- The new Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza features the famous flavors of two iconic Windy City brands in a single pie.
- The pizza can now be ordered for nationwide shipping exclusively through Tastes of Chicago.
Related: Why Chicago is more than a deep-dish kind of town
It’s easy to find great restaurants in Chicago, but if you’re only in town for the day, the choices can seem overwhelming. Lou Malnati’s is a can’t-miss for fans of authentic deep-dish pizza. But what about Portillo’s, the famed fast-casual eatery known for its wide menu of Chicago-style favorites?
Now, thanks to a collaboration between these two legendary brands, you don’t have to choose—you don’t even have to go to Chicago.
Now available for shipping nationwide only through Tastes of Chicago, the new Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza features Lou Malnati’s flaky, buttery pizza crust, vine-ripened plum tomatoes and Wisconsin cheese, topped with Portillo’s slow-roasted, thin-sliced Italian Beef. Available with either Portillo’s homemade sweet peppers or its hot giardiniera, each 9” deep-dish pizza is made from scratch by Lou Malnati’s, then flash-frozen to preserve its hot-out-of-the-oven freshness before it’s shipped directly to the customer’s doorstep, ready to bake and enjoy whenever they want it.
With more than 100 years of combined culinary history between the two Windy City staples, it simply doesn’t get more Chicago—or more delicious—than this.
“For more than 50 years, Lou Malnati’s has been serving up the very best deep-dish pizzas Chicago has to offer, handmade from scratch using the finest and freshest ingredients. The only way we knew to top ourselves was to top our pizzas with the famous flavors of Portillo’s,” said Marc Malnati, owner of Lou Malnati’s. “Lou Malnati’s and Portillo’s are taking two Chicago signatures to the next level with this inspired collaboration.”
Michael Osanloo, Portillo’s president and CEO, agreed. “As two of the most iconic Chicago brands, we’re proud for Portillo’s to partner with Lou’s to bring this craveable Italian Beef Deep Dish pizza to life,” Osanloo said. “It combines flavorful homemade signatures from both brands, resulting in pure Chicago deliciousness.”
“When we tasted the Italian Beef Deep Dish for the first time, we knew we had created something special,” Osanloo added. “We can’t wait for our fans and fans of all things Chicago across the country to taste it for themselves.”
The Lou Malnati’s x Portillo’s Italian Beef Deep Dish Pizza is available exclusively for online ordering and shipping nationwide via Tastes of Chicago. Pizzas are available to ship in packs of two, four or six, or in combination with other Portillo’s offerings.
Tastes of Chicago was established in 1997 by Lou Malnati’s and curates Chicago’s best food offerings from restaurateurs and brands for nationwide delivery. Food categories include deep-dish pizza, hot dogs, Italian beef, seafood and pasta, BBQ, desserts, gourmet popcorn and more. Brands include hometown heroes like Lou Malnati’s, Portillo’s, Eli’s Cheesecake and Garrett Popcorn Shops, as well as rising local favorites like Brown Sugar Bakery and Wow Bao.
The Malnati name is, of course, synonymous with Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Rudy Malnati Sr. started out working for Pizzeria Uno, the birthplace of the deep-dish style, and his son, Lou, went on to found Lou Malnati’s while Rudy Jr. started Pizano’s. According to Jonathan Porter of Chicago Pizza Tours, the Malnatis were “integral to the success” of Pizzeria Uno and the flourishing of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Using a family recipe handed down through four generations, Lou Malnati’s currently has more than 75 locations in the Chicagoland area, Arizona, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Portillo’s has deep Chicago roots as well. In 1963, Dick Portillo invested $1,100 into a small trailer to open the first Portillo’s hot dog stand in Villa Park, Illinois. He called it “The Dog House.” Nearly 60 years later, Portillo’s has grown to include more than 70 restaurants across nine states. Portillo’s is best known for its Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, char-grilled burgers, fresh salads and chocolate cake. Portillo’s ships food to all 50 states via Portillos.com, and Portillo’s Home Kitchen is the company’s fast-growing catering business.