Fourth-generation owners of the The Italian Village and siblings Giovanna and Jonathan Capitanini are opening a new restaurant in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood, combining Italian bar and Chicago tavern culture. It will be the first concept to open in the basement of the Italian Village complex (71 W. Monroe) since 1955, and the goal is to be the neighborhood’s go-to place for comfort food and drinks with an Italian and international twist.

After joining Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on Chicago’s Very Own Eats with Giovanna back in August, Jonathan returns to the podcast to talk about Sotto, how it came together, collaborating on the menu with Chef Steven Mendez and embracing the “Chicago basement” concept in the Loop.

CVOE hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff with Jonathan Capitanini from Sotto/Italian Village

And as the holiday season kicks off in Chicago, Jonathan tells Kevin and Michael what Thanksgiving is like with Capitanini family. Listen to the full episode below:

Here’s more of what to look forward to from Sotto before the official Grand Opening in December!

• What to look forward to at Sotto, including ‘Italian’ Grilled Cheese and Cacio e Pepe Arancini. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Giardiniera braise short ribs at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Homemade pastas and entrees at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Lamb ribs at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Polenta Parm at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Porchetta at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• Smoked sweet potato tortellini at Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village
• More to get started with when you visit Sotto. Photo by Jack X. Li / via Italian Village

Stay updated on all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

The 2024 edition of the Chicago Pizza Summit, Chicago’s original pizza festival, takes place Sunday, November 3rd. Organizer Anthony Spina has been there since the beginning in 2016, and has seen both the festival and the Chicago pizza community evolve over the years. Anthony returns to the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to chat with Kevin Powell and Michael Piff about what Chicago Pizza Summit is all about, this year’s lineup of pizza places and vendors, surprises to look forward to, and so much more.

Chicago Pizza Summit tickets are available on Bucketlisters.com. Sunday’s sessions are 12 to 3 PM (all ages) and 4 to 6 PM (21+) at the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club (1750 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647).

Michael Piff, Senior Digital Strategist for WGN Radio, joins Lisa Dent on the show to talk about his Chicago Food Truck Summer project and the 30 different Chicago area food trucks he tried. Listen below to hear some of the favorites!

One of the most anticipated seasons in Chicago Bears history begins this Sunday at Solider Field when they host the Tennessee Titans. The fanbase has been salivating over their new franchise quarterback, additional playmakers on offense, and a defense that finished as one of the best units in the sport last season. The concession stand is also creating a buzz. Mike Piff, co-host of the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast, joins Wendy Snyder (in for Bob Sirott) to discuss the plethora of new menu items being served at Bears games this season.

For those who may not make it to the lakefront for a Bears game, Mike shares his recommendations for the best Buffalo Wings in and around Chicagoland. Later on, Mike has details on how to battle muscular dystrophy by ordering pizza.

Home chef, Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast All-Star, and Muscular Dystrophy Association ambassador Billy Zureikat brought football and pizza fans together with his weekly ‘Chicago Squares’ series last year. Every week, he created a new tavern style pizza with ingredients inspired by the Bears’ opponents. If you followed the Chicago Squares series last year and wished you could try each week’s creation, you’re in luck!

This year, Billy is partnering with Pizza Matta to bring his Chicago Squares to life. Every gameday, a limited number of Bears opponent-inspired pizzas will be made and available for order. Billy joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about how the partnership with Pizza Matta came together, his process for creating the Chicago Squares pizzas, his team-up with Harebrained on a new logo and upcoming merch, and how it all supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

You can follow Billy on Instagram at therealbillyz, where he plans to announce each week’s Chicago Squares pizza. Week 1 against the Titans will include Nashville hot chicken. They are located at 3211 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL and can be reached via phone at 773-661-6521.

[Update] Pizzas will be available for order on the Pizza Matta website at 8 AM on gamedays, right as Billy announces the week’s Chicago Squares pizza.

For more of Billy’s story and everything he does (there’s a lot), go to trippingbillyz.com.

Stay updated on all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com. 

Of all the amazing restaurants in Fulton Market, you can consider Carnivale to be the ‘OG’. Many Chicago food lovers know it for its pan-latin fusion cuisine and flair-filled entertainment, but soon you can have your very own ‘Chef’s Table’ experience.

Chef Carlos Garza joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about Komal at Carnivale – an intimate and interactive multi-course dining experience curated, prepared and served by Chef Garza himself. Listen to find out what sets Carnivale apart from everywhere else, what Komal means, what you can expect from the experience, and Chef Garza loves about what he does and much more.

Reservations for Komal at Carnivale are now live on Tock. Dining reservations can also be made at carnivalechicago.com or over the phone at 312-850-5005. You can also follow Carnivale on Instagram and Facebook.

Stay updated on all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

As Italian Village Restaurants nears their 97th year in business, the new generation is putting as much love and hard work as ever into their business.

The siblings, Jonathan and Giovanna Capitanini, grew up in the restaurant and have seen how it has evolved over the years since they were little. Having taken the reins a few years ago, they are putting their time, energy and expertise into preserving, restoring and improving a place that Chicago has loved for almost a century.

Jonathan and Giovanna took Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast hosts Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on a tour of The Village on the upper level and gave them a peek of Bar Sotto downstairs. Kevin and Michael sat down with Jonathan and Giovanna for a conversation and were also treated to several amazing dishes from The Village menu. They discussed the nine-decade longevity of their business, the staff that feels like family and is key to their success, the award-winning wine collection that is unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else, and so much more.

