Ethnic Grocers

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Smaller, Still Super

CAPUTO'S
A suburban mainstay for decades, Caputo’s is the stuff of local mythmaking. Opened in 1958 by husband-and-wife immigrants Angelo and Romana Caputo, the store brought authentic Italian foodstuffs to an America that was just waking up to gourmet cooking. Now greatly expanded, Caputo’s still offers a dynamite deli selection of prosciutto and pancetta, and its own brand of cheeses crafted by Angelo’s brother, Pasquale. Romana passed away in 2004, but the in-house line of sweets and baked goods, La Bella Romana, and the prepared deli dishes pay ode to her memory through her recipes. We can’t get enough of the almond pastries, and regulars clamor for the octopus salad. 2560 N. Harlem Ave., Elmwood Park; 708-453-0155, plus four other suburban locations

CONTE DE SAVOIA
EUROPEAN SPECIALTIES
Michael and Anna Di Cosola were born in Bari, Italy, and took over ownership of this elegant little shop in 1982. Groups of gray-haired Italian American men still sit at the café tables, drinking coffee and reminiscing over that bygone era. The store houses most of the necessary ingredients for a committed Italian cook, from lacy slices of nutty prosciutto di Parma to a beautiful imported pasta dyed with squid ink. Entire aisles are devoted to fine imported olive oils and sweet, undoctored Italian-style canned tomatoes. On the weekends, Anna makes her own sweet and slightly tangy fresh mozzarella. House-made salads like artichoke and puttanesca with olives are lively with acidity and deeply flavorful. Excellent frozen ravioli, tortellone, and lasagne offer delicious respite for even the most exacting home cook. 1438 W. Taylor St., 312-666-3471 and 2227 W. Taylor, 312-666-4335; contedisavoia.com

D’ANDREA ITALIAN MARKET
Any Italian deli worth its salt carries prosciutto di Parma, but this hidden gem offers the less commonly found prosciutto di San Daniele. From the northeastern region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia, the ham has a smooth texture and a delicate, sweet taste with a distinctive finish. It would be divine paired with one of D’Andrea’s aged Parmigiano-Reggianos or another of its myriad imported and domestic cheeses. Asiago, fresh pecorino, fresh ricotta, manteche, locatelli, and mascarpone are of excellent quality. The shop also makes chewy pizza dough to be shaped at home, or preformed and parbaked. 7055 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn; 708-484-8121

KAUFMAN'S BAGEL & DELI
When it comes to corned beef, some like it fatty and some lean. At Kaufman’s you can have it both ways. Unlike most delis, which serve only marbled slices, this Skokie institution will separate the fat from the meat to order. They even sell slices of near pure fat, known as deckle. The bottom line: the more fat in the cut, the more profound the melt-in-your-mouth experience. The deli—a snug operation next to Kaufman’s equally renowned bagel bakery—has a top-notch selection of flaky smoked fish, including locally produced chub and whitefish, as well as Nova lox from vaunted New York suppliers like Acme Smoked Fish. 4905 W. Dempster St., Skokie; 847-677-9880

CREMERIA SANTA MARIA
There’s no direct Spanish translation for the word “deli,” but this superb Little Village cremería comes as close as any Mexican store you’ll find. The refrigerator case houses a variety of high-quality Mexican cheeses, sour creams, and containers of cajeta, sweetened caramelized milk often used as a filling for desserts. Some cheeses, like the salty, pungent Cotija, are imported, but most are made domestically in an authentic style. A local producer stocks the store with excellent fresh chorizo, and typical Mexican deli meats like ham and headcheese can be purchased by the pound. A flavorful base for mole requires only the addition of tomatoes. Many go just for the delicious frozen tamales, imported from Jalisco. 3424 W. 26th St.; 773-277-1760

MIDDLE EASTERN BAKERY
Andersonville has changed since Hisham Khalifeh, the owner of the bakery, left his home near Jerusalem and set up shop there in 1982. Young bohemian residents now shop for yogurt and spices alongside Lebanese grandmothers. The shop makes 12 kinds of garlicky hummus, as well as spreads like tabouleh, tzatziki, and baba ghannouj. Freshness of ingredients and authenticity make these side dishes worth a trip. Eat them on the bakery’s fresh, chewy pita, which far surpasses the crusty hard loaves found in most groceries. Khalifeh says he personally uses only olive oil his mother sends from her Jerusalem grove, but he carries an impressive selection of imported oils for the rest of us to enjoy. 1512 W. Foster Ave.; 773-561-2224

PATEL BROTHERS
The Patel empire now extends to a national chain of Indian groceries—but you wouldn’t know it from the company’s unassuming Devon Avenue store, the relocated flagship that started it all in 1974. Resembling the tidiest of kitchen pantries, the shop’s cubbylike shelves house an apothecary of chutneys, pickles, and spices. There’s no bakery or deli, and produce is limited, but regulars rely on Patel for affordable basics including beans, grains, nuts, and the 20-pound sacks of rice sandbagging the aisles. No visit is complete without sweets; look for Reena’s ice cream in flavors including fig and cashew raisin, and ready-to-heat gulab jamun, or syrup-soaked fried dough. 2610 W. Devon Ave.; 773-262-7777

WALLY'S MARKET
If you’re Polish—and even if you’re not—Wally’s is surely a regular stop for more than the delicious ready-to-heat borscht and staples like pickled herring and paprikash. The butcher counter, where kielbasa sausages hang glamorously before a mirrored backdrop, is a destination unto itself; it also offers an overwhelming selection of sauerkraut. Visit the liquor kiosk for hard-to-find Ukrainian honey-pepper vodka and Warka beer. Pop fans can get their fix, too, thanks to an extensive soda and juice selection. Look for the Monastryrskiy Kvas label, depicting a stein-hoisting monk, in flavors from black currant to honey. 6601 W. Irving Park Rd.; 773-427-1616, plus two other locations

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