Gio's Cafe and Deli, Chicago

Giovanni Liuzzo, Nacho Bautista, and Victor Quezada have been working in restaurants together since 1992. But it wasn’t until 2001 that their dream to own one together came to fruition on a humble street in Bridgeport. Enter Gio's Cafe & Deli: a one-stop shop for homemade dishes and Italian groceries. Their plates includes decadent raviolis with cheese and meat, chicken parmigiana, or roasted pork chops. But they also specialize in class Italian sandwiches, which they stuff with housemade meatballs, san daniele prosciutto, genoa salami, and fontinella cheese. Such hearty and homestyle meals have earned acclaim from several media outlets including Check, Please! and ABC Chicago.

The petite eatery hosts a small squad of tables topped in red-and-white checkered cloths, arranged so that conversations are intimate yet chatter fills the space. Along one wall, shelves flaunt Italian imports such as homemade giardinera, olive oil, chocolates, and pasta ready for at-home cooking.