This Month's Featured Dishes | March 2026 - Part I

Must try appetizers, entrees, desserts or cocktails available at
local Fox Valley restaurants.

3rd Street Beef Sandwich
The 3rd Street Beef Sandwich at 3rd Street Pub shouts—and for good reason. This isn’t your typical roast beef sandwich; it’s an unapologetic celebration of flavor and abundance that’s become a St. Charles favorite.

The foundation is simple: tender, slow-roasted beef sliced thin and piled high on toasted French bread. But what elevates this sandwich from good to legendary is what happens next. Our kitchen crew loads it with sautéed mushrooms, sweet green peppers, caramelized onions, and a generous blanket of melted provolone cheese that cascades over the sides. Each ingredient is cooked to perfection.

But here’s where things get interesting: every order comes with a side of warm au jus. You can drizzle it over the top, dip each bite, or ask us to make it “wet” from the start. Regular customers have strong opinions about the right approach, and we love the friendly debates it sparks at the bar.

Served with a heaping portion of golden fries and priced at just $12, it’s the kind of sandwich that turns first-time visitors into regulars. Whether you’re grabbing dinner after work or settling in to watch the game, the 3rd Street Beef delivers comfort, flavor, and that satisfying feeling of getting more than you paid for.

Stop by and see why locals call it “the best-kept secret on 3rd Street”—though with sandwiches this good, we’re not sure how much longer it’ll stay a secret.

3rd Street Pub
11 N 3rd Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
1-630-797-5158

Cortado and Oatmeal
A relaxing morning at Arista Coffee & Café may start with a smooth Lavazza espresso and warm milk cortado accompanied by steel-cut oatmeal, hearty with berries and brown sugar. It’s a simple breakfast that sets a calm, steady tone.

Arista Coffee & Café
2155 CityGate Lane, Suite 109
Naperville, IL 60563
1-630-579-7830

Shepherd’s Pie
Generously filled with slow-braised diced lamb, peas, and carrots in a rich, herb-infused gravy, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to golden perfection, this dish is as much of a hit today as it was over 50 years ago when the recipe was created.

Balmoral Restaurant
40W099 IL-64
St. Charles, IL 60175
1-331-901-5224

Potato-Crusted Halibut
Highlighting clean flavors and precise technique, CityGate Grille’s Halibut in a crisp potato crust stays tender and flaky beneath its golden edge. Silky slow-cooked leeks finished with a touch of cream add depth to the refined dish.

Che Figata
2155 CityGate Ln.,Suite 103
Naperville, IL 60563
1-630-579-3210

Frutti di Mar Pasta
Scallops, green mussels, and shrimp tossed with house-made bucatini in a rich red sauce, finished with Calabrian chili, cream and parmesan. Available this march only at EatAtGiardino.com

Giardino Trattoria & Pizzeria
12 N. River St.
Aurora IL, 60506
1-630-701-2819

Linguini Frutti di Mare
Linguini pasta with, the “fruit of the sea”, including scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari all tossed in a spicy marinara sauce.

La ZaZa Trattoria
5 S. 1st Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
1-630-443-9304

Potato Pierogis
Braised oxtail, havarti cheese, crispy fingerlings, dill, apple, chive, caramelized onion & white peppercorn cream, garlic-potato crumb.