Two links of juicy, fennel-forward housemade Italian sausage, your choice of cheese (I chose mozzarella), sweet peppers and onions, and house marinara are barely contained in a crusty Red Hen sub bun. I added their house giardiniera ($.50) to give a spicy, acidic kick to the sandwich, which you can think of basically as an Italian double dog. More

Nestled along the borderlands between the South Loop and Chinatown, Cafe Bionda serves a menu of comforting and familiar Italian fare. Butcher paper covers the tabletops in the cozy dining room, which lies adjacent to the dark-wood bar that greets you on your way in. More

Bongo Room is, rightfully, known for having some of the best pancakes in Chicago. But if you find yourself there and in a mood for something savory, this beef tenderloin and portobello sandwich is eagerly waiting to be eaten. More

Acadia's lobster roll ($16) is as stripped down and sparse as the surroundings. Succulent and sweet lobster come tossed with only a little paprika, chive, and warm butter. More

Eleven City Diner lists two "standards" on its sandwich menu of deli classics: pastrami and corned beef. Which should you order? Both are prepared in house and have their ardent local supporters. More

Before I came to Hackney's, I told myself I'd order anything but the burger. Anything. But I saw the words "Patty Melt," ($10.95) and that's when I died. In my mind, a patty melt is a combination of a burger and a regular sandwich. But which one is it officially? Well, at least according to Hackney's, it is a sandwich, as it's not listed on the burger side of the menu but on the sandwich side. That's all the justification I needed. More

The sandwich stars a pile of corned beef so large that you have to take it on faith that it's not an upside-down open-faced sandwich. The thin-sliced beef is far from lean and is so tender that sandwich is surprisingly easy to eat despite its massive size. More

This week Chicago is gearing up for one of the most popular summer music festivals in the country. Lollapalooza will be held at Grant Park from Friday, August 5th through Sunday, the 7th. If you're in town for the weekend of rocking out and have some extra time to explore the downtown area of Chicago, check out our taco roundup as well as this map of affordable, unique, and delicious places. We've got everything from fried onion loaf to deep-dish pizza to tortas on this map. More

[Photographs: Daniel Zemans] Hackney's 733 S. Dearborn, Chicago IL 60605 (map); 312-461-1116‎; hackneys.net or hackneysprintersrow.com Cooking Method: Griddled Short Order: Decent burgers that are cooked properly, but underseasoned and devoid of charring. Want Fries With That? Mediocre fries should... More

Serious Eats Chicago contributor Daniel Zemans checks in with another piece of intel on the Windy City pizza scene. Daniel also blogs about Chicagoland pizza with his friends on the Chicago Pizza Club blog. --The Mgmt. Pizzeria Brandi 67 E.... More

-->They say if you want people to pay attention all you have to do is put up signs that say "free beer" or "free pizza". It seems the same holds true when you put pizza in your beer. Walking around... More

mercatchicago.com Mercat a la Planxa: Jose Garces, former protégé of Stephen Starr and Douglas Rodriguez, took a break from building his mini-empire in Philly to unveil some Catalan tapas-style love on his hometown of Chicago at the newly refurbished Blackstone... More

Forget the taco trucks in Los Angeles and the green-chile spots in New Mexico, when it comes to finding the best regional Mexican dining outside of Mexico, Chicago ... is the best spot in America. View Larger Map » The... More