Longanisa and giardiniera pizza at Novel Pizza Cafe
Sausage and giard on a tavern-style pizza — that’s the quintessential local combo a Chicago poet will one day immortalize in an ode. Yet if you tweak the combo and replace the fennel-and-salt twang of Italian sausage with the soy-sauce-and-brown-sugar mellowness of Filipino longanisa, like Novel has done, then the poem takes on an elevated air. This little spot has perfected that recipe — sweet, hot, porky — and its creators deserve at least a stanza. $31.50. 1759 W. 19th St., Heart of Chicago — John Kessler
Giardiniera aïoli at El Che Steakhouse & Bar
You could make giardiniera aïoli by stirring the condiment into mayo (the way Forbidden Root does for its standout burger). But the version at El Che that comes as a dipping sauce for the Italian beef empanadas is a bit more nuanced. The team uses J.P. Graziano’s sweet giardiniera oil as the base and adds house-pickled cauliflower. The aïoli adds just the right amount of pucker to balance out the empanadas. $7. 845 W. Washington Blvd., West Loop — Amy Cavanaugh
Brisket and giardiniera at Meat Moot
Somewhere in the profusion of condiments that accompany the smoked halal meats at this south suburban branch of a multinational Turkish chain, you’ll find a hot giardiniera that makes a fantastic accompaniment to the fall-apart juicy brisket. It’s even better when you add (trust me here) some of the honey that comes with every order. $46.95 a pound. 7909 S. Harlem Ave., Burbank — John Kessler
Giardiniera focaccia at Zeitlin’s Delicatessen
There’s a cranked-to-eleven-ness about giardiniera that can drown out the subtleties of everything in its range. Zeitlin’s uses restraint when folding in chopped giard from homegrown maker Caruso’s throughout its sourdough focaccia. Instead of stealing the show, it adds a zippy grace note to the bread’s openness and chew. Get a loaf at Zeitlin’s seasonal (and location-rotated) farmers’ market booths, or try it in a pesto-schmeared turkey sandwich at its From Here On food hall outpost. $10 (loaf), zeitlinsdeli.com/farmers-market for locations; $14 (sandwich), From Here On, 433 W. Van Buren St., West Loop — Cate Huguelet
Hot Italian beef at Johnnie’s Beef
While there certainly must be people who order their Italian beef without the “hot” element — that is, a generous sprinkling of giardiniera atop the thin folds of beef with jus and sweet peppers — you can’t help but wonder if they know what they’re missing. The giard here adds acidity, crunch, and heat, which offset the fatty beef, bringing everything into harmony. $6.72. 7500 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park — Amy Cavanaugh
Cheese fries with giardiniera at the Little Island
The hot dog stand’s freshly cut fries drenched with Merkts cheese are outstanding on their own. But the combination of chilled giardiniera on top of the piping-hot cheddar will make you rethink all future cheese fry orders. $5.99. 2600 Crawford Ave., Evanston — Titus Ruscitti
Caruso’s x Tripping Billy hot giardiniera salsa
This collaboration between one of the city’s most visible giardiniera makers and one of its pop-up stars blends giardiniera into a tomato-based salsa, making it more versatile as a condiment. I’ve used the spicy and tangy fusion as a sauce on egg and cheese breakfast tacos, dolloped it onto nachos, and eaten it straight out of the jar with tortilla chips. $9.49. Available at Mariano’s — Amy Cavanaugh
Giardiniera dip at Dicey’s Pizza & Tavern
Here, giardiniera goes from condiment to shareable snack. Cream cheese, Parmesan, housemade giardiniera, mayo, and hot sauce are whipped together and served in the form of a miniature volcano, its crater filled with more giardiniera. Dig into it with kettle chips, or upgrade to celery and carrots. Each savory, salty bite will leave you wanting more. Good thing, then, that the dip is also used as a spread on the crispy artichoke sub. $10. 2109 W. Chicago Ave., West Town — Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu
Giardiniera cream cheese at Mindy’s Bakery
Created by executive pastry chef Bo Durham during the bakery’s nascent days at Revival Food Hall, the spread arose out of repeated customer requests for veggie cream cheese. “I thought, What’s more Chicago than veggie?” Durham says. The answer? Housemade giard, of course, which Mindy’s pickles and oil-packs from scratch using seasonal vegetables, then folds into billowy whipped cream cheese. Schmeared on one of the city’s finest bagels, it’s tangy, creamy, herby, crunchy goodness as only Chicago could conceive. $5.25. 1623 N. Milwaukee Ave., Bucktown — Maggie Hennessy