For two years, Chris Grano, host of “Naper Bites,” has been visiting Naperville restaurants to get a taste of what’s on the menu. In 2025, he visited six locations to chat with owners and chefs, and try some menu favorites.
The J.J. Nachos at B’n Chingon
B’n Chingon, a Mexican restaurant with a name that’s a play on words in Spanish, translating to “very awesome,” offers up burritos, flautas, tamales, and a stacked serving of nachos.
“When you have nachos, and they serve it with a fork, you know that they mean business,” said Grano.
The J.J. Nachos, created by their son, are layers of tortilla chips, refried beans, nacho cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle chimichurri salsa, roasted jalapeño salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and a choice of meat.
A grilled cheese named for a father at Everdine’s Grilled Cheese
When Grano traveled to Everdine’s Grilled Cheese, he sampled the Eddie Mack and Cheese, a sandwich that combines macaroni and cheese and cheese slices on Texas Toast. Owner Kelly Herkert explained she named it after her father.
“That’s why it’s spelled M-A-C-K, because it’s my maiden name. A lot of people would be like, ‘That’s not how you spell it.’ Like, that’s how we spell it, said Herkert. “He’s been passed for 25 years, and after we named it after him when we opened, I’d have people come in and say, you know, that was a real person, right?” said Herkert.
Little Pops Pizzeria brings New York-style pizza to Naperville
Little Pops Pizzeria owners Mike and Vicki Nelson may be from New York, but they made Naperville their home and wanted to bring their favorite pizza to the community.
“I’m a little biased on New York style, but that’s how we grew up,” said Mike.
Grano asked about the differences in pizza styles, and Mike joked, “about 800 miles.”
The restaurant has expanded to three locations: the original in Naperville, a carry-out location in Aurora, and a sit-down restaurant in Lisle.
Classic favorites with a twist at Next Cafe
At Next Cafe, Grano sampled French toast, the Next Morning burger, and the Slammin Salmon Benedict, which features a smoked salmon filet atop a toasted English muffin or croissant, with sliced tomato, fresh dill and arugula, red onion, capers, and topped with a creamy hollandaise sauce.
“I like that hollandaise. It’s a little bit different,” said Grano. “It’s bright, but it’s not overshadowing the salmon.”
Balancing tradition with the Naperville community at Ramsay’s Kitchen
When it comes to creating the menu, Ramsay’s Kitchen Executive Chef Nina Madsen explained that while Ramsay’s Kitchen maintains a core set of signature dishes, it also takes into account the local flair of its Naperville location.
Menu changes occur twice a year, with both spring/summer and fall/winter updates.
“We want to keep things fresh and relevant,” said Chef Nina.
A passion for cooking inspired Tasty Biscuit
Tasty Biscuit owner Hasnaa Soliman grew up in a large family where cooking was more than a necessity; it was a passion. As the oldest child, she often took charge of the kitchen, learning the craft from her mother. When Soliman moved to the United States, she brought along a love for blending different cultural flavors and infusing dishes with a variety of global influences.
Grano sampled crepes, avocado toast with a Mediterranean twist, and the Blueberry Blast, a signature dish with three slices of homemade blueberry bread made into French toast placed atop a blueberry compote, then topped with a homemade sweet cream cheese, strawberry glaze, crunchy granola, and powdered sugar.
“It’s light and fresh tasting,” said Grano. “A little crunch from the granola. You could feed a family of four with this.”
Naper Bites host: Chris Grano
Naper Bites is brought to you by Chris Grano Home Specialists
