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Kicking off the first feature of Outstanding Operators is Mary Aregoni of Saigon Sisters. Aregoni is being recognized for redefining the Chicago area food scene, serving a Vietnamese concept that has proven versatile in meeting different market venues and sizes. Inspired by her history, Aregoni founded Saigon Sisters in 2009, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother who were both successful entrepreneurs in food distribution in Laos, before having to relocate due to the Vietnam War.

Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago are a foodie's delight, offering a wide range of authentic Vietnamese cuisine. From the bustling streets of Vietnam to the Windy City, these restaurants bring the vibrant flavors of Vietnam to life. Whether you're craving a comforting bowl of pho or savoring the perfect balance of flavors in a banh mi, Vietnamese restaurants in Chicago provide an unforgettable culinary experience. Come indulge in the exotic tastes and warm hospitality that these establishments have to offer.

Among the myriad things Chicago is known for is world-class food. From classics such as deep-dish pizza to more innovative gastronomical creations, the Windy City has eats and drinks to satisfy the most discriminating taste buds. Offering unique beers, eclectic world cuisines, and, yes, pizza, the restaurants included here are bringing bold new flavors and ideas to the city's renowned culinary scene.

Chicago is home to a small but vibrant Vietnamese community. As a result, there are quite a few options for quality Southeast Asian specialties. The following restaurants - spanning Argyle Street to Pilsen - excel at banh mi, pho, goi cuon, and much more. Both home-style recipes and modern takes on classic Vietnamese dishes are represented, and most of the menus are so expansive that multiple visits are necessary in order to try all the greatest hits.

For this year's list, we keep our overall ranking numbers but organize everything by category.

Mary Nguyen Aregoni was still a child when her family was forced to flee their native Laos during the Vietnam War. They arrived on foot in Thailand, where they lived in a refugee camp immigrating to the United States. Aregoni later spent 20 years in marketing and IT at Procter and Gamble. After living through 9/11 as a New York City resident, she decided it was time to follow her dream: to open a Vietnamese restaurant. With the help of her sister Theresa, Saigon Sisters was born. The brand now includes three locations in Chicago, as well as Thai restaurant Bang Chop Thai.

Mary Aregoni's inspiration for founding Saigon Sisters came from watching her mother and grandmother run a food business in Laos. The family left their home country in 1975, and in 2009 Mary and her sister Theresa opened Saigon Sisters at the French Market in Chicago. Today, they have three locations. In 2020, Mary came to Allies for Community Business to navigate the pandemic. Through her participation in A4CB's Neighborhood Entrepreneurship Lab, Mary has developed strategies to grow her business.

These brands are responsible for some of the most exciting fast-casual innovation coming out of the Windy City.

The long and meandering journey that led Mary Nguyen Aregoni to open her own restaurant seemed to be guided by destiny, with critical factors presenting themselves to her at the right place and time. But the growth of her Saigon Sisters chain was clearly a deliberate and painstaking endeavor that succeeded in spite of external forces rather than because of them. Aregoni's sheer determination, ability to adjust and desire to focus on her cuisine's health aspects, especially during timely events like Vegan month in November, created the conditions for a proliferation of her fast-casual Vietnamese food.

Usually comprising a crusty roll, pickled veggies, fresh herbs, hot chiles, pate, and a protein, the banh mi is a traditional dish that invites creativity. Regardless of what's inside, a great banh mi is always a spicy, tangy, rich masterclass in flavor and texture. With a vast population of Vietnamese restaurants that offer everything from barbecued jackfruit and ginger chicken to savory ham and crispy pork, Chicago is home to many stellar iterations of the dish.

Saigon Sisters is a family-owned, fast-casual dining business, bringing Vietnamese and other Asian cuisines to the mainstream.

This week, the owners of Saigon Sisters and Demera unveiled a promotion to introduce their cuisines and cultures to each other's customer bases. Customers can pick up special Ethiopian meals made at Demera at Saigon Sisters in West Loop. In Uptown, customers could pickup Vietnamese meals made at Saigon Sisters at Demera. It's a partnership that Saigon Sisters's Mary Aregoni and Demera's Tigist Reda hope to grow as the two women continue to keep their independent restaurants operating during the novel coronavirus pandemic.