Paninos, Colorado Springs

In 1974, Everetta Lou and Tony Frasca served their very first Panino—a rolled flatbread sandwich baked to a golden-brown color and stuffed with fresh veggies, meats, and cheese. Once word of their crunchy creation got out, diners began visiting their restaurant in droves, eager to sample the imaginative sandwich and suggest toppings of their own. Today, there are more than 30 varieties of the famous Panino, which was described as "rich and delicious" by the Coloradoan.

Behind the popularity of its signature sandwich, Paninos has expanded to locations across the country, and each restaurant is manned by a member of the Frasca family. Aside from layering housemade flatbreads with gourmet toppings such as pesto chicken and green-chile pork, Paninos' chefs also capture the essence of Italy in classics such as specialty pizzas, pasta dishes, and calzones shaped like an Armani boot. As diners wait for their meals in sunlit dining rooms furnished with cushy booths, they can sip on pints of craft beer and split orders of garlicky breadsticks.