Tastes of Chicago Review – Bringing the Windy City‘s Iconic Flavors to Your Doorstep
Introducing Tastes of Chicago
For over 30 years, Tastes of Chicago has been delivering the flavors of the Windy City across America. Founded in 1987 by the legendary Lou Malnati‘s pizzeria, this mail-order food company partners with iconic Chicago restaurants and suppliers to ship their signature dishes nationwide.
From the buttery, brick-oven crust of a Lou Malnati‘s deep dish pizza to the sweet and tangy snap of an Eli‘s Cheesecake, Tastes of Chicago aims to be your one-stop shop for the tastes you‘d savor on the streets of Chicago. Their mission is to let you sink your teeth into these foods regardless of where you live across the lower 48 states.
In this extensive Tastes of Chicago review, we‘ll explore the origins of some favorite Chicago foods, run through the brand‘s most popular offerings, peek at what real customers think, and help you determine if their mail-order packages are worth it.
So cast aside any carb-consciousness for now and let‘s dive deep on Tastes of Chicago!
A Crash Course on Iconic Chicago Foods
Before reviewing Tastes of Chicago‘s specific menu items, let’s set the scene by exploring the histories behind some of Chicago’s trademark dishes offered by this company. Understanding the cult followings, fierce rivalries, and quirky innovations that gave rise to these foods will help you appreciate just how authentically Chicagoan Tastes of Chicago promises to be.
Deep Dish Pizza
While New York and New Haven may challenge the notion, Chicago has staked its claim as home of the first deep dish pizza. This saucy, pan-baked darling traces its roots back to 1943 Pizzeria Uno, where founder Ike Sewell decided to stuff more cheese and tomatoes into a thick, high-walled crust.
This original stuffed pizza sparked a craze of cheesy, casserole-like pies across Chicago pizzerias. Lou Malnati and Giordano’s entered the scene, followed by Gino’s East and Pizano’s. To this day, locals ardently defend their preferred deep dish parlor.
Tastes of Chicago has partnered with Lou Malnati‘s and lets you choose from cheese, sausage, pepperoni, veggie and more fillings sandwiched inside a flaky, buttery crust.
Italian Beef Sandwiches
This massively popular Italian-American sandwich traces its Chicago origins to the 1930s. Al Ferreri claims he stirred up the first Italian beef – thinly sliced roast beef soaked in a spicy au jus gravy and piled high on a sturdy Italian roll.
The iconic Al’s Beef stand still slings these sandwiches today on Taylor Street in Chicago‘s Little Italy neighborhood. Portillo‘s has also made the Italian beef sandwich synonymous with Chicago across its dozens of restaurants.
Tastes of Chicago offers Italian beef kits from Portillo‘s so you can dip and assemble this messy, marvelous sandwich at home.
Chicago-Style Hot Dogs
Ah, the Chicago dog – a beef and pork Vienna frankfurter nestled in a poppyseed bun and topped with yellow mustard, fresh tomatoes, onions, relish, pickled sport peppers, a pickle spear and a finishing sprinkle of celery salt.
This hotdog was popularized at stands during the Great Depression, including Fluky‘s and Jim‘s Original, though no one vendor takes credit for the trademark condiment combo.
Tastes of Chicago allows you to recreate the quintessential Chicago dog with an all-beef Vienna frank kit from Vienna Beef, the dogmaker that provisions hot dog stands across Chicago.
Eli’s Cheesecake
Slice into the final iconic Chicago delicacy offered by Tastes of Chicago – Eli‘s Cheesecake. After apprenticing in a Chicago bakery, Eli Schulman opened his own cheesecake emporium on the city‘s North Side in 1980. His creamiest original plain slice attracted epic local admiration, while creative flavors cemented this brand‘s fame beyond Illinois.
Today, Eli‘s passes along 40 years of cheesecake wisdom in each creamy confection shipped by Tastes of Chicago. Sink your fork into classics like plain, turtle or raspberry swirl cheesecakes when you order from this company.
Tastes of Chicago‘s Most Popular Offerings
Now that you have a deeper understanding of what makes these foods famously Chicago, let‘s highlight some of the best-selling packages and deals offered by Tastes of Chicago.
All items ship frozen with dry ice and come with heating instructions where applicable. As you choose your Tastes of Chicago order, think about gifting foodie care packages or stocking up for sports watching parties.
2 Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pizzas
When it comes to quintessential Chicago flavors, Lou Malnati‘s pizzas are the cream of the crop. The Lou Malnati family has slung deep dish since 1971, cementing their buttercrust recipe into Chicago food fame.
Tastes of Chicago offers a package of two 9-inch personal Lou Malnati‘s deep dishes that each serve 1-2 people. That‘s 4 hearty servings total of buttery, flaky crust brimming with sweet tomato sauce and stretchy mozzarella.
Choose your base fillings from among cheese, sausage, pepperoni, veggie, or spinach, then bake and devour straight from the pan.
Price: $73 including shipping
Vienna Beef Hot Dog Kit
Who‘s up for a taste of summertime chi-town with an ole fashioned cookout? This Vienna Beef hot dog kit packs 10 hot dogs plus all the Chicago-style toppings to feed the whole family or friend group.
You‘ll get poppyseed hot dog buns, yellow mustard, neon green relish, sport peppers, and the essential sprinkle of celery salt to complete your Chicago dogs. Add some tomatoes, white onions, pickle spears and sport peppers and it’s chi-town in your backyard!
Price: $73 including shipping
Portillo‘s Italian Beef Kit + 2 Lou Malnati‘s Pizzas
Here‘s a dynamic dinner duo that brings together two Chicago specialties – pizzas and Italian beef sandwiches. This combo kit includes ingredients to whip up Portillo‘s Pepper & Beef Sandwich Kit to serve 4 people.