Because Chicago loves its food, Italian especially, Jonathan and Giovanna have put a strong focus on culinary excellence in both The Village and Bar Sotto. Kevin and Michael can attest to it after trying many of the dishes that you can see in the gallery below:

• The Italian Village restaurant complex is located at 71 W Monroe St. in Chicago. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The legendary bar at The Village. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The interior design and murals in The Village transport you all the way to northern Italy, where the Capitanini family is from. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Jonathan and Giovanna Capitanini have put a ton of hard work into restoring and improving The Village experience. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Every table and booth makes you feel like you are in an Italian village. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The Capitaninis pay so much attention to detail into the space at The Village, and their other concepts within the complex. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• And now for lunch…Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Classic fried calamari, which can also be ordered grilled with garlic, olive oil, oregano and paprika. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• One of the ‘House Specialty’ items, meatballs with marinara, parmesan and garlic toast. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Beef Carpaccio, thinly sliced raw filet mignon, arugula, parmigiano-reggiano and EVOO. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Giovanna’s favorite (and we now know why) Rigatoni di Franco, ground chicken thigh ragu, cherry tomatoes and basil. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The House Specialty lasagna with meat sauce, bechamel and parmesan. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Chicen Piccata, grilled chicken breasts, mushrooms, marsala wine and linguine. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Legend has it, Italian Village is the first restaurant to serve Chicken Vesuvio. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Salmon puttanesca, grilled Atlantic salmon, tomatoes, capers, olives, garlic, basil, white wine and sauteed spinach. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• The Capitaninis are “embracing the basement” with a new concept coming in the fall. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Bar Sotto will have its own dedicated chef, kitchen and handmade pasta-making ‘theater.” The goal is to be the best basement bar in Chicago! Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Giovanna and Jonathan Capitanini with staffers that have been a part of the Italian Village family for decades. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

Follow Italian Village, The Village and Bar Sotto on Instagram. See more of the menu and make a reservation on the Italian Village website!

Stay updated on all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

The 2024 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions, started on June 27th in conjunction with ‘The Bear’ season 3 dropping on Hulu. The field expanded from 16 of the Chicago area’s favorite Italian beef places, a year ago, to 64 this year.

Updated Best Beef Tournament graphic by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

3 weeks and 100,000 votes later, our Best Beef Tournament has a new champion, Bob-O’s! Kevin Powell and Michael Piff called the owner, Rich Bartell, to share the news with him.

You can also listen to Rich on the Lisa Dent Show, where we learned more about his other locations and more of Bob-O’s story.

We want to thank Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions for supporting our tournament this year. We also want to thank the 64 competing Italian Beef places for enthusiastically promoting their matchups, and for their very, very passionate fans for voting over the three week span. Congrats to Fat Ricky’s for making such an impressive run as well.

We know that some of your favorites didn’t advance to the championship, or maybe weren’t included this year (trust us, it’s really hard to choose just 64), but we highly encourage you o try the places you haven’t had yet that were listed in our bracket. You can find them here.

At the end of the day, we just wanted to have fun with fellow Chicago food lovers and promote local businesses, and we think we accomplished both.

Stay updated on all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

Food Network host, Chicago chef, CEO/Founder of Mauro Provisions, podcaster, musician and all-around-good-dude Jeff Mauro joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast!

• Food Network host and Mauro Provisions owner Jeff Mauro. Photo provided by Emily Mauro
• Jeff Mauro in the WGN Radio podcast studio with Kevin Powell and Michael Piff

Jeff is one of the busiest people in the food industry and when you listen to this episode, you’ll find out why. We learn how Mauro Provisions started, the amount of creativity and care goes into everything they offer, how he takes pride in representing Chicago on ‘The Kitchen’, what’s on the horizon for his TV schedule and so much more.

With Mauro Provisions sponsoring our Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, along with Turano Baking Company, Jeff gives his expert opinion of the 64-Italian Beef place bracket, how it has unfolded, and the “Bangladeshian Beef Debacle of 2024!” Listen below for more from one of the best episodes of Chicago’s Very Own Eats we’ve ever had.

Follow Jeff Mauro on Instagram. Listen to the ‘Come On Over’ podcast with his sister, Emily Mauro. Go see his band, Jeff Mauro & The Jewel Bags play live! And don’t forget to vote on the championship matchup of the Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament. Polls will remain open until Thursday morning, July 18th.

Stay updated on Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament and all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.

National Fried Chicken Day is Saturday, July 6th and what better way to celebrate than with a Nashville hot chicken sandwich!

Photo provided by Craveworthy Brands

The Budlong Southern Chicken is commemorating the holiday AND their 8th birthday by offering $5 Budlong Original Chicken Sandwiches for the enter month of July. Craveworthy Brands CEO Gregg Majewski join Kevin Powell and Michael Piff to talk about their special deal for Chicago food lovers, the Budlong’s origin story, what sets them apart from everyone else, how they were serving Nashville hot chicken before it was cool, and more! Dine-in at any of the Budlong’s Chicago area locations to enjoy your $5 chicken sandwich.

Kevin and Michael also discuss Round 1 of the Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions, and the big shocker that occurred. Listen for more below:

Stay updated on Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament and all things Chicago food by subscribing to Chicago’s Very Own Eats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. All episodes are available on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast page at WGNRadio.com.