J.P. Graziano Italian Market & Sandwiches | Near West Side, Chicago

In 2007, Randolph Street's historic wholesale shop J.P. Graziano began selling superlative subs built on crusty D'Amato baguettes. Last year, in 2010, they put much of their stock of Italian cheeses, meats, oils, pastas and sauces online.

This spring, more changes are afoot at the 74-year-old market. Fourth-generation owner Jim Graziano is making it an even better place to shop–and to eat.

He gave giardiniera and Asiago cheese to Crumb bakery's Anne Kostroski to bake into small rolls, which he sells at the shop and will soon use to bookend a new sandwich.

A new antipasti plate ($8) has charcuterie, cheese, Cerignola olives and taralli, dense, doughnut-shaped Italian-style crackers also made by Crumb. Meats from New York's Salumeria Biellese will soon be joined by The Butcher & Larder's mortadella, and prosciutto from La Quercia.

Graziano's new salad ($6.50) is assembled from local ingredients, recently a tangle of mizuna and shallots from Genesis Growers, plus Seedling Farms' dried apricots, and can be eaten on-site at the shop's two new tables or on its brand new 24-seat patio along Peoria Street.

One thing that won't be changing: Graziano, his sister and their mother will continue to run the counters and the cash register, as their family has done for the better part of a century.

J.P. Graziano, 901 W. Randolph St.; 312-666-4587 or jpgraziano.com