Appetites: The Chicagofication of the Twin Cities food scene

The flavor of Chicago is pressing into the Twin Cities food scene.

There's Portillo's, the Chicago dog and Italian beef sandwich chain that's set to open in Woodbury.

And then there's Giordano's, the deep-dish pizza empire with Uptown Minneapolis and Richfield locations.

And of course Dunkin' Donuts' surge into the Minnesota market (though it's not really a Chicago brand, there seems to be a store every few blocks there).

And don't forget the local Chris and Rob's Chicago's Taste Authority, a chain run by two brothers who are Windy City natives. They've got locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

But the Chicago and Minnesota food scenes are traditionally quite different, said Heavy Table editor James Norton.

Chicago, he said, is more brash and in-your-face (think: pickles and relish and peppers — and more — on your hot dog), while the scene here is more reserved and "buttoned down."

Will we continue to see an explosion of Chicago influence here in the Twin Cities?

Norton, an expert on food and drink in the Upper Midwest, sat down with All Things Considered host Tom Crann to try answering that question and talk about the Chicagofication of our dining world.

Use the audio player above to hear their chat.

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