Buona announced today the opening of its newest in Chicago’s West Loop at 804 West Washington Blvd on Saturday, November 24. The new restaurant is the second to open in downtown Chicago, and the family-owned group’s 24th location. To celebrate, Buona is giving a free Italian beef sandwich to anyone who is in line at the West Loop location before 10:00 a.m. on November 24. In addition, all diners will be given scratch-off tickets good for free food and beverage items, and a few grand prizes of free Italian beef for a year.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of the vibrant West Loop community,” says second-generation owner, Joe Buonavolanto, Jr. “This location is distinctive in that it is steeped in Chicago history—a fitting location to continue the city’s great Italian beef tradition.”

The family-owned fast casual chain serves a blend of old-school Chicago classics, including their signature Italian Beef, Italian Sausage, Beef & Sausage Combo, Meatball and Pepper & Egg sandwiches, alongside fresh, scratch-made fare including café sandwiches, protein-rich bowls, salads and more. The menu also features Chicago-style hot dogs and seasonal shakes. The new restaurant is in a modern setting and is the first to include a bar area that serves beer and wine on tap.

Buona is the last-standing 100 percent family-owned restaurant group that serves Chicago’s original Italian beef. The first Buona restaurant began with a secret recipe and a legacy that stems back to the beef stands that emanated from Chicago’s famous Union Stockyards. Founder Joe Buonavolanto, Sr. was among a group of Italian immigrants who made the Italian beef sandwich a staple of Chicago’s culinary scene, taking a second mortgage on his home in order to open the company’s first restaurant in Berwyn, Illinois. His focus on family and tradition, and his dogged adherence to the original method for making Italian beef have been essential in driving the company’s expansion. Today, Buona is the Official Italian Beef of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox and is proudly served at Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate fields, as well as at all home Chicago Bears football games.

“We’re proud of our father and the company that he founded,” says Don Buonavolanto, the second-generation owner who presided over the restaurant’s opening. “He has instilled a sense of pride and tradition in his children—values that we have passed on to our children. He also taught us how to make one helluva beef sandwich!”

Seating 56, the 2100-square-foot West Loop location features a mix archetypal Chicago materials and classic modern elements. The location will feature outdoor seating in warmer months, and offers dine-in, carry out and delivery services.