By Henry Barsch ‘20

Something else I cannot wait to resume is eating out at Ricobene’s on 26th St.

It is something I have been doing since I was a sophomore. Not long after I got my license, somebody took me down to Ricobene’s. I cannot remember who showed me the spot for the life of me, but I am forever grateful for their contributions to my palate.

Based on 26th and almost Princeton, Ricobene’s is in a very good spot in the city. Right south of Chinatown and the South Loop and East of Bridgeport, the famed location is not too far from Guaranteed Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox.

The beloved spot is known for their breaded steak sandwiches, and these sandwiches have been heralded as the best ones in the world. The menu is much more expansive than that, however. The pizza is one of my personal favorite, and they offer everything from deep dish to thin crust to “pan” crust. The milkshakes are phenomenal. The fries are a good sixth man, along with their drinks.

Whenever I go, I always get the same order. Two slices of pizza: one deep dish, one pan/thin pepperoni. I also get a large chocolate milkshake.

Ricobene’s always seems to have somebody new in there, and I run into people a pretty decent amount considering the distance it is from my home. The traveling to and from Ricobene’s was always an added bonus on top of the wonderful food. Any high schooler who wants to just explore with his car and a couple of buddies will be rewarded with the trip.

I miss eating out at many restaurants, but I miss Ricobene’s the most. Getting pickup or delivery from there just wouldn’t be worth it. The atmosphere is too important.