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It’s National Sandwich Day! There are a lot of “hot takes” online about what makes a sandwich.  Is it simply some vegetables, meats, and/or cheeses stuffed between bread or dough items?  Do hot sandwiches count or only ones with chilled deli meats?   Is a hot dog a sandwich?! Do Tacos or Quesadillas count? Do you call it a Hoagie or a Sub Sandwich?! more Okay, okay, we could sit here and debate it all day long, but we’re getting a little hungry, and we’ve still got lots of cars to sell!  So instead of dishing out our own opinions, we’ll just share some of our favourite local restaurants with the best sandwiches around. From traditional Chicago Style dogs (okay, we’re counting ‘em!) to Chicago Style Beef sandwiches and other regional faves, you’ll find plenty of top notch eats.  Check out our picks for pheNOMenal bites in Waukegan, Southern Wisconsin, and the Greater Chicago area! Best Eats Around: Hot Hoagies, Cold Sandwiches, and More! We’ve got a great roundup of delicious restaurants and delis in the area just for you: Leno’s Sandwich Shop at 1826 Grand Avenue in Waukegan George’s Gyros at 2122 Grand Avenue in Waukegan Potbelly Sandwich Shop at 760 S Waukegan Road in Waukegan Quonset Pizza at 2602 Grand Avenue in Waukegan Hoagie Hut in 2807 Grand Avenue in Waukegan Brown’s Chicken at 3150 Belvidere Road in Waukegan Shirl’s Drive-In Waukegan at 2132 N Lewis Avenue in Waukegan HealthyYums at 2724 Sheridan Road in Zion Rammy’s Sub Contractors at 834 Wheeling Road in Wheeling Frantonio’s Italian Deli & Cafe at 421 N Northwest Highway in Barrington Eleven City Diner at 1112 S Wabash Avenue in Chicago Giordano’s at 730 N Rush Street in Chicago J.P. Graziano Grocery at 901 W Randolph Street in Chicago Fat Shack at 2537 S Wabash Avenue in Chicago Capt’n Nemo’s Rogers Park at 7367 N Clark Street in Chicago Devil Dawgs on State at 767 S State Street in Chicago Cousins Subs at 3806 W 52nd Street in Kenosha, WI Morelli’s Deli at 7506 7th Avenue in Kenosha, WI Tenuta’s Delicatessen-Liquors at 3203 52nd Street in Kenosha, WI SoupDepot Breakfast Lunch & Dinner at 2731 18t Street in Kenosha, WI Rustic’s Subs at 1830 27th Avenue Unit 101 in Kenosha, WI Harborside Common Grounds at 5159 6th Avenue in Kenosha, WI Big Lou’s Standing Room Only at 635 75th Street in Kenosha, WI Final Inning at 9048 Sheridan Road in Kenosha, WI Curious as to ‘Wich Items Are Best for Taking Your Sandwiches to Go? Whether you’re going on a picnic, a road trip, or just your daily commute, we’ve got lots of great options for taking your sandwich with you safely. Check it out here: Check out the SnapLock sandwich keeper to protect your sandwich on the commute to work! Under $10, it’s a steal on Amazon! ​​ No matter whether you call it a Hoagie or a Sub, it still needs safekeeping!  Check out this great sandwich keeper specifically designed for long rolls. Under $25 and worth it to protect your artisanal eats, right here on Amazon! Steel yourselves for this next one, because it’s going to excite the environmentally conscious in our midst!  This plastic free option is made of stainless steel and is very sturdy. Protects both regular and gluten free sandwiches without judgement. Available here on Amazon!

Who doesn’t love a good calzone with that ooey, gooey melty cheese dunked in some warm fresh marinara?  Mmmm, delicious!  And since it’s national Calzone day, we thought we’d share our picks for great local options in the Greater Chicago area. We’re so happy to be part of the community in Lake County, and we love to support fellow businesses here in the Waukegan area. more Consider ordering a lunch out from one of these fantastic restaurants, or taking a road trip to grab a bite from one of the best calzones in Chicago.  And we’ve also got some great recipes to try your hand at one at home, or great food transport bags to ensure your order gets home hot and ready to eat. The Best Around: Great Local Calzones Calzone & Macaroni at 260 Hawthorn Village Commons in Vernon Hills Ron’s Italian Ovens at 2195 N Illinois 83 in Round Lake Beach Double D Pizza at 1500 N Lewis Avenue in Waukegan Louie’s Restaurant at 1009 North Avenue in Waukegan Luici’s Mundelein at 1130 W Maple Avenue in Mundelein Mama K’s Pizza and Grille at 1801 N IL-21 in Gurnee K & R Jesters at 1500 N Lewis Avenue in Waukegan Buddyz a Chicago Pizza at 860 N Illinois Route 83 in Mundelein Potestas Pizza at 434 S Green Bay Road in Waukegan Anasasia’s Restaurant & Sports Lounge at 3880 Northpoint Blvd in Waukegan Rosati’s Pizza at 5404 Grand Avenue in Gurnee Donat’s Pizza at 205 Waukegan Road in Lake Bluff Jimano’s Pizzeria at 938 N Green Bay Road in Waukegan Bongiorno’s Cucina Italiana & Pizzeria 405 N Wabash Avenue in Chicago Panino’s Pizza Chicago at 3702 N Broadway in Chicago Pizzeria Serio 1708 W Belmont Avenue in Chicago Homeslice at 938 W Webster Avenue in Chicago The StopAlong at 1812 N Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago Spacca Napoli Pizzeria at 1769 W Sunnyside Avenue in Chicago Lacoco’s Pizza & Sports Club at 3350 W 47th Avenue in Chicago Sarpino’s Pizzeria at 1852 N Damen Avenue in Chicago Damenzo’s Pizza at 2324 W Taylor Street in Chicago Coalfire at 1321 W Grand Avenue in Chicago Tano’s Pizzeria at 3038 W Irving Park Road in Chicago Chicago’s Pizza at 3114 N Lincoln Avenue in Chicago Great Gadgets for Traveling with Pizza and Calzones in the Car Whether you’re delivering Calzones for a living as a food service worker or you’re bringing some noms to a party, the Freshie Insulated XXL Food Bag is the way to go! With drink holders and food insulation to keep meals fresh and hot or cool and crisp. As the weather gets cooler, this Homevative Electric Heated Food Delivery Bag is the perfect option to ensure your Calzones arrive with all that ooey gooey bubbly cheese nice and hot!  