A Horseshoe Sandwich And 14 Other Uniquely Illinois Foods To Try

We love some unique foods and Illinois has it's share too.

We all know Midwest food culture involves a lot of ranch, casseroles, and cream cheese. Chicago is known for it's deep-dish pizza but the Illinois food scene doesn't stop there.

Earlier this week, Tasting Table came out with a list of 15 "unique Illinois" foods that they think you should try at least once. As you can probably guess, there are plenty of pizzas and hot dogs on the list, but there are a few things that I would argue Iowans make better. Like a pork tenderloin sandwich. But I'll leave that up to you.

Chicago and Illinois had a hand in making Italian dishes (and Greek meals) popular in the U.S., according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago. Several of the staples were born out of needing a replacement for something, trying to come up with a remedy (one Illinois staple started as an infamously awful stomach tonic), or trying to bring a unique flavor to the state's dining scene.

The foods that the magazine singled out run the culinary gamut. Some of the 15 foods that made the list are snacks, some are meals, but they hail from all parts of Illinois, not just Chicago. The foods aren't all served at American diners either, one of them is found at Greek restaurants, some are inspired by different cultures.

But it's safe to say: most of them do look yummy.

Scroll down to see the 15 unique foods in Illinois!