- Portillo’s is renowned for serving authentic Chicago-style hot dogs made with Vienna Beef franks since opening in 1963.
Hot-dog-heads far and wide recognize the name “Portillo’s” as a craftsman of the authentic Chicago-style dog, and one of the top-rated spots to get one in the Windy City. However, “Portillo’s” has also become synonymous with another name: Vienna Beef. The hot dog brand even inducted the first Portillo’s location at 635 West North Avenue in Villa Park, Illinois, into its Hall of Fame.
Before Portillo’s became what it is today, the eponymous Dick Portillo was peddling franks out of a trailer at that exact location — and ever since these humble origins, Portillo’s has been serving Vienna Beef hot dogs. Clearly, this quality-frank-first model worked, because by 1967, Portillo’s moved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, and in 1994, the chain got its first Chicago-proper location.
In honor of this long-standing partnership, Vienna Beef awarded Portillo’s its first-ever Legends Award, an especial honor within its already-prestigious Hall of Fame. Per Vienna Beef, “Vienna Beef is proud to have maintained a relationship with the Portillo’s Restaurant Group during this legendary climb […] We now take pride thanking, acknowledging and congratulating Dick Portillo.”…