A Happy Return Visit to Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago

Spicy Italian beef, by Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago. Photos by Kevin Gibson

Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago was one of the local, independent eateries I was most worried about during the Covid-19 pandemic. Restaurateurs everywhere struggled, and since Lonnie’s is a literal mom-and-pop establishment, I worried it might not survive in its tiny location in bustling St. Matthews.

I’m glad I was wrong. Now that I’m getting back out more consistently, Lonnie’s has been a place I had earmarked for a return visit, for the first time since the “Before Times.” And while I normally get some sort of sausage when I go to Lonnie’s, this time I had my eye on an an Italian beef sandwich, mostly because Diane, one of the friendly owners, gave me a taste of theirs last time, and it was, frankly, damn delicious.

My friend Mike and I met there for lunch, and I was happy to see nothing has changed — well, other than there no longer is counter seating. But Chicago sports memorabilia is everywhere, the menu boards trumpet all the tasty choices, and photos of celebrity visitors adorn a back corner. It was comforting just to walk in the place again.

I ordered a spicy Italian with a side of the crinkle fries, and Diane said, “You want liquid spice and hot peppers?” I said, “Whatever makes it spicy, I want it.”

Mike, meanwhile, ordered the barbecue version of the Italian beef sandwich, and got a side of potato salad as a complement. It wasn’t long before Lonnie, ever at the grill, called out our numbers and placed out food on the counter for pickup. My six-inch sandwich was the classic thin-sliced beef piled with spicy giardiniera — there was even an olive, which I don’t recall ever seeing in giardiniera before — and the beef was soaked in a spicy but slightly tart/sweet house-made sauce.

Mike’s sandwich, meanwhile, was the same Italian roll stuffed and thin-sliced beef, but with barbecue sauce mixing with the au jus to make an appetizing, and quite messy, sandwich. Yeah, for either of these sandwiches, make sure to grab extra napkins.

“There might not be enough napkins in the world for this,” Mike said. “I might just need a hose.” He nearly did.

But if you’ve eaten Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches before, you know that’s part of the fun. (Jake and Elwood’s has a pretty darn good version of the sandwich as well.) The juice ran down our hands and forearms, it ran down our faces. Twice I accidentally stuck my nose in the giardiniera. I enjoyed the spice, the flavors and the textures. Meanwhile, the crispy crinkle fries were a fine sidecar (no ketchup required) for the beefy sandwich and Mike’s homemade potato salad looked darn tasty as well.

And it came as no surprise that the place filled up as we ate, with a line all the way to the door at one point. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so worried? Whatever, if you somehow haven’t been to Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago, it’s time. It’s authentic Chicago fare, with great takes on favorites like the Clark Street Dog, Rush Street Dog, State Street Dog and more, plus Italian sausages, gyros, burgers, daily specials and a Friday catfish fry. And yes, Chicago natives Lonnie and Diane only use Chicago-born Vienna meats.

Note: Lonnie’s will be closed Nov. 22-27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.