Italian Beef

An Italian beef sandwich (or just Italian beef is sliced roast beef (cooked with a mixture of Italian spices) served inside of sliced Italian bread. The sandwich is often served dripping wet from the spiced beef juice and then either giardinera hot peppers or sweet peppers. Sometimes mozzarella cheese is served on the sandwich.

The Italian beef sandwich is an integral part of the cuisine of Chicago, and many small restaurants serving Italian beef sandwiches (along with Chicago-style hot dogs, hamburgers, and gyros) dot the city and its suburbs. The sandwich is sometimes called just a beef or an IB for short, variations that add cheese are sometimes called Cheesey Beefs or Cheefs.