Conte Di Savoia

-Lunch under $7 so you don't gotta eat at Subway

I've noticed quite a few new Subway's opening up around the city...WTF?!?!? to go with this they still have those corny commercials on the air what seems like all the time. Well lets just say if your going to Subway in this city you need to move to Rockford or something. Your taking up parking spots, contributing to traffic jams and eating garbage all while living in a city rich in food. So today we head off to the Taylor street area to stop in at an old time locals favorite. Its been since 1948 that Conte Di Savoia has been supplying the residents of Little Italy with European groceries, with an emphasis on Italian, as well as soup, sandwiches, picnic baskets and everything else that comes with a family owned grocery store that's been doing it up right for over 60 years.


a Little Italy staple

"For Italian families with a little more cash to spend, the large import stores on the Near West Side provided a supplement or sometimes an alternative to the neighborhood store. Terese DeFalco remembered Fiore's Grocery at Loomis and Taylor but also, "there were the big grocery stores on Halsted and Taylor that we used to go to for our weekly shopping. That would be for the olive oil, the olives and bacalà and dry garlic. They'd sell it in bulk....Whereas your grocery stores didn't." "Taylor and Halsted, well that was the capital. That's where everybody used to go," according to Louis Panico. Bountiful sidewalk displays tempted shoppers. At Conte Si Savoia, on Halsted Street, "Outside would be the wicker baskets with all the snails in them and the codfish, which is the bacalà, the dried codfish. Clams and mussels were just...it was unbelievable and all the olive oils." From the stores website.


Pic from website

Time has changed and with it so has Conte Di Savoia. Not in a bad way but in a way to accommodate its neighbors and customers. It was in 1948 they began doing more than just groceries and started making homemade soups, salads, pasta specials and sandwiches made with fresh sliced deli meats. The goal has remained the same in that they strive to provide the best quality products with great service at an even better price. Its a popular lunchtime stop with students and workers of all types. It makes sense when you try some of their offerings. The original location is at 1428 w. Taylor Street and they have since opened a spot a few blocks down at 2227 w. Taylor. One of their better deals is a Italian sub for $2.99 available after 3p. Its an appetizing sandwich and the price makes it even better not that it wouldn't still be good at it's regular price.


Conte Di Savoia's Italian Sub

The 2227 w. Taylor location will usually have a pasta special or two to go with their soups and salads. I try and get over there every now and then and pick up their lasagna special whenever I'm feeling like a meaty Italian dish. I think its something like $6.95 and it comes with a few pieces of bread and you can add a soup for a little extra. I've never been in there when the place was empty and the service is always great. Whats a damn shame is there's a Subway on Taylor street and some people, I don't know who, eat there. Do yourself a favor next time your in the hood and stop in for a nice light refreshing lunch.


Conte Di Savoia's lasagna with meat sauce

Conte Di Savoia
1438 W Taylor St
Chicago, IL 60607-4623
(312) 666-3471
2 locations
Website

Three up, Three down

-The Sammy's of Chi (land)

Here my friends is further proof that I've been almost everywhere. If you haven't seen an eating spot up on here that just means I haven't gotten around to posting about it. I have so many places and projects to post about but since I'm a one man team it takes a little time. I would say that in my "future food projects" folder on my desktop there is maybe 30-40 spots I have been to and now they wait their turn like the rest most of them I've been back many times since. So I thought maybe instead of just not posting at all about the spots that missed my mark that I would throw them together as one and make a post out of it. So with that I bring to you three sandwiches that missed the mark. Not anything bad just not better than anything previously posted. So here is three up, three down-kind of like the Chicago Cubs 2009 season.


Starship Subs gets mad love from its loyal custys in da burbs

The first place up is a spot that I went to with very high expectations. The place has been around for quite a while and is always a big hit with people from Forest Park. Well I'm sorry to its loyal fans but this spot was nothing special. I got the feeling with all of the Star Wars like names to the sandwiches and soups and the design inside, that this place was nothing more than a spot loved by dorks in high school who had their mom pick up subs for their dungeon and dragons party each Friday. Due to the fact that their other favorite foods are instant Mac & Cheese and Cup O' Noodles, they just don't know any better. I don't know maybe it's b/c I didn't grow up on them. I hear the homemade soup is legit and I could see that being true since there were people getting that and they had 40+ kinds in the frozen freezer for people to take home with them. I had a Starship special and it tasted like cheap meats and cafeteria cheese on average bread. Sorry but this place isnt for me.


Starship Signature Sandwich

Here's a little groundball hopper to the shortstop who grabs it and throws to first. One down.


Granddaddy's is good but stay away from...

