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.

The inaugural Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament featured 16 of the area’s best Chicago beef places. This year, we are extending the tournament to 64 competitors.

The 2024 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament is sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions. Joining Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats to talk about it and get us ready for Round 1 are Mario and Giancarlo Turano from Turano Baking Company! They discuss the Turano family’s history, how they like their beef sandwiches, what Chicagoans love about Italian beef and their neighborhood spots, the ‘Lunch with Turano’ series on social media and this year’s bracket. Listen below for more:

As we do with all of our Chicago’s Very Own Eats Tournaments, you can see all the competitors and where to find them here. ‘Chicago’s Best Beef’ voting will begin Thursday, June 27th on wgnradio.com and the Chicago’s Very Own Eats page.

Stay tuned and 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.

WGN Radio’s Mike Piff joins Wendy Snyder, in for Bob Sirott, to talk about the Second Annual Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament and how it highlights small businesses. He also shares details about his summer dedicated to trying foods from Chicagoland’s food trucks and where you can find regular updates.

The Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament starts on June 27th on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats page and is sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions

Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament, sponsored by Turano Baking Company and Mauro Provisions, returns on June 27th, and Buona Beef is ready for their title defense.

Jimmy Buonavolanto and Andrew Regalado from Buona joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about the history of Buona, Chicago’s love for Italian beef, the bond between family businesses, and so much more! Listen to the episode below:

Stay tuned for more details before the 2024 Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament kicks off. The full bracket will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned and 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.

Ahead of Cinco de Mayo, daVinci Group owner Paul LoDuca joins Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast. Paul owns two restaurants that have been staples in the Old Town neighborhood for decades now, Adobo Grill and Vinci.

Adobo Grill and Vinci restaurant owner Paul LoDuca with Kevin Powell and Michael Piff. Photo by Andrew Harris / WGN Radio

Paul tells the story of how he opened his Italian eatery, Vinci, in 1991 and what inspired him to open a Mexican restaurant 9 years later. Both restaurants give you unique experiences from other Italian and Mexican places. And both have monthly curated meals, paired with wine and tequila, that will keep you coming back to try. Paul also talks about what makes Old Town special and a great part of the city have his restaurants located.

With Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and Chicago’s patio season to plan for, listen to find out why you should consider Adobo Grill and Vinci for each occasion.

Stay tuned and 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.

After 4 weeks, 7 rounds and 271,351 votes, the 2024 Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament sponsored by Career Vision has its champion.

Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast co-host Michael Piff joined John Williams to call the owners of the winning pizza place. Listen to the segment below:

Antioch Pizza Shop won by just 1% of the 35,121 votes that were made. As a commenter on our WGN Radio Facebook page perfectly put it though, the real winner is the greater Chicagoland area for having so much amazing pizza to choose from. At the heart of it all, this was an opportunity promote local businesses and it was amazing to see several communities rally for their favorite pizza places.

We congratulate Antioch Pizza Shop, owners Karen and Art Wicklein, and their supporters for winning it all. We also want to commend Uncle Jerry’s Pizza Company in Cary for making an incredible run all the way to the last minute of the tournament, and for being so gracious while doing so. Both championship competitors were new to our tournament, and seeing them advance this far made it that much more fun.

Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament 2024 Bracket by Michael Piff / WGN Radio. Click to see clearer.

Now we encourage you to try as many of the competing pizza places as you can. You can find them here and give them a visit! Kevin Powell and Michael Piff will do a full recap on their next episode of Chicago’s Very Own Eats. Stay tuned and 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.

Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani and his team at Fabio Viviani Hospitality have opened more than 60 restaurants and concepts across the country, including Chicago favorites Sienna Tavern, Prime & Provisions, and Bar Sienna. Now Chef Fabio has opened a modern Italian steakhouse in his own backyard, Lago in Lake Zurich.

Chef Fabio joined Kevin Powell and Michael Piff on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats podcast to talk about his new concept, what he recommends you try first, what his day-to-day is like, what the response from the community in Lake Zurich and Barrington has been like, and more.

Before the conversation with Chef Fabio, Kevin and Michael give an update on the Chicago Pizza Madness Tournament, sponsored by Career Vision. Listen to the full episode below.

Coincidentally, Michael grew up in Lake Zurich and his parents actually live behind Lago on the lake at The Sanctuary. Below are some photos from his recent visit to Lago with his family.

• The Chianti Americano was a fantastic recommendation for a whiskey lover like Michael Piff. Photo: Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Fresh whipped ricotta bruschetta. Photo: Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• House rolls with honey butter. Photo: Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Dry-aged bone-in rib eye. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Some of the best truffle parmesan fries Michael’s ever tried. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Italian roasted creamy street corn. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio
• Michael’s wife, Amy, and a wine glass filled with delicious tiramisu. Photo by Michael Piff / WGN Radio

You can follow Chef Fabio on Facebook and Instagram, and Lago in Lake Zurich on Facebook and Instagram as well.

Stay updated on the Pizza Madness 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.