[Photograph: Roger Kamholz]

The trick with grabbing a sub for lunch from the heavenly Italian deli counter at Bari is to call in your order ahead of time. Because, for being on an unremarkable, not-really-near-anything-else-besides-a-Tesla-dealership stretch of West Grand Avenue, this place does a freakishly brisk, line-forming lunch service—a testament to how good the sandwiches are. And cheap. The Italian, one of my favorites off the no-nonsense sub menu, will set you back a mere $4.75 for a nine-incher. A footlong beast goes for just six bucks.

And for these modest prices you're getting quality meats, cheese, housemade giardiniera (mild or hot) and an arm's length of fresh pane. I always elect for a hit of hot giardiniera to go along with the capicolla, Genoa salami, mortadella and provolone cheese that grace the Italian. It's fun to play the dangerous, escalating game of eating more sandwich to calm the heat of the previous bite. You're doomed, but in a delicious way.

Bari

1120 West Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642 (map)
312-666-0730
bariitaliansubs.com