Next up to the plate is a familiar face in Chicago to some. Grandaddy's Subs on Taylor st. is actually a pretty good spot. In fact its a place that I enjoy for sandwiches every now and then. However I had read somewhere that Granddaddy's made up a killer cheesesteak and it was by far the best in Chicago. Now I'll fully admit that its my fault for believing some dope on the shit site that is Yelp! who's previous favorite cheesesteak was probably Subway's. I cant apologize to the person and people who like this particular choice from Grandaddy's because its just plain bad. I expect more from a spot that produces good sandwiches and I will stick with the Italian when I next visit.


Granddaddy's Cheesesteak sandwich

That's a swing and a miss for strike three. Two outs with nobody on.


a good family run joint

Next up to bat is a spot I feel bad about putting on here. One reason is because I know that the other home cooked items are good and the whole family is in on this little business. In fact if I lived near Savoia's T'go in Chicago Heights-I would get there often and even order the meatball every now and then. Its a cool little family run spot that seems to put out some good pasta's and other Italian delights. While the meatball sandwich was good it just wasn't the best I have ever had in Chicagoland and that's what I'm on the prowl for. One day when I'm back by Savoia's I will for sure stop in and see what else they have. I'm sure I'll have good things to report.


Savoia's meatball sandwich is good, not great, but good

Here is the 3-2 pitch and Savoia gets a piece of it Ron! this ball's gotta chaaaance! Oh! it died just as it got to centerfield and fell right before the basket to the warning track for out number three. That's three up and three down as we move to the 8th. Still no hits for the Cubs.

But don't you worry people because if you check back here on Friday I got a sandwich that is the Don of all sandwiches and it can be found anywhere because its a tailgating recipe for the upcoming 2009 NFL/Bears season. See you back here this weekend.

Starship Restaurant
7618 w Madison
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 771-3016
Website

Grandaddy's Subs

2343 W Taylor St
Chicago, IL 60612-4244

(312) 243-4200‎

Savoia's To Go
402 W. 14th Street

Chicago Heights, IL
708-756-7600
Website

Fontano's Subs

-The Sammy's of Chi

The Fontano family opened their flagship store in the Taylor St./Little Italy neighborhood of Chicago back in 1960. So you had to know its time was coming over here at chibbqking. If you cant do the math they are now pushing onto there 50th anniversary which will happen in the year 2010. The Fontano family has been offering outstanding homemade Italian submarines, homemade sausage, deli foods, salads and other Italian cooking items you would find at your local neighborhood cornerstore. Around sometime after the Polk St location opened they started to franchise out. As of today they have a few Chicagoland locations including a spot in Denver. Obviously, the original is still the best. The people that work at the Polk St. location make you feel like you've been going there since 1960 whether you've been going there since 1998 or its your first visit that day. Gotta love neighborhood friendliness and when you get a sub and ice from Mario's its a world champ one-two punch.


A Taylor St. neighborhood regular

I've been getting subs from Fontano's for over a decade now and the only thing that has changed about the sandwiches is which kind I get. My first go-to sandwich over there was always a meatball. It is still is my go Sub when over there during the winter months. They also make the their own giardiniera and other bottled goods. I would say they have some of the best bottled hot peppers in the city so what remains a constant is that whatever sandwich I get-its always got hot giardiniera on it. If your a fan of big old Italian Subs than the Blockbuster is for you. Its a big daddy that features all the Italian cold cuts plus toppings and peppers and is in my steady rotation when there. During the summer months I get to Fontano's quite often and that's because they have a couple of great sandwiches for a hot summer day. If you wanna have them cater your party or deliver to your office for a party or just lunch they'll do that too.


Tuna w/ lettuce, tomato, onions & hot peppers

Sometimes in the dead of summer, you just need something cold to eat as well as drink. You know something that's almost refreshing and wont make you feel sick or need to rest up after. It just so happens that Fontano's has my two favorite cold cuts in the city-meaning they are served cold. During the summer months I always have to get both a 6" turkey and 6" tuna. Like I said theres some foods that just work well on a hot summer day and a tuna with giardiniera from Fontano's is one of those things. Its the simple things like quality meat, fresh bread and ingredients that matter in making a good sub and Fontano's achieves great success at all three.

I always enjoyed a good turkey sub every now and then but when you take the top notch smoked turkey that Fontano's uses-it takes a regular turkey sub from good to great. Not only do they have great housemade hot peppers but they use fresh Gonnella bread and highly flavored smoked turkey. Its best to let the turkey sit a little while while the oil, mayo, peppers, spices and meats all mold together into the bread making it the best turkey sub in Chicago. You would be a real wise guy to try one for yourself and see. There's a reason they have the block on lock.


Smoked Turkey with everything + hot peppers

Fontano's Subs
1058 W Polk St
Chicago, IL
312-421-4474
Polk St. location Menu