The Destination Guide

Congratulations Vesuvio Pizzeria and Spaghetti House, voted Best of Toronto by The Destination Guide. Named for the New Yorker who taught owner Dominic Pugliese how to make pizza, Vesuvio’s brought New York-style pizza to Toronto in 1957 and continues to serve its guests authentic, homemade pizzas, pastas and entrees. More than 5,500 fans watched The Destination Guide’s video and voted for Vesuvio. You can view it by clicking on the Toronto link. And if you happen to be in Toronto, go visit them at 3010 Dundas St. West.

The Destination Guide is headed to St. Louis, the 58th largest city in the U.S. and the 18th largest metropolitan area. We will be filming in September for an October Best of St. Louis contest. We’ve already got a few locations picked out and are beginning to schedule shoots. Missouri is quickly becoming one of our favorite places. This summer, The Destination Guide filmed in Lake of the Ozarks, about 3 1/2 hours to the west. (Check out the videos). We’ve also featured the legendary Lambert’s Cafe in Sikeston and St. Louis’s Lumiere Place Casino and Hotels. Be sure to check back to see what’s next.

Congratulations Odyssey Cruises, The Destination Guide’s Best Escape on the Lake. Launching from Navy Pier, Odyssey Chicago is an elegant and unique way to experience the city’s skyline. The stunning yacht can accommodate parties as small as two and as large as 600. Cruises range from brunch to Sunset Dinner to New Year’s Eve Fireworks. Menus offer items such as Seafood Ravioli Gratinee and Odyssey’s Signature Decadent Chocolate Truffle Torte. Each cruise heads south along the Lakefront, then north, sometimes as far as Evanston, before returning to Navy Pier. See a full list of cruises, plus sample menus and virtual tours of the yacht at http://www.odysseycruises.com/.

Congratulations Ledo's Pizza, The Destination Guide's Best Pizzeria in Chicago. Ledo's has been holding court in Countryside, just outside of Chicago, for more than 50 years. Ledo's is a family-run and family-friendly restaurant

founded by the Dorgan and Lenzie families in 1961. They specialize in Italian classics (mostaccioli, ravioli), Chicago classics (Italian beef)

and thin- and thick-crust pizzas. The restaurant's owners will tell you the key to their success is “quality, cleanliness, customer service, and the ability to serve the community.” Learn more at http://ledospizza.net/.

The Destination Guide’s Best of the Lake competition starts Aug. 1 at noon EST. The competition features our favorite destinations from Lake of the Ozarks, a Missouri resort area radiating around a 55,000-acre lake. One of the Midwest’s most

popular summer retreats, Lake of the Ozarks is home to restaurants, golf courses, theaters, wineries and so much more. Click on the Ozarks link to watch the videos and vote for your favorites.

Congratulations Adoba Eco Hotel, winner of The Destination Guide’s Best of The Black Hills contest with more than 5,500 votes. Fans of the video left comments such as, “Love the new green design!!! Thank you for taking steps to preserve mother nature!” and “I believe in the Adoba Hotel concept. The food at the Enigma is delicious and the staff is world class. The new rooms are a delight that will linger in my memory.” Check out the cutting-edge Adoba Eco at http://www.adobarapidcity.com/, and be sure to watch their video on our Black Hills page.

Congratulations Olympic Store Fixtures, Inc., The Destination Guide’s Best Restaurant Equipment Dealer in Chicago. The family-owned company has been serving clients — including both mom-and-pop restaurants and

some of the most-renowned and highest-grossing restaurants in Chicagoland — for the last 36 years.  Olympic has a large showroom where the public can browse restaurant equipment and kitchen gear from popular manufacturers and suppliers. They also specialize in custom kitchen design and festival rental equipment, plus have an on-site service and repair shop.  Check them out on line at http://www.olympicstorefixtures.com.

The Destination Guide has named Il Vicolo Trattoria Best of 2012! The one-year-old restaurant in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park has blown diners away with its simple but delicious preparations of traditional Italian favorites. Meaning “the alley” or “the walkway,” the restaurant features casual white tablecloth service inside, plus seating fo

r more than 60 on its patio. The menu ranges from antipasti (Grigliata Mista Di Pesce is grilled shrimp, calamari and octopus served over mixed greens with lemon, garlic and olive oil) to pastas (Penne, Proscuitto e Piselli is penne pasta with Italian prosciutto, mushrooms and green pees) to fish, steak, veal and pork (Costata Di Maiale Saltimbocca is a pan-seared pork chop topped with fresh sage, prosciutto

and mozzarella in Pinot Grigio wine sauce). Learn more at http://www.ilvicolooakpark.com.