Don’t tell Chicago, but Gianna’s stole their sandwich. Signature sandwiches are an edible work of art. Done right, they make our mouths water and our bellies happy. They leave us with warm memories of past road trips, vacations and experiences.

Eastern Iowa has a number of restaurants where one can order an Italian beef sandwich. And several of them are quite good. Each has its own style, its own variation on the standard. But very few local spots truly hit the mark of brilliance. (I know this because I have sampled most of them.)