Our Roots span back to the early days of Italian Beef.
We learned the ins and outs of the hours-long process from the founding families behind the cityʼs very first beef stands. And we havenʼt changed a thing.
No preservatives, no fillers, no shortcuts — just slow roasted beef that yields an all-natural gravy. And our super-secret seasoning blend makes it even more delicious.
Easy Gravy, Dipped (The “Chicago Way”) or Baptized.
Lean choice sirloin is hand-trimmed and expertly seasoned.
The meat is dry roasted to extract the drippings that are the foundation for our all-natural gravy.
Additional spices and water are added to the pan before roasting it for around three hours.
This takes several hours and naturally produces the gravy*
The refrigerated beef is trimmed again before it’s sliced into paper-thin pieces that absorb the gravy.
We use a fork to “fluff” the beef as it’s placed onto the bread – this gently separates the beef slices to prevent clumping so the gravy coats every layer to make each bite a perfect bite!
*Shortcuts don’t cut it with us. When it’s cooked the original way, the roast gets about 45% smaller. Some Italian beef producers reduce cooking times and pump water back into the roast to make it bigger. And there are a few that add unnatural ingredients and preservatives.
Founded by Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto in 1981, Buona is run by second- and third-generation family members who are committed to keeping the dream alive.
