The Italian Beef Sandwich: Tradition, History, and Our Take at Cheeseheads

By Joe Morey Owner/Founder of Cheeseheads & Squeezer's Lemonade

Few sandwiches carry the kind of legacy the Italian beef does. Born in Chicago in the early 1900s, the Italian beef sandwich was a working-class staple, created to stretch tougher cuts of meat into something rich, tender, and unforgettable. Traditionally, beef is slow-roasted, thinly sliced, and soaked in its own seasoned au jus, then piled high on a sturdy roll. It’s messy, bold, and meant to be eaten with both hands and zero regrets.

Purists will tell you there’s only one way to do it. And that’s fair. Tradition matters.

At Cheeseheads, we don’t claim to be “authentic Chicago Italian beef.” What we do claim is that we make a damn good sandwich, built with respect for the original and finished with our own next-level twist.

Our Italian beef starts with seven ounces of beef, sliced thin and soaked in rich au jus until it’s tender and packed with flavor. From there, we take it somewhere uniquely Cheeseheads. We add our homemade red sauce, top it with pizza cheese, and toast the whole thing in our oven until everything melts together into one incredible bite. It’s finished with peppercinis on the side, giving it that perfect tangy balance.

And then there’s the one people can’t stop talking about.

The Hot Italian Beef: Next-Level Flavor

If you like a little heat and a lot of flavor, this is the sandwich you need to try.

Our Hot Italian Beef takes everything great about our original and turns the dial up. We add giardiniera peppers for that bold, spicy crunch and grilled onions for deep, savory sweetness. The result is a sandwich that hits hard in all the right ways. It’s rich, juicy, spicy, and completely unforgettable.

This isn’t just a sandwich. It’s the kind of thing you find yourself thinking about later. The kind you tell people about. The kind that brings you back.

Stop in to Cheeseheads and check out our Italian beef for yourself. You’ll leave with a full belly, a smile on your face, and probably a story to tell.

Stop by Cheeseheads Monday-Saturday 10 to 6pm, or call 715-558-5612 for dine in, takeout or delivery. Visit cheeseheads.com/ourmenu to view our many options.

The Hot Italian Beef at Cheeseheads