Portillo’s Is Heading to San Antonio, What Chicago Food Do They Offer?

There is a new fast-food chain starting to show up in various states across the country, and it’s bringing some Chicago classics to a wider audience. Portillo’s began in 1963 when Dick Portillo opened a small hot dog stand in Villa Park, Illinois, called The Dog House. Operating out of a trailer with no running water, the stand became quite popular, and by 1967 he upgraded to a new building and renamed it Portillo’s. That led to more locations across the Chicago area, and the chain became known for its Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, char-grilled burgers, and more.

Dick Portillo was meticulous about quality control and insisted on maintaining consistent food standards, fast service, and clean environments. This made him cautious about expanding beyond a market he could not personally oversee, and he chose to keep Portillo’s as a local chain. The company prioritized sustainable, controlled growth over rapid franchising and resisted moving beyond its focus market until the early 2000s, when it opened stores in California, Arizona, and Florida. In 2014, Dick Portillo sold the company to Berkshire Partners, a private equity firm, and the new ownership accelerated national expansion, even taking the company public in 2021 under the ticker PTLO. You can now find locations in Illinois (49 stores), Texas (11), Arizona (8), Indiana (8), Florida (7), Wisconsin (4), Minnesota (3), Michigan (2), California (2), and Iowa (1).

There are no locations in San Antonio just yet, but the chain is getting close. A New Braunfels store is currently under construction with plans to open in September 2025. And a location was just announced in Shertz that could open as early as the end of Summer. The other Texas cities that currently have locations are Dallas/Forth Worth and Houston.

I used to frequent Portillo’s when I traveled to Chicago regularly in the late ’90s and early ’00s, and I quickly became a big fan of the chain. I have eaten at some of the newer locations in Fort Worth and Houston, and I can say they have maintained the quality I remember from when Dick Portillo was in charge. They are moving pretty fast with the expansion these days, but so far, they appear to be maintaining a focus on high standards — and their stock price has been on the rise lately.
So what makes Portillo’s such a go-to destination? Well, apart from their colorful locations (usually featuring red and white colors) and their sizable, clean eating spaces, the main attraction is the food. That starts with the infamous, overstuffed Chicago-style hot dog, which first appeared in Chi-town during the Depression Era as a filling meal for struggling workers. Portillo’s is also known for its Italian beef sandwiches, another staple throughout Chicago. In addition, their Polish sausage sandwich is a must-try, along with their Italian sausage. And if you’re looking for a good burger, Portillo’s has you covered there as well.

Here’s a rundown of three of my favorites from this Chicago institution:

Chicago-Style Hot Dog

This isn’t just any old hot dog — the Chicago-style has certain requirements. First, it has to be an all-beef dog (no pork), which became popular in Chi-town in the early 1900s. And that has to be nestled into a steamed, never toasted, poppy seed bun. Then there are the condiments, which are crucial: yellow mustard (and don’t even think about asking for ketchup!), chopped white onions, tomato wedges or slices, a dill pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt. And then there’s one of the most important toppings: relish. But not just any relish — it has to be nuclear green in color, bringing some sweetness while definitely making the final product stand out! You can also add some giardiniera (a mixture of peppers and veggies), but that’s not required (and I usually forego it because the dog is already packed enough with toppings).

As for Portillo’s version, it was one of the best this Texas boy tried while in Chicago, and my recent encounter with it at one of the locations in Fort Worth brought back many good memories. The beefiness from the Vienna dog jumps out right away and has the expected snap when you bite into it. The peppers add tang and some heat, while the relish brings a nice sweetness. The pickle delivers some vinegar tang and a touch of garlic. The onions have a pungent kick, and the tomatoes are nice and fresh. And then you have that poppy seed roll and accent of celery salt to bring it all together. This isn’t just any hot dog — it’s a full meal and a truly a culinary and cultural experience!

Italian Beef Sandwich

This is another Chicago staple, and it starts with lean beef that’s slow-roasted with Italian herbs and spices, then thinly sliced across the grain. That meat is then dipped into the jus it’s cooked in and stuffed into a crusty Italian roll. You can order it dry, which is as described above, or dipped, which means the whole sandwich is dunked into that savory broth. You can also get it with sweet peppers, but I highly recommend the hot giardiniera to give it a nice kick.

Like the Chicago dog, this is another staple of that city that I first tried at Portillo’s, and it has since set the bar for me. The beef is nice and tender with just enough chew to let you know you’re biting into something beefy, but you don’t have to worry about encountering any gristle. The flavor of the meat jumps out at you, and the broth moistens it just right while also adding an extra kick of flavor. The roll is nice and crunchy on the outside (even after getting dipped) and soft and pillowy on the inside. The giardiniera brings some tang along with an olive-like tartness (because of the oil it’s packed in) and a nice kick of heat. And the dipped sandwich is definitely quite messy, so have plenty of napkins on hand! This is certainly a sammie for beef lovers — even those who think only Texans can cook that meat properly.

Italian Sausage Sandwich

As much as I love Portillo’s Italian Beef, it’s their Italian Sausage that’s almost always my go-to. Chicago has a rich Italian heritage, and Dick Portillo apparently found the perfect recipe for his sausage. This is no Johnsonville link (not that there’s anything wrong with that brand); this is something you’d expect to come out of the kitchen of an Italian grandmother. It’s wrapped in the same crusty roll as the Italian Beef, and you can get it with sweet peppers. But as with the other sandwich, I suggest adding that hot giardiniera.

When I first visited a Texas Portillo’s last year, the Italian Sausage Sandwich was number one on my list to order (along with the Chicago dog — and I was quite stuffed afterward!). That sausage is spiced quite nicely with that fennel taste you expect, along with a good peppery kick that’s similar to Cajun seasoning. It has a touch of smokiness and a good snap when you bite into it, along with that savory experience you expect from a quality Italian sausage. The hot peppers deliver a nice kick and maintain a good firmness. The roll is nice and crusty on the outside while soft and tasty on the inside, and it gets a little mushy after absorbing the juices from the sausage and the peppers — but that’s a good thing as all the ingredients blend together into one big, delicious experience. This isn’t quite as messy as the dipped Italian Beef, but it’s pretty close, so grab enough napkins!

Other items that are definitely worth trying at Portillo’s are the Maxwell Street Polish Sausage Sandwich, the chili dogs, the char-grilled burgers, the cheese fries, and they make a heck of a good chocolate cake. And if you’re really hungry, you can get the combo Italian Beef and Sausage Sandwich, which is a feast fit for a king!

The New Braunfels and Shertz locations will certainly be worth the drive once they open, and hopefully before long we will get one in San Antonio proper.

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