On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Troy Johnson celebrates his love of a Wisconsin favorite with none other than beer-battered fried cheese curds. Also try the Old Fashioned House Burger. Made from local beef, it’s topped with fried onion, bacon, cheddar cheese, garlic sauce and a soft-cooked egg.
Jim's Original features the one-and-only Polish Sausage Sandwich that has been a Chicago favorite since 1941. But on Sandwich King, Jeff tried another favorite: the Pork Chop Sandwich. Unlike a typical pork chop sandwich, Jim's opts for leaving the bone in for a juicy, flavorful bite.
Retro fanatics have their fill at Angel Food Bakery. Owner Stephanie Samuels has been bringing back old-school bakery favorites with treats like whoopie pies, homemade Twinkies and Thin Mints. Sandwich King Jeff Mauro thinks Angel's ultimate sweet sandwich is the chocolate-dipped s'more.
When visiting Saigon Sisters, the "crown jewel" is the Hen House banh mi sandwich. With strips of caramelized chicken stuffed inside a French baguette, it was named one of the best by Chicago magazine. Sandwich King Jeff Mauro agrees. Want more? The pork belly steamed buns are a must-try.
Feeling lucky? At Lucky’s Sandwich Company, you’ll always strike it rich with the “tallest sandwiches in town,” says Jeff Mauro. More than 20 supersized sandwich options are available. Jeff’s choice? The Pollo Loco that’s legendary for stacking fresh-cut french fries atop Cajun-spiced chicken.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
One of the few places in the city to get "restaurant quality" meats for home cooking, this butcher shop prepares custom cuts and deli products and hosts butchering classes for curious carnivores. Adventurous eaters can find everything from prime steaks to offal to whole pigs for their next barbecue.
Jeff Mauro visited Graze for its "spot-on" veggie burger made with beets and walnuts. This Madison, Wisconsin, restaurant sources its ingredients from local small farms, and its eclectic menu includes Asian dishes such as bibimbap and pork buns. The Korean-Style Nachos topped with beef bulgogi and kimchi are a popular pick.
Established in 1946, Gene and Jude's helped shape the famous Chicago-style hot dog (perfect for any game day), which comes with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, celery salt, pickles and pickled sport peppers on a poppy-seed bun. These fan favorites are a must for any lover of good ole Americana.
As Jeff Mauro learned on his visit to La Pasadita, their tacos stick to the basics with onions and cilantro and beef grilled over an open flame. All of La Pasadita's three locations on Ashland Avenue offer fresh-to-order plates the way the original owner, David Espinoza, made them in 1976.
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.