There’s a husband-and-wife duo with a new Chicagoan hole-in-the-wall that you need to meat.
And by meat, I mean meet owners Joey and Pam, who operate St. Petersburg’s Chi-Town Beefs & Dogs using the quasi-last name “Meatballs.”
“Welcome to Chicago. How you doin’?” is the standard greeting Joey, a Windy City native with a big personality, gives folks as they walk into the casual restaurant at 165 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. During our interview, he ropes in six customers or so from outside who thought they were just passing by, while Pam, a Jersey gal, works the order window.
“What we’re doing is we’re changing the neighborhood,” Joey says, adding that he and Pam also own the strip of storefronts in which Chi-Town is located.
With a knack for development (Pam’s a general contractor who used to work for Raymond James and Joey has been in construction almost all his life), the couple renovated the nearly condemned block, installing security cameras and lights that Joey says are being applauded by locals and the city.
Located in the MLK Business District, their restaurant has drawn patrons from Central Avenue, the St. Petersburg Health Department and other neighboring businesses since its Oct. 10 opening. The twosome hopes to gain customers from the huge condo project being developed behind it, as well as the company set to take over the nearby Verizon building. A coffee shop with a gourmet pastry chef is planned for the vacant space next door to Chi-Town, too.
“When we bought in this area, it was undesirable,” Pam says. “It’s changing really rapidly.”
According to Joey, Chi-Town launched because the couple was tired of eating at places that serve up underwhelming Chicago staples touted as “authentic.”
By contrast, the pepper-dressed Italian beef sandwiches at Chi-Town are based on a recipe from Joey’s grandmother. Vienna Beef links provide the right amount of snap to Chicago dogs cradled in poppyseed buns and dragged through a garden of tomato wedges, nuclear green relish and five more classic ingredients. Chili dogs and tamales accompany them on the eatery's brief menu.
The ambience of the neighborhood joint also pays homage to the owners’ roots.
The TV is tuned to The Blues Brothers at all times, and the space is decked out in family and hometown memorabilia, including an original “Kennedy for President” poster and a Chicago Cubs jersey (Joey says people keep adding to the collection). Counter seating is even built at a height that allows standing patrons to do the lean (you know, slouch over so their baskets catch the food dripping down their faces).
Pam and Joey hope to start serving wine and beers like Old Milwaukee or PBR, as well as veg-friendly dogs and chili to accommodate those who abstain from meat. They may even add a pizza to the food lineup in the future.
As the couple’s chat with CL comes to a close, Joey proclaims that a customer has just created a new item: Nick’s Tamale, filled with chili and peppers.
“This is how we expand,” Joey tells him. “This is how we keep you guys happy.”
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2015.