Giuseppe's La Cantina, Des Plaines

Giuseppe's La Cantina has been a staple of the Des Plaines dining scene for more than 50 years, humbly starting as a little family Italian joint and evolving with the times. The eatery's latest adaptation comes in the form of Giuseppe's Express, a quick-dining counterpart to the main restaurant's sit-down experience. At Express, the chefs churn out hot pizza and sandwiches, as well as take-and-bake entrees from the classic restaurant menu. The cooks' eats demonstrate their knack for creativity: One such dish combines the flavors of pan pizza with the fillings of an Italian beef sandwich, and their signature panini layers four Italian meats topped with a splash of Italian dressing. They keep plenty of refrigerated trays of lasagna handy, sending guests home with a dinner that just needs a quick stint in the oven before satisfying the entire family or one really demanding toddler.