Did you know we make our own tortillas and tortilla chips? 2/24 is National Tortilla Day so it’s the perfect chance to try them out if you haven’t already!
In 2018, we remodeled our Addison store. Part of this remodel was bringing in a brand new tortilla machine from Mexico. This machine allows us to make our very own, homemade corn tortillas in-house every day.
Like all of our other prepared foods, our tortillas are all natural and have no preservatives. We offer yellow or white corn tortillas that are made from scratch in this machine daily. The tortillas are made in our Addison location and then sent to each of our stores from there.
Once you have tortillas, our meat department is the next stop. We have a variety of pre-marinated taco and fajita meats and poultry ready to go at our meat counter. All you have to do is cook and enjoy!
We also turn our homemade tortillas into tortilla chips! While making our tortillas, we make extra specifically for making chips. We cut the tortillas into triangles and fry them to perfection. They are salted, cooled, and packaged in brown paper bags.
These chips pair wonderfully with items from different departments, especially our homemade guacamole and salsas. Made fresh daily, our guac and salsas are made using items right from our produce section! Guacamole, classic salsa, pineapple salsa, mango salsa, and more! You can also try our chips with our homemade chili. They are great for dipping in the chili on its own or making chili nachos.
The Lenten Season has begun. Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter recognized in the Christian calendar. Those who partake in Lent may follow a number of different rules. One of those rules is fasting from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter. Although this sounds simple, sometimes you don’t realize how difficult it may be and how easy it is to forget. We’ve got all the perfect meatless options to make Friday meals easy, delicious, and something to look forward to!
If you want some fun ways to mix it up while keeping away from meat, check out these 6 ideas:
Eggplant Parmigiana
A classic and delicious meal idea! Layers of eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozzarella, it’s full of flavor and one of the best comfort foods! Pick up a pre-made one in our prepared foods section or make your own!
Want to make your own, but in a time crunch? Grab our homemade marinara sauce, some of our breaded eggplant from our prepared foods section, a bag of Caputo shredded Mozzarella, then layer, bake in the oven, and enjoy!
Pizza or Panzerotti
Get the whole family involved and make your own pizza or panzerotti! We offer all the ingredients you need for a homemade pizza night. You can stop by our prepared foods section for homemade dough, sauce, veggies, toppings, and more! You can even use our dough to make your own panzerotti which are delicious baked or fried. It’s great bonding and just a fun night… especially if you make a nutella pizza for dessert!
Don’t have time to make it yourself? Grab one of our 16” take and bake pizzas or a few of our homemade panzerotti for dinner. It’s an easy dinner that everyone will love.
Pasta
Versatile, easy, and delicious– three words we love to hear when it comes to meal time! While pasta seems like a basic dish, you can get creative with it! Our aisles are full of different pasta options- short or long, fresh or frozen, imported or domestic. Once you choose what pasta cut, then you move on to the sauce- our homemade supreme sauce, classic tomato sauce, arrabiata, and so many more. Looking for extra flavor? You can easily add veggies to any pasta dish or a protein like shrimp. With so many different combinations to try, pasta dishes will never get boring!
A Caprese
A caprese is a simple, yet customizable sandwich! A simple caprese is basil, tomato, and mozarella in a sandwich. What’s great is you can make it customizable through the bread and by adding different toppings. You can add an olive tapenade or spread, sub sandwich dressing, pesto sauce, or even a flavored olive oil!
Seafood
Not only is seafood a good meatless option, there are plenty of health benefits! Fish is filled with omega 3s and different nutrients that your body craves. Our extensive fish department will help you find just what you’re looking for.Fish can be eaten as meals or can be added to different dishes for great flavors– seafood risotto, pasta with clams, or just a simply grilled salmon are all great dishes with lots of flavor!
Fish can be intimidating to cook, but we can make it easy! We offer a variety of pre-marinated seafood options. They are full of flavor and all you have to do is put it in the oven and pick your sides. Try out
Pro tip: try one of our pre-marinated salmon choices in the air fryer!
Pepper and Egg
This Lenten classic is back! Scrambled eggs, sautéed sweet peppers, and melted cheese makes for this incredible and limited time only dish. We will have Pepper and Egg sandwiches available in our hot foods on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent! In addition to our pepper and egg, there will be a meatless special and a fish special every Friday in hot foods!.
Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Tradition has it that you are supposed to eat rich, fatty foods before Lent. Lent starts a period of fasting and reflecting, so many people take the day before as an opportunity to indulge and give into your cravings!
This celebration is adapted from many different cultures– Carnivale, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and more. One of our favorite ways to celebrate has been adapted from Polish culture.
A must have on Fat Tuesday– Paczki! Paczki are a Polish donut usually with some kind of sweet filling in the middle. In the month of February there are two days dedicated to enjoying Paczki– Fat Tuesday and National Paczki Day. Fat Tuesday is always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent) and National Paczki Day is the Thursday before that. This is because in Poland many people indulge in Paczki on the Thursday before Lent, known as Fat Thursday or Tlusty Czwartek. It can be dated back to centuries ago when people would use up all the ingredients in their house before fasting for Lent. The use of eggs, milk, sugar, etc. would result in a delicious treat with a sweet filling.
Many people believe that not enjoying a Paczki on these days can lead to bad luck… and who would want to risk that?
Looking to indulge on this Fat Tuesday? You’ve come to the right place!
We have a full line of standard and gourmet paczki!
Standard
The classics that you can never go wrong with! There is a flavor for everyone.
Raspberry
Strawberry
Lemon
Bavarian Cream
Apple
Gourmet
Love the standard ones, but want to spice it up a bit? These fillings made in house take our paczki to the next level.
Boston Cream
Nutella Mousse
Strawberry & Whipped Cream
Orchard Apple
Cannoli
Banana Custard
We will also have kings cakes available!
Orders yours today to secure them or stop into one of our locations on 2/13! Available while supplies last
The Big Game will be here before you know it! The food is always an important part of any watch party. People go all out with their game day spreads, eating the classic football watching foods. If you’re hosting, but have too much to do to think about what food to prep, we have you covered!
Our catering department has tons of party trays and dishes that are great to feed a crowd. Let us help you take care of your game day food!
Here are 5 catering trays that are sure to leave all the fans fed and happy!
This platter includes a Hawaiian Round Bread cut open and filled with our homemade spinach dip. The tray comes with veggies and pita chips for dipping. The best part? The bowl is edible!
This platter is a great addition to any feast! A pre-game snack, 4th quarter pick-me-up, or post game … these sandwiches are a perfect size. Plus, if there are any sandwiches leftover, they are easy to pack in your kid’s lunchbox the next day. This platter includes a mix & match of Various Mini Sandwiches– Prosciutto & Provolone, Mortadella & Mozzarella, Ham & Swiss, Turkey & American Cheese. Plus, there are 3 different size trays so you can get the amount of sandwiches that works best for you.
What’s more American than football? That’s why this deli tray is a must! With 5 different lunch meats on the platter, this is great for everyone. This tray comes with Smoked Ham, Honey Ham, Krakus Ham, Hard Salami, and La Bella Romana Oven Browned Turkey and is available in 3 different sizes
Another great option is our mini chicken Caesar wraps! Flour Tortilla Wraps, Rolled with Breaded Chicken Strips, Fresh Lettuce, Caesar Dressing & Fresh Parmesan… it’s a delicious and different platter to serve your guests!
Everyone loves chips and dip! With so many dips to choose from, our dip-n-snack platter is a great option because there is something for everyone. This tray includes Homemade Fresh Pico De Gallo, Homemade Fresh Guacamole, Homemade Fresh Spinach Dip, Homemade Fresh Artichoke Dip, Homemade Fresh BLT Dip, Refried Beans, and Cheese Salsa.
These are just a few of the many options. Browse our catering menu to order whatever you need and stop in for all your gameday needs!
When it comes to comfort food, chili is one of the top favorites. The fresh ingredients and mixes of spices make it so unique and filling! If you’re looking for a homemade chili to fill this craving, our La Bella Romana Chili is a must try!
Award winning, our La Bella Romana Chili is made from scratch daily in our kitchen commissary. We use fresh ground beef and ground pork from our meat department. Our veggies come straight from our produce department. We use strictly california tomatoes and a special, hand mixed blend of herbs and spices that make it different than any chili you’ve had before! It is soothing for the soul and sure to warm you up on a cold day.
