Angelo Caputo opened his first fruit-and-vegetable market in 1958. The produce, which he hand-selected at nearby markets, was sold alongside Italian bread. The bread was an homage to Caputo's home country, and one that would soon come to define the store. Noting that many of his customers were Italian immigrants like himself, he and his wife Romana started their own line of imported Italian pastas, olive oils, condiments, and canned tomatoes, dubbed La Bella Romana.

More than half a century later, Caputo's Fresh Markets spans eight Chicagoland locations. They still specialize in healthy, organic goods, and La Bella Romana still offers a bounty of imported Italian specialty goods. Visitors can expect to find imported beef from Italy's northwestern Piedmont region as well as other free-range meats and sustainable seafood. They offer a full service meat, deli, and pastry department in addition to a full service catering menu. Angelo still has an active hand in the family owned business as well, with his primary goal making customers feel at home.