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.

It wouldn't be Ricobene's without ordering its signature breaded steak sandwich. Jeff Mauro stopped by to try this hefty sandwich that's breaded skirt steak stuffed in a French roll, then topped with peppers, cheese and a homemade red sauce.

This Puerto Rican restaurant is the birthplace of the "jibarito," a combination of savory steak or pork, melted cheese, crisp romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and garlic all sandwiched between two flattened, deep-fried plantains (or as Jeff Mauro called it, "the world’s most interesting bun").

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.

Simple yet elegant, Chicago's Luxbar is a prime spot for a romantic date night dinner. With a menu of upscale salads, entrees, burgers and specialty drinks, just about any taste can be pleased. Jeff Mauro went for the Surf and Turf Sliders, which shrink the classic combo into small sandwich form.

Need a brunch fix during the week? Lula Cafe is your place, as it offers a daily brunch menu that Jeff Mauro adores. Plus, its signature “Royale” sandwich changes every week — and has for the past 10 years. For a sweet finish, indulge in Lula’s bread pudding French toast with malted whipped cream.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bobby calls Gibsons’ cuts (like the 48-ounce porterhouse) some of the "juiciest steaks around.” Also try the dessert: The Macadamia Turtle Pie features mounds of caramel-drizzled ice cream, while The Meaning of Life features five layers of chocolate cake, rich mousse and raspberry preserves.

When Jeff Mauro wants a pastrami sandwich on rye bread, there's only one place he goes in Chicago: Fumare Meats. Specializing in cured and smoked hams, sausages, prosciutto and other meats, the store, located in the Chicago French Market, is a favorite among locals for sandwiches and to-go orders.

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.