There are so many ways you can enjoy chili other than just eating it on its own and with the NFL playoffs going on and the Big Game right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to experiment with this classic game day food! If you want to change it up and bit and get creative, here are 5 ways to enjoy chili other than by itself
As a salad topper
You can use chili to replace dressing! Take a scoop of chili and put it on top of your salad. It adds a lot of flavor and the meat and beans in the chili even adds protein (it sounds strange, but don’t knock it until you try it)
Chili Nachos
Who doesn’t love nachos? Add some chili, cheese, guacamole, and jalapenos to take it to the next level! Use our homemade tortilla chips for an even better plate of nachos. Our chips are made in-house by hand cutting and frying our homemade tortillas which are made in our Addison store daily!
In Mac and Cheese
Adding chili to mac and cheese is quick and easy. The pasta and cheese from the mac and cheese adds a delicious cheesy gooey-ness to the already delicious chili
As a burger topping
We all know about chili hot dogs, but have you ever had chili on a burger? Using chili as a topping adds a delicious flavor and makes it a meat lover’s dream!
Tex Mex Pizza
You can replace pizza sauce with chili for a tex mex pizza! Grab our homemade dough or plain crust and go crazy. All you have to do is add the chili and cheese. The chili already has ground meat and pork, so you get a little bit of everything in every bite!
We hope you stay warm and enjoy our La Bella Romana chili!
As 2024 begins, we reflect on last year which marked our 65th year in business. We hit a lot of milestones last year and now we take a minute to look ahead and think of what 2024, our 66th year in business, will bring. No matter what, we make sure to stay true to what our business was founded on. We never move forward without acknowledging all the sacrifice, dedication, and lessons it took to get us to where we are now.
If you’re new to Caputo’s or want to know more about us, allow us to introduce ourselves because we are more than just your average grocery store.
Our story dates back to the 1950s when an italian immigrant, Angelo Caputo, with a strong work ethic and desire to make something of himself came to America. He was born in Mola di Bari, Italy and immigrated to America at the age of 18. To gain entry into the country, he enlisted in the US army. His goal was to live out the American Dream.
He put everything he had towards accomplishing his goal and his hard work paid off. In 1958, on the corner of Harlem and Wrightwood in Elmwood Park, Angelo opened Caputo’s New Farm Produce. That is what started it all.
Angelo is synonymous with Romana. Angelo fell in love with Romana at a young age when he was still in Italy and their love story is very special. When he was in the army, he asked for a leave and went straight back to Mola di Bari to check on the love of his life and a few weeks later, they were married! They shared a beautiful story together. Romana was always a pillar of strength for Angelo. She supported him through every obstacle and challenge.
In 1984, they were back in Italy visiting family and looking at product manufacturers in hopes of launching a private label. When thinking of a name for this upcoming private label, Angelo decided this was the perfect opportunity to honor the beauty of his wife. He named the new brand, La Bella Romana which translates to The Beautiful Romana. Anyone who knew Romana knew that she was the most incredible woman. She had a heart bigger than anyone could imagine. She was selfless, humble, and was known for her self taught skills in the kitchen.
Anyone lucky enough to have a meal prepared by Romana Caputo can attest that it was probably one of the best meals they’ve ever had. Her skills inspired our La Bella Romana Cucina and kitchen. We have a full kitchen in our warehouse where we make prepared foods and catering items from scratch.
She also inspired our La Bella Romana Bakery. Every item is made from scratch out of our central bakery in our Carol Stream location and sent to all our stores daily. Many of the cookie recipes even adapted from Romana’s very own recipes.
The most important thing to Angelo and Romana both was their family. We are now being run by Angelo and Romana’s daughter Antonella, son-in-law Robertino, and their children. We now have 4 generations of Caputo family members. Though we grow, we never forget the lessons Angelo and Romana taught us and we take those with us in every aspect of our business.
Sadly, both Angelo and Romana have passed. Our family takes comfort in knowing they are together in heaven, probably dancing and enjoying the many feasts Romana is preparing. Not a day goes by where we don’t think of them and remember their sacrifices and all they had to overcome to accomplish what they did. Our family is committed to making sure their legacy lives on.
We want to thank our extended family of customers for their loyalty throughout the past 65+ years and we look forward to continuing to make more memories in the years to come!
The New Year is right around the corner. With the new year comes many traditions in hopes the new year will bring good luck and fortune to all who partake. Different cultures have different traditions, but many traditions involve some type of food! Here are a few New Years traditions you may want to try out!
