp.

In terms of vegetables, one area for improvement might lie in letting them speak for themselves more. Brussels sprouts are nicely charred but almost overwhelmed by the smokiness of pork belly. Likewise, broccolini is well prepared but covered by more bearnaise sauce than needed. For those interested in greens, the lemon artichoke salad is a bright, refreshing alternative that mixes the tastes of arugula, lemon, and parmesan. Among the starchy sides, a unique item is the Yorkshire pudding, a timeless British treat seldom seen on contemporary American menus.

The desserts include a honey fig cheesecake, a trendy Dubai chocolate parfait, baba au rhum, and the BBC, a brown butter cookie in a skillet with a restrained sweetness that contrasts nicely with a parmesan popcorn gelato and pieces of popcorn on top. The full bar pours beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails such as the Going Rouge, powered by blood orange and beets. While most of the Arizona Center’s space still awaits new tenants, the arrival of Cleaverman after more than three decades of Hooter’s is a welcome upgrade to the development’s front door. 

455 N. 3rd St., Phoenix AZ 85004
https://www.cleaverman.com