It holds up to 3 large pizza boxes, perfect for Friday Game Nights and Saturday Date Nights! Got plans to Netflix and Chill with Calzones? The smaller option from Freshie’s Food Bag lineup is a great idea for smaller to-go orders. Great for taking to dates at the drive-in! Great Recipes to Make Your Own Calzone Like the Experts Got dreams of opening your own Pizzeria?  Try your hand at making a calzone from scratch for some practice.  We’ve got some great options for you: Incredible Homemade Calzones Classic Calzones Lidia’s Calzones Quick and Easy Calzones

National American Beer Day We love supporting our fellow local businesses, and on National American Beer Day, we thought it might be fun to highlight some local brewing businesses, taprooms, and microbreweries.  These fantastic food and beverage establishments not only provide income via taxes and sales, but also provide a valuable source of tourism for the area.  People love to eat and drink local but it also provides a great draw for tourism to the area.  Visitors come for the brews and stay for the local entertainment, shop local stores, book at nearby hotels, and do plenty of regional sightseeing!  It’s a win-win for everyone. more In addition to drawing outside support, many taprooms and breweries also encourage regional visitors by hosting fun local events. They may hold tasting events for seasonal releases, frequently host open mic nights, sponsor a showing for local artists and galleries or vendor markets, hire musicians to perform on a regular basis, and book small independent artists to create beautiful murals or public artworks.  It’s a great place for community gathering and socializing amongst not just casual visitors but tradesmen, local business folks, and networking groups. Brewery tasting events are also a great way to provide customers with new and interesting concepts in food and beverage, while also being mindful of responsible alcohol consumption and ensuring a customer’s safety on the road post-event.  Local taprooms and brewpubs often feature specialty brews made with locally sourced ingredients such as fresh local honey, local fruits and berries, or even partner with local catering companies and farms for joint events. So as you can see, small brewing companies and tasting rooms are a valuable part of our community.  So check out some of the options on our list and help support local businesses in the Southeastern Wisconsin region and the Greater Chicago Area! And remember, please drink responsibly. Always ensure you have a designated driver or set up a rideshare service to pick you up and bring you home. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, so drive sober if you don’t want to get pulled over! Notable Local Microbrew Pubs, Taprooms, and Breweries Venture Brew Co in Milwaukee, WI New Barons Brewing Cooperative in Milwaukee, WI Biloba Brewing Company in Brookfield, WI Driftless Brewing Company in Soldiers Grove, WI Rustic Road Brewing Company in Kenosha, WI Eagle Park Brewing and Distilling in Muskego, WI Racine BRewing Company in Racine, WI PUBLIC Craft Brewing Co in Kenosha, WI The Runaway Micropub & Nanobrewery in Burlington, WI R’Noggin Brewing Co in Kenosha, WI Harbor Brewing Co Lakefront Biergarten in Winthrop Harbor, IL Nightshade and Dark’s Pandemonium Brewing in Waukegan ZumBier in Waukegan, IL Only Child Brewing in Gurnee, IL Mickey Finn’s Brewery in Libertyville, IL Bosacki’s Brewery in Mundelein, IL Liquid Love Brewing in Buffalo Grove Il B eermiscuous in Highwood, IL Ravinia Brewing Company in Highland Park, IL Sketchbook Brewing Co in Evanston, IL Alarmist Brewing & Taproom in Chicago, IL Metropolitan Brewing in Chicago, IL Dovetail Brewery and Taproom in Chicago IL Pilot Project Brewing in Chicago, IL Haymarket Pub & Brewery in Chicago, IL Lo Rez Brewing and Taproom in Chicago, IL Alulu Brewery and Pub in Chicago, I L Before we go, we wish to also take another quick moment to remind you all that drinking and driving is never a good idea!  So we’d like to share some sobering facts to keep in mind and remember to always ensure your party has a Designated Driver when attending beer tastings or brewery event days. Drunk Driving causes more than 10,000 deaths every year and ⅓ of all traffic related deaths. Drinking and driving costs over $40 billion in deaths and damages every year. Drivers aged 21 to 24 account for 27% of alcohol related fatalities, followed by 25% for ages 25 through 34. The Blood Alcohol Content limit for Illinois and Wisconsin is anything greater than 0.079%, and may result in a DUI/DWI and fines if operating a motor vehicle while drunk or buzzed. Remember to assign a designated driver to your group or schedule a ride share service. Please drink responsibly, and if you or someone you know has an alcohol abuse or drinking problem there are services to support you.