Lentils
Lentils are considered good luck for the New Year in many cultures, particularly in Italy, due to their resemblance to coins. This visual similarity symbolizes wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Additionally, lentils tend to increase in size when cooked, further emphasizing the idea of abundance.
In our family, my mother picked up the tradition from her mother and the matriarch of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets, Romana Caputo. Nonna Romana would make lentil soup to be eaten after the clock strikes midnight as a sign of good luck and prosperity for the New Year.
Many people also eat sausage with their lentils, known as Cotechino con Lenticchie . This is said to symbolize abundance because sausage adds richness and heartiness to this dish. When sausage and lentils are eaten together, it means that the New Year will be even better than the last!
We offer dry lentils for you to make yourself or pick up one of our homemade lentil soups from our prepared foods section!
Grapes
Another way to ring in the New Year is by eating grapes! There are a couple different ways people incorporate grapes as their New Year’s tradition.
One is that at midnight you eat 12 grapes, one for each month of the year. When you eat each grape, you are supposed to make a wish for that month.
Another tradition is almost like a game! This tradition is that people try to eat twelve grapes, one for each chime of the clock, as the clock strikes midnight. The Belief is that each grape represents one of the twelve months of the coming year. Successfully eating all twelve grapes before the last chime is believed to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the year.
Collard Greens
In the southern parts of the United Sates, many people incorporate collard greens into their New Year’s Day meals. The color green is typically associated with money which is why this specific veggie is used. It is eaten in hopes the next year will bring prosperity and good luck! This is usually eaten with black eyed peas and pork, which like the Italian traditions are supposed to symbolize wealth and abundance!
Champagne
Champagne is synonymous with New Years for so many reasons! That initial pop of the cork is a joyous celebration of a new beginning. Champagne is also typically assosciated with luxrious celebrations. Essentially, champagne has become a cultural symbol of hope, joy, and new beginnings, making it the perfect beverage to usher in the new year
At Christmastime, there is always a main focus on the meal. Especially on Christmas eve with all the fish! Need some help getting dessert covered? We have tons of festive and traditional items available for your Christmas desserts tables that children and adults alike will enjoy!
Here are 6 items we will be offering this year that are great for all your holiday parties.
Cream Puff Tree
Our homemade cream puffs stacked in the shape of a tree and festively decorated! These can feed a variety of crowds as we have them in 3 different sizes
Shortbread Cookie Tree
Who doesn’t love cookies on Christmas? This tree is made by stacking shortbread cookies and decorating with green to resemble a tree as well as ornaments and more! There are tons of cookies for everyone and it looks beautiful on a table!
Cannoli Dipper
Cannoli are a classic dessert. If you’re looking for a spin on this classic, then the cannoli dipper is for you! It comes with a container of our homemade cannoli filling and then smaller pieces of our homemade cannoli shells around it. That way guests can dunk the shells in the dip! Pro tip: cut up some strawberries and top them with some cannoli filling!
Candy Cane Cupcake Cake
Festive, fun, easy for sharing, and delicious. Our cupcake cake pulls apart simply so there is no hassle about cutting the cake (or kids arguing about who got the bigger piece). The candy cane shape and bright colors adds a fun look to the dessert table!
Cookie Cake
This is a 12” chocolate chip cookie that we decorate with Christmas decorations! It serves about 6-10 people
Brownie Tree Platter
Our homemade, decadent brownies are cut and placed in a Christmas tree platter. It serves roughly 16 people.
Limited quantities of these items will be available in store. To guarantee yours, make sure you order ahead! You can email lbrbakery@caputomarkets.com to get everything you need for your sweets table!
We know this time of year may be stressful. Getting tons of presents, doing plenty of Christmas activities, and now it’s about that time to start thinking about meal prep for what may be the biggest holiday of the year. Sharing a meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas is sure to help you make some happy memories. At Caputo’s, we want you to have a hassle free holiday, so we will do the work for you! Our Homemade Holiday Feast is perfect for the holiday season and will allow you to spend quality time with the family! This homemade feast features a main entree, multiple side dishes, condiments, and dessert!
