Any city immortalized in poetry as "hog butcher to the world" knows a thing or two about its meat. It's Chicago's taste for flesh that makes Al Primo Canto such a success. The Edgebrook spot is what Brazilians refer to as a galeteria, a name derived from the southern Brazilian specialty of roasted young chicken. A dish born of poverty, it is now considered to be something of a delicacy. Natural charcoal in a brick-oven rotisserie makes the perfect bed for slow-roasting meat, and Al Primo Canto doesn't limit its entrees to the tiny chickens. Tender cuts of beef tenderloin and succulent slabs of lamb get the same loving treatment before being served family-style to salivating patrons.

If you're expecting raw meat on a sword, this isn't the place for you—ditto if you are hoping for more herbivorous options. Because Brazilian cuisine borrows heavily from its Italian-immigrant culture, the menu here caters to both adventurous and docile diners. The multi-course menu includes Italian staples like fried polenta and roasted eggplant. The prices are set at an affordable $30 for adults and $12 for children (free under age six), and servers will keep bringing food to your table until you beg them to stop. The simple interior reflects the rustic nature of Canto's cuisine with exposed brick, mahogany floors and imported stone accents. An open kitchen allows nosier diners to peek in at the preparation process.

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: K. Tighe