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Local Business Spotlight
User since Feb 2025
Seattle, WA

Focused on highlighting locally-owned businesses.

Nashville

A couple that dishes out the flavors of Chicago to Nashville locals is set to expand to Mt. Juliet

2025-05-13

When Geoff Russell and his wife, Jessica, relocated from Chicago to Nashville, they missed more than just the skyline - they missed the food. Armed with Geoff’s background in sales and customer service and his wife’s baking skills, the couple decided to team up with Jessica's parents to channel their homesickness into something tangible: a family-run restaurant serving true Chicago flavors.

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Geoff Russell shows off the impressive cheese pull from the deep dish pizza.Photo byCampione's Taste of Chicago

At first, Campione’s Taste of Chicago was founded by "Mama" Debbie and Rob Campione, who built the menu around recipes passed down from Debbie’s grandmother. When they retired, Geoff and Jessica stepped in to carry the torch. They kept the name Campione—Debbie’s family name—and stayed true to the restaurant’s roots, continuing to serve dishes that tell a story, one bite at a time.

The concept was a gamble. “Our concept is quite foreign to Tennessee,” Geoff recalls. “We didn’t know if it would work.” But work it did. Thanks to consistency, hard work, and a commitment to authenticity, Campione’s has become a neighborhood staple with a loyal following.

Central to the menu is the Italian beef sandwich—a signature dish that starts with beef slow-cooked in a family blend of herbs and spices, chilled, thinly sliced, then simmered again in its own au jus. The sandwich is served on bread that’s dipped in the same jus, creating an experience that’s juicy, bold, and deeply satisfying.

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A taste of the expansive menu at Campione's.Photo byCampione's Taste of Chicago

Then there’s the deep dish pizza, a love letter to Chicago in every way. The dough is made from scratch in-house, each pie layered with top-tier ingredients, over a pound of cheese, and topped with their homemade pizza sauce. Baked to perfection over the course of 45 minutes, it’s a dish that commands patience and rewards it handsomely.

For Geoff, the real magic is in the reactions—the look on someone’s face when they take their first bite, the regulars who become friends, the shared nostalgia from fellow Chicago transplants. Those moments fuel the day-to-day hustle and make the challenges of small business ownership worthwhile.

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Tavern-style thin crust pizza.Photo byCampione's Taste of Chicago

Campione’s first opened in 2008, and now, more than 15 years later, Geoff and his team are gearing up to open a second location in Mt. Juliet this summer. The goal? To grow the brand while keeping the heart of the business intact: family, authenticity, and the unmistakable taste of Chicago.

“We started this to share what we missed from home,” Geoff says. “Now, it’s a way to connect with others and build something meaningful, one sandwich at a time.”

In a city better known for hot chicken than Italian beef, Campione’s Taste of Chicago has carved out its own corner of culinary identity—a place where every dish comes with a story, and every customer is family.


Operating Hours and Location

Campione's Taste of Chicago is open Monday thru Saturday 11AM - 7PM. Located at 179 Hancock St, Ste 208, Gallatin, Tennessee 37066.

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