We offer a full feast that will make your holidays much easier! Our homemade feast feeds 10-12 people and is made with all natural foods and no preservatives. You get a completely homemade meal, but without all the work! This meal will help to create some core memories for your family that you will be able to enjoy because you’re not stuck in the kitchen prepping. For the main entrée, there is a choice between an oven roasted turkey that comes with our homemade gravy or an oven baked ham that comes with our signature pineapple apricot glaze. Both items are holiday classics so you can’t go wrong with either one of them!
You will get sides–vegetables, potatoes, a salad, and dinner rolls. There are different options to pick from to make your dinner perfect for your guests. To go along with your meal are condiments– you will get two cans of either jelly or cranberry sauce.
Can’t forget dessert! The feast comes with a fresh 8” La Bella Romana apple or pumpkin pie!
The feast is available hot for Christmas Eve or you can request it cold and warm it up to enjoy on Christmas Day!
Ordering is simple! You can call (630) 620-4444 ext 1040 or simply place your order online here and your feast is taken care of in a matter of minutes!
Now that Thanksgiving has passed, it’s time to get into gift giving mode! Whether you have tons of people on your list or just a few, it can be hard to find that perfect gift. That’s where we can come in because what’s better than the gift of food! We have something for everyone! Here is a gift giving guide for you… Caputo’s style
Here are some ideas for all the different foodies in your life!
Dolce & Gabbana Panettone
Panettone is a staple Christmas gift. It is a sweet bread that Italians enjoy around the holidays. It is a tall, dome-like shaped sweet bread that comes in multiple flavors. The baking process is long and involves curing the dough, then proofing the cake to give it the fluffy texture. There are then extras added into the dry mix like dried candies, raisins, or chocolate chips! This dolce and Gabbana one adds the perfect special touch to this traditional gift. Imported from Sicily, it comes in a beautiful metal tin that has the signature D&G style and has a matching bag that the recipient can keep all year round
Oil and Vinegar
Every cook can use oil and vinegar! At Caputo’s, we have more than just the basics! We have tons of oils and vinegars imported from Italy– classic and infused. You can gift a line of infused olive oils that bring delicious flavors into dishes– infused with chili, garlic, basil, lemon, truffle… so many options. We also have a wide range of vinegars. Balsamic glazes, raspberry infused, fig infused, imported balsamic, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, prosecco vinegar, and so many more. These are great gifts because it might not be something you pick out for yourself, but this gift could be the recipient’s new household staple!
Cheese
Is there someone in your life who loves cheese? Then head to our cheese department and pick out a selection of some of our cheeses! We have cheese from all over the world and tons of different items that pair perfectly with cheese– fig spreads, infused honeys, imported nuts– everything you can think of! This is another great gift that allows someone to taste a variety of items they may not choose for themselves. Picking out a few items and putting them in a festive basket makes for a great gift. Need some ideas? Then check out our holiday cheese guide
Cookies
If you know someone who has a sweet tooth, stop by our La Bella Romana Bakery! We have a variety of homemade Italian cookies and butter cookies. People won’t be able to resist! If you want to take it one step further, you can buy a nice plate or dish and put the cookies on there! Sprinkle some wrapped gianduia or torrone on top and you have 2 different gifts– the dish and the cookies!
Italian Candies and imports
If you have someone from Italy or someone who loves the Italian culture in your life, you’ve found the right place! We have tons of imports in our store, including the hard to find Italian candies. A goodie bag full of the candies or cookies is a simple and thoughtful gift! Limoncello candies or Nutella biscuits anyone?
Coffee
Who doesn’t know a coffee lover? We have tons of coffee— pods, grounds, beans… you name it! We even have some of the hard to find ones that we import from Italy. Pair that with a moka espresso maker, some mugs, or even some coffee flavors or syrups for a coffee lovers dream gift. You can even throw in some la Bella romana chocolate covered espresso beans, some cappuccino hard candies, or some biscotti for dunking.
Fruit Baskets
Who doesn’t love fresh fruit? That’s why our La Bella Romana fruit baskets are another perfect gift. In 3 different sizes, these baskets filled with fresh fruits are a delightful and delicious gift to get during the holiday season!
Need a bag to put the gifts in? Don’t forget to pick up a Buon Natale Caputo’s Bag! It makes for the perfect gift bag and shopping bag! Of course a Caputo’s gift card pairs well with any gift! Pick up one in store or email events@caputomarkets.com and we can help you out!
