Aurelio's Pizza, Henderson

In 1959, Joe Aurelio Jr. opened a four-table restaurant in a suburb of Chicago to sell his home-cooked italian beef and pizzas. Slowly, the business grew, until it had taken over four storefronts—but it was still too small for the lines that stretched down the block. In 1977, Aurelio’s moved into a new, 12,000-square-foot space to become world's largest pizzeria. But demand continued to grow.

Today, cooks knead out the Aurelio family's secret pizza recipe and rehearse the Aurelio family's secret handshake at more than 40 locations across the country. They pile classic ingredients atop thin-crust pies, or bake up thick-crust renditions, stuffed pizzas, and Calabreses filled with spinach and cheese. Though the spotlight shines brightest on the pizza these days, the italian beef is still around, anchoring a menu of toasted sandwiches and pasta dishes.