Home of the "best breakfast sandwiches" in Chicago, according to Jeff Mauro, the Deluxe Diner serves them any time of day. Taste the diner's take on the Monte Cristo, a ham and Swiss cheese sandwich served between two thick slices of grilled French toast, or order online for late-night delivery.
For a sports grub experience with an upscale twist, Jeff heads to Bull & Bear. His menu pick is the griddle salami sandwich with pickled tomatoes and cheese-covered salami. With personal beer taps at the tables and delicious Buffalo wings to boot, this spot is a go-to destination for game day.
Sandwich King's Jeff Mauro has been visiting Conte Di Savoia his whole life, namely for the caprese sandwich made with handmade mozzarella and fresh basil. Conte Di Savoia has been serving this since 1948, along with more than a dozen other pastas, salads and Italian meats.
Paulina Meat Market is the oldest sausage shop in Chicago. The sausages are made with fresh ingredients by hand. Jeff Mauro went there looking for the perfect Polish sausage to complete his Maxwell Street Polish sandwich; he found the sausage with the help of store owner Bill Begale.
Le Reve's menu evokes a French bistro with plates such as crepes and the Filet de Boeuf sandwich (beef tenderloin with Cambozola cheese). But it was the restaurant's patisserie that led to a visit from Jeff Mauro. How could the Sandwich King pass up giant macarons spanning 8 inches across?
Grahamwich in downtown Chicago cranks out some cutting-edge sandwiches. Though its menu is filled with the classics, you're not going to get them the old deli way here. Instead, Graham, who Jeff Mauro dubbed the "Sandwich Wizard," serves kicked-up renditions of Reubens, grilled cheese and more.
When Jeff Mauro needed fresh cod for his fish sliders on Sandwich King, he knew the best place to visit would be the Isaacson and Stein Fish Company in Chicago. For more than 80 years, this market has supplied locals with all sorts of fish and seafood, including red snapper, sea bass and clams.
Located on the northwest side of Chicago, Central Gyros specializes in traditional Greek cuisine, like Souvlaki, Moussaka and of course, gyros. Their gyros are so tasty, in fact, that they inspired Sandwich King Jeff Mauro's homespun take on the dish. Happy staying in tonight? They deliver.
Bland food need not apply at Jerky Jerk restaurant. Here, they cook with classic jerk spices that include cinnamon, nutmeg and spicy ingredients like habanero peppers. Jeff Mauro loves their “plenty of punch” fried jerk chicken sandwich that not only has plenty of heat, but also plenty of chicken.
According to Jeff Mauro, if you’ve had lamb in Chicago, chances are that it's from this historic meatpacking company on Taylor Street. An experienced in-house butcher boned a "beautiful" leg of lamb for Jeff, which he took home to create a crisp, fresh version of the classic Greek gyro.
This is where Jeff Mauro found the perfect provolone and aged cheddar for his grilled cheese sandwich. With more than 350 cheeses and a variety of beers and meats housed in a castle-like building (turrets included), Mars Cheese Castle deserves to be called the "Kingdom of Cheese."
For more than 30 years, Jeff Mauro's favorite place to get an Italian beef sandwich has been Johnnie's Beef in Elmwood Park near Chicago. The thin-sliced roast beef is dripping in au jus and topped with sweet peppers, creating a hot and juicy sandwich that has been a local favorite for decades.
This burger spot may be a throwback in terms of decor, but it has some fancy touches. Here, you can down hand-cut seasoned fries, Chicago dogs and two types of freshly ground burgers. Hand-dipped milkshakes are amazing, too, especially in the summer, when fresh fruits are incorporated.
For more than 30 years, Chicagoans like Jeff Mauro have headed to one of Pita Inn’s various locales for mouthwatering Mediterranean cuisine. A favorite is the shawarma meat, which Jeff calls “so succulent and so juicy.” And almost every entrée entree comes with warm pita bread baked right on the premises.
When Jeff Mauro wanted to make the perfect schnitzel sandwich, he headed to Edelweiss for advice. The family-owned restaurant serves authentic German fare, like schnitzel, Bavarian pretzels, wienerschnitzel and spatzle, in addition to offering an assortment of 16 imported beers on tap.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
Let Guy take you on a coast-to-coast tour Friday at 9|8c.