Pop's Italian Beef & Sausage

There are 14 Pop’s scattered around the Chicagoland area, but only the diminutive Mt. Greenwood location has the old-school stand vibe that somehow makes the food taste a little bit more special. The finely-shaved, slightly salty beef here savors of garlic, and dips are executed in a best-of-both worlds fashion that soaks only one side of the dense, spongy bread, allowing for a nice textural contrast. The liberally-applied giardiniera, a verdant mix of mandolined jalapeño and celery, is like a cousin to Chickie’s, except with a good bit more heat and a pronounced oiliness that spills over the dry side of the bread, giving it a shellacked quality.