You‘ll also receive two 9-inch Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizzas, each topped with your choice of meat or veggie fillings. This all-inclusive kit lets you taste a fusion of iconic Chicago flavors in one satisfying order.
Price: $132 including shipping
1 Eli’s Cheesecake Sampler + 1 Lou Malnati‘s Pizza
Sweet tooth, meet your savory match! For the best dessert meets dinner combo, order this cheesecake and pizza pairing. You‘ll receive one Lou Malnati‘s deep dish pizza topped how you wish, plus a four-pack cheesecake sampler from Eli‘s.
The Eli’s sampler lets you taste and compare four signature swirl-filled slices: Plain, Turtle Fudge, White Chocolate Raspberry, and Apple Streusel Cheesecake. Your tasting tour culminates with the OG plain slice that made Eli’s famous before indulgent innovations took hold!
Price: $76 including shipping
Tastes of Chicago Reviews: What Real Customers Think
Now that we’ve covered the Chicago food backstory and most popular mail-order deals, let’s see what at-home diners think after biting into Tastes of Chicago’s offerings!
We analyzed reviews from their website, Facebook, Yelp and third-party review sites to gauge real customer reactions to these mail-order meals.
Here’s a sampling of feedback on pan pizzas, Italian beef kits, hot dogs and cheesecakes after they‘ve arrived at hungry households nationwide.
Positive Tastes of Chicago Reviews
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"We enjoyed our deep dish pizza and cheesecake from Tastes of Chicago for my mom‘s birthday dinner. The shipping was fast and everything was packaged well and arrived cold and fresh. Instructions were easy and food tasted delicious – just like visiting Chicago restaurants in person!" – Mary R. on SiteJabber
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"OMG I cannot even BEGIN to say how much I loooove food from home! Item packages ARE kinda pricey, but at my standpoint, I would probably be willing to pay more just to get that taste of home I cannot find anywhere remotely close to me now! It really made my day when I bit into the pizza and started crying because it tasted JUST LIKE the pizzas back home." – Brandi P. on SiteJabber
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"We got the Tastes of Chicago pizza and hotdog kits as gifts from friends who recently moved to Florida. The kids were so excited to taste "Chicago dogs" after hearing Grandpa talk nonstop about them. The cheesy pizzas, neon relish and poppyseed buns made us feel like we took a mini vacation to Chicago without leaving home!" – Luis R., Facebook
Critical Tastes of Chicago Reviews
Among the many five-star reviews, there were a few three-star ratings from customers who experienced issues with orders or imperfect food quality. Here is some constructive criticism:
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"Pizzas were okay but not amazing. The deep dish crust got soggy in some parts and the toppings slid off. For an authentic Chicago pizza I was expecting more. Next time I‘ll stick to Giordano‘s or order from a real restaurant here." – Todd W., Yelp
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"I ordered the cheesecake sampler as a gift for my parents‘ anniversary. Only two flavors ended up arriving even though I paid for four. I called to complain but they said no refunds or way to make up the difference. Parents said cheesecake was good but nothing too special. Disappointed in inaccurate order and poor resolution." – Allison C., Facebook
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"Shipment arrived a day late so hot dog buns were stale when package arrived. They refused to refund shipping or offer credit. Would buy locally instead next time since companies like this don‘t guarantee quality." – Mark J., SiteJabber
So while most diners enjoyed their Chicago food nostalgia trip and found orders accurate, others dealt with mistakes or slightly imperfect executions of such iconic cuisine. This is the risk that comes with entrusting your favorite hometown flavors to a nationwide delivery service!
Should You Order from Tastes of Chicago?
Tastes of Chicago promises to deliver you a quintessential bite of the Windy City’s food scene no matter where you live. But should you trust them to mail you authentic, crave-worthy examples of these iconic dishes?
Here are key pros and cons to consider based on this Tastes of Chicago review before placing an order:
Reasons to Buy from Tastes of Chicago
- – Direct partnerships with legendary Chicagoland restaurants and brands
- – Convenient shipping of crave-worthy comfort foods nationwide
- – Gift-friendly packaging and group serving sizes
- – Generally positive reviews and reactions from hometown transplants
Reasons to Reconsider Tastes of Chicago
- – No refunds or credits for delivery mishaps
- – Not every execution lives up to dine-in quality
- – Prices higher than local restaurant takeout
- – Items cannot match freshness of eating on-site
My verdict after this extensive Tastes of Chicago review – this brand makes an appealing offer if you keep expectations in check. Understand you are getting a shippable interpretation of the real thing, not an identical dine-in experience. But for a hungry Chicago expat or curious foodie unable to visit themselves, bites and flavors this authentic don‘t come easy!
What’s more, the brand‘s 30+ year history and partnerships suggest genuine dedication to their mission. So order a pizza or hot dog kit for your next game day. Gift a care package to a homesick college student. And taste whether Tastes of Chicago‘s packages satisfy your curiosity or craving for Chi-town delicacies!
Craving More Cuisines? Try These Food Box Delivery Services
Once you‘ve tasted Chicago, why not expand your at-home culinary tour? Here are three monthly food box subscriptions to fuel additional appetite adventures:
1. Universal Yums – Snack on candies and sweets from a different country each month, from Turkey and Greece to Japan and Zimbabwe. Read stories behind global treats as you munch.
2. Try the World – Sip artisan olive oil from Spain. Nibble Dutch stroopwaffels. Explore new flavors from different cultures shipped to your door.
3. Omsom Starter Kits – Punch up home cooking with Omsom‘s starters kits. They deliver extra flavor via dry seasoning blends and sauces drawing from Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and more cuisines.
So don‘t let a yearning for Chicago specialties end your food discoveries. Look to monthly food boxes next time hunger strikes for a new culture‘s flavors!
