Jaison Chahwala

A hop, skip and brief drive west of Chicago will land you in a village with so much astounding Italian influence, you’d think you were in Italy. Addison, Illinois is not only home to many of the Midwest’s Italian-American immigrants, but is also officially declared as the sister city of Triggiano, Italy. Though the village boasts some of the most authentic Italian-inspired restaurants, it is also home to some of the best hole-in-the wall gems outside of Chicago. Don’t be mistaken, there’s more to Addison than just pastas, pizzas, and cannolis. Fuhgettabout what you know and explore the wide array of restaurants, parlors and sandwich joints Addison has to offer.

For those who haven’t been dipped yet, FX’s The Bear is a critically acclaimed TV series originally centered around Chicago’s Italian beef sandwich. Since its premiere in 2022, the show has been hotter than a pile of giardiniera. With six Emmy wins already, there’s no shortage of excitement ahead of the third season. As the show’s popularity has fans piling on like slices of beef, stands across the Chicagoland area are on notice—be ready for another round of beef frenzy. Time Out spoke with some of Chicago’s major beef brands about their thoughts on what’s now known as “The Bear Effect.” RECOMMENDED: Discover the Chicago restaurants featured in season two of 'The Bear' What The Bear dips perfectly: Joe Buonavolanto, President and CEO of Buona Beef, couldn’t contain his excitement: “I’ve watched every episode and I’ve enjoyed the heck out of it!” Buonavolanto also noted some of the parallels he’s seen: “When we started in Berwyn, it was five brothers behind the counter, and The Bear really communicates the brotherhood and team effort it takes to handle a beef stand.” “It’s an interesting show, you know, but it is a bit more Hollywood than real [life],” said Chris Pacelli Jr., owner of Al’s #1 Italian Beef. What The Bear leaves dry: Through his thick Chicago accent, Pacelli Jr. adamantly insists, “Italian beef is street food. They get a little uppity with the language (“Yes, chef!”); no one talks like that.” He adds, “In the show, they bake their own bread—I never saw anyone do

With the recent release of the seventh season of Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil, Phil Rosenthal continues his mission to inspire viewers to leave their couches and explore the world. Throughout the show's 41 episodes, he has visited 40 different dining destinations, including Mexico City, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Santiago, Chicago and many others. Somebody Feed Phil serves as the spiritual successor to Rosenthal’s PBS series I'll Have What Phil's Having, which follows a similar format: Rosenthal travels to various locations, enjoys a plethora of dishes and finds humor in everyday situations. Ahead of his visit to Chicago for An Evening With Phil Rosenthal at the Chicago Theatre on May 4, Time Out spoke with the star about a variety of topics. On why somebody should feed Phil: Rosenthal didn't grow up in a home that was particularly focused on culinary pleasures. Due mostly to modest beginnings, his family ate what they could afford, which sometimes meant fast food.  "I just loved fast food because, first of all, it was marketed to us as children. God knows what that did to us. It had fat, flavor, salt and sugar—things I didn't get at home." Rosenthal’s perspective changed dramatically after a childhood trip.  “So we went on a trip once when I was nine years old. That was the first time we've ever been anywhere. And we went to Atlanta, Georgia, for a family bar mitzvah. And my cousin took me to a place that we didn't have in New York called 7-11. And they had a Space Age-looking mach