Mariano's Fresh Market in Loop

Mariano's Fresh Market finally opened in Chicago's Loop so I went the first week of its opening. It was warm out on a weekday evening so they had the patio open and were selling grilled-to-order beef sandwiches. Inside they sell hand-dipped apples and have a sushi bar, fresh pizza, and a huge wine & spirits department.

Mariano's Fresh Market Arlington Heights

After hearing one of my colleagues rave about Mariano's Fresh Market (and reading the mostly positive reviews on Yelp), I had to check out the original Mariano's in Arlington Heights. It was crowded on a Saturday afternoon as he warned me. Took a lot of pictures at the store. A unique feature is the cooking demonstration area pictured. They also have live piano music on the weekends, fresh fried dough, gelato,   and fresh-made pizza and sandwiches.