Roma's Italian Beef & Sausage

"This family-run operation on the north side has been around for 55 years, and they’ve used that time to develop a bread-to-beef proportion that rivals the golden ratio of the Parthenon. Sandwiches come on bread that’s downright Cancerian: secretly tender, with a tough exterior that can easily withstand a dip. Add in thin slices of extra juicy beef and gentle heat from the hot peppers, and the result is a sandwich that’s surprisingly light and carefree, like a child who has yet to read the phrase “per my last email.”" - veda kilaru

"This small family-run operation in Portage Park has been around since 1968, and they’ve used the past 55 years to perfect the bread-to-meat ratio of their excellent Italian beef. At Roma’s, sandwiches come on bread that’s downright Cancerian: secretly tender, with a tough exterior capable of withstanding a dip (which is how you should order it). Add in the thin slices of mildly flavored beef, plus gentle heat from the hot peppers, and the result is a surprisingly light Italian beef. Conveniently, you can also get Roma’s sandwiches in half-sizes to keep things even lighter. Inconveniently, they only take cash (or Venmo or Zelle)." - Veda Kilaru