Chicago's Buonavolanto family celebrates over 40 years of Italian beef tradition

CHICAGO - There's nothing more quintessentially Chicago than an Italian beef sandwich.

Ask any local where to find the best one, and you're sure to get a variety of passionate answers. Yet, one family has been serving its beloved recipe for over four decades, passing down the tradition through generations.

Meet the Buonavolanto family, the force behind Buona Beef. Their story began with Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto, who opened their first restaurant in Berwyn in 1981. The couple took a bold step by taking out a second mortgage on their home to make their dream a reality. Their vision was to have their children work alongside them, creating a business that could one day support their families.

That dream has paid off. Today, three generations of the Buonavolanto family are working together.

"It was always my dad’s dream to be in business with his sons," said Donald Buonavolanto. "Forty-three years later, not only is he in business with his sons but his 19 grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

The Buonavolantos' dedication to family and tradition has also inspired another Chicago institution to collaborate with them: The Original Rainbow Cone. This 98-year-old business is counting on the Buonavolanto family to carry its legacy into the future.