We're
Chicago's Original Italian Beef, built on a recipe inspired by the founding families behind the city's very first beef stands.
Our family learned from the masters — and we haven't changed a thing!
Since 1981, our slow-roasted beef has brought real-deal flavor you can taste in every dip, drip, and bite.
Like every item on our menu, it's layered with tradition and served with pride — passed down from one generation to the next.
fan faves
Buona Italian Beef
Buona Italian Beef & Sausage Combo
Char-broiled
Cheeseburger
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Buona Chopped Chicken Salad
Cheese Fries
the story behind our beef
Over four decades, three generations and several dozen restaurants ago, Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto opened the first Buona Beef restaurant in Berwyn, IL. They slow-roasted perfectly seasoned beef to produce the all-natural gravy that made Italian beef famous – derived from beef juices without any additives. Through decades of growth and expansion, the family has remained true to the process, ensuring that Italian beef lovers across the country can enjoy the real deal.
The Buona family is honored to be among the small group of Italian immigrants who opened the Chicagoʼs first
Italian beef stands. It takes the right ingredients and the right method to make an authentic Italian beef sandwich. We've kept it real and all-natural for over 4 decades.
Dry roasted top sirloin that's hand trimmed and sliced super thin
Hand-cut Chicago-Italian Bread
All-natural perfectly seasoned gravy made from the meat drippings
Order it “Hot” with
giardiniera
(jar-din-AIR-ah) – a Chicago-Italian tradition
made from veggies and hot peppers
Order it “Sweet” with
bell peppers
When we say we're Chicago's original, we mean we prepare our beef the same way the earliest beef stands in Chicago did it.
This is different than some brands of Italian beef. And it makes a difference:
We slow roast the beef to produce our sandwich’s all-natural gravy. This causes the beef to lose up to 40% of its original weight. It's costly, but the flavor is worth it.
Some folks "pump" the pre-roasted beef with water or additives. This is certainly not the original method.
And, like the Founding Fathers (and Mothers) of Italian beef, we do not add bullion or lard or anything unnatural.
