J.P. Graziano Grocery Company is not new, but its sandwiches are. Up until a few years ago, the West Loop storefront was simply an Italian importer on an increasingly popular stretch of Randolph Ave. But after adding a sandwich counter, it almost immediately started kicking out some of my favorite sandwiches in the city. More

"It's a nearly perfect Italian sandwich." [Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger] Bari Foods 1120 W Grand Avenue, Chicago IL 60622 (map) The Short Order: Perfectly proportioned Italian sub with spicy giardiniera Want Fries with That? Nope. Just pick up some chips on... More

In the D'Amato's version, lady fingers retain an airy integrity, the cream is truly whipped, and its light sweetness is mitigated by a touch of rich, bitter cocoa. More

Rosario's has a serious pig problem. There are little porky tchotchkes on the counter, statues of swine behind the counter, and a few huge piggy bank–looking porkers above the freezer case. Even the neon sign on the front of the... More

It would seem that a man who wore a Jason (of Friday the 13th) mask for a living and took more than a few discs of frozen rubber to the head during his career isn't the best person to take... More

With Quartino, Osteria via Stato, and now A Mano all slinging cured meats, Chicago's downtown lunch arena is sporting more sausage than the Chicago Bears locker room after a big game. A Mano, the newest of the triumvirate, is helmed... More