Showing posts with label combo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label combo. Show all posts

Monday, January 18, 2010

Nottoli Italian Foods

-Chicago's Italian Grocers

Its a new year and there are new specials to come with it. Like stops to all the great family run (by multiple generations) neighborhood Italian grocery stores and delis. I am very excited to post about one of my favorite market/deli/sandwich shops in Chicago as the inaugural place in this new series. Located on Harlem ave in Norwood Park, Nottoli Italian Foods is one of Chicago's best little Italian grocery stores with some of the city's best Italian sausage and maker of some mighty fine prepared foods too. The hell with trying to come up with words to describe this places goodness. I'm going to take you on a photographic tour of this small family run Italian grocery store that's been around since the 50's.


In Chicago's Norwood Park neighborhood


Nottoli does both groceries and already made prepared foods


The Hungry Hound named Nottoli the best meatball sammy in Chi

Even though Nottoli isn't too close to my place I still get over there pretty often. Its a spot where I can pick up groceries for the fridge and pantry both perishable and non along with their excellent homemade Italian sausage as well as prepared sandwiches both hot and cold. If you need some produce to go with any Italian meal you may be cooking they should have it over there as well as most of the other ingredients your meal calls for. If your not feeling like making dinner and don't want to settle for fast food, well they have food that's homemade and heats up nice and fast. Such dinners include spaghetti, ravioli, gnocchi deli sandwiches etc...Stock your fridge up by stopping at the deli counter in back and getting fresh sliced meats for sandwiches and pastas and other specialty's of theirs.


If you don't make your own, you aint a real Chicago Italian grocer


Prepared meals for later, dried sausage and fresh cheese is available


No matter how much you need, they got bricks for sale


A favorite back in the Old Country


Fresh sliced deli meats, prepared pastas and everything else you need...


...like some of my favorite hot Italian sausage, made fresh daily


Bottled Italian sodas and marinated everything is also packed in the two aisles


Such as marinated eggplant and artichoke hearts as well as olives


Despite being a tiny little grocer they pack the place and the shelves

On any given day you could find something made fresh in house and available to go and heated if you want it to be. I will usually by a piece of lasagna when they have it in the cooler display in back with the deli meats and sausage.


As seen above, homemade lasagna served in the deli by the lb


I could eat here 7 days a week and not have anything twice in a month

-The Sammy's of Chi


Nottoli's sandwich menu and deli meats to the far right

You'll notice most people stopping in immediately head to the back to make a sandwich order. Nottoli makes their own Italian roast beef and its available hot as an Italian beef or with their sausage as a combo and also cold by the pound and in a roast beef sub sandwich. When you place your order they will slice the meat fresh for you regardless of how your eating it. The little kitchen in the back pumps out some amazing old school family recipes including the extra hot Italian sausage available for home on the grill and in a hot sandwich to there. The man who you might commonly find staring at you while eating around Chicago food stops calls Nottoli's meatball sandwich the best in the city and its a very good one indeed and of course made with the old family meatball recipe.


Nottoli's Homemade Italian Beef in the slicer


Available hot as a sandwich or to take home and make IB's at your house


sliced fresh and extra thin upon ordering (gravy free with 1 lb purchase)


Nottoli's Homemade Hot Italian Sausage grilled in my yard


A made at home combo sandwich using Nottoli homemade beef and sausage


Nottoli's Meatball sandwich

I'm an Italian sub type of guy when it comes to my cold cut sandwiches. The folks over at Nottoli do up a might fine Italian that always comes out perfectly made and satisfyingly delicious. However the Italian roast beef is one their specialty's in my books and this is my go to spot for a cold roast beef sandwich when the hankering comes a calling. Its the same great beef used in the Italian beef sliced fresh and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone, oil and their homemade giardiniera. The family has been providing the neighborhood with their services for decades now. It has always been a popular stop for Bears fans heading down to the lake to tailgate as well as anybody looking to serve up some amazing food at their party. With conference championship week ahead and the Super Bowl coming next month Nottoli is a great place to keep in mind for any future events that you might need to pick up food and groceries for. No ones going to be pissed about the outcome of the food.


Italian Sub Sandwich


Roast Beef Sub Sandwich


The best roast beef sub in the city


Nottoli's does everything up good...check it out

Nottoli Italian Foods
5025 North Harlem Avenue
Chicago, IL 60656-3501
(773) 631-0662

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Descendants of the Italian Beef

-Got Beef? Da Combo

Gimme a hot Juicy combo and a gravy bread please. The Italian Beef is such a big part of Chicago's food culture that it has a few descendants that are also very popular on Italian Beef stands menus. The almighty "combo" is made by adding a piece of char grilled Italian sausage into your beef sandwich making it a combo. For those times when you’re just feeling like something a little different than your normal beef fix...but not too different. Every beef stand in the city offers a combo but one stands above the rest in my books. The beefs at Johnnie's are a favorite for almost everyone that has tried one and when they add a piece of perfectly spiced char grilled sausage, cooked in the open air over charcoal, it takes the sandwich to a different level. In fact I usually order a combo from Johnnies passing on the Italian beef.


Hot Juicy Combo from Johnnies


The almighty combo

If the combo is a bit too much meat for you then try a gravy bread instead. The gravy bread is just the bread of an Italian beef soaked in the gravy. It’s a popular side item at Italian beef and hot dog stands around town. Some people enjoy them plain and others like them with hot peppers while some places stuff fries inside. The best gravy bread in the city is found at Pop's which also has one of the better beefs. It’s more of a south side thing but they can still be found on menus across the city. As a teen I could easily eat four of these in a single sitting.


Gravy Bread from Pop's on Kedzie

Johnnie's Beef
7500 W North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
(708) 452-6000

Pop's Italian Beef and Sausage
10337 S Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 239-1243
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