If there’s one thing most people can agree onit’s that a hearty plate of pasta is always a good choice. Heavy with Italian traditionChicago is home to some of the country’s best red sauce restaurants. From timeless classicssuch as spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Vesuvioto contemporary offerings featuring fancy ingredients like trufflesthere’s a lot of variety to be had. Some spots have histories that span decades while others are relative newcomers. But the one thing they all have in common: Cooking that’ll make Nonna proud. In addition to phenomenal Italian restaurantsChicago is also home to places that focus primarily on pizzaspastasand Italian beef.
Rose Mary
Chicago’s Best Italian Restaurants
Where to find the finest pastaschicken parmand other Italian specialties in the city
Jeffy Mai was the Associate Editor for Eater’s Midwest regionand has been covering Chicago’s dining scene for over a decade.
The latest update adds Dimmi Dimmi Corner ItalianClub Luckyand Avvio to the mixjoining a roster of stalwarts that have kept Chicago’s Italian dining scene thriving for generations. Here are some of the city’s most stellar options for Italian cuisine.
— Additional reporting by Ashok Selvam and Serena Maria Daniels
Rose Mary
Chicago’s Best Italian Restaurants
Where to find the finest pastaschicken parmand other Italian specialties in the city
Jeffy Mai was the Associate Editor for Eater’s Midwest regionand has been covering Chicago’s dining scene for over a decade.
If there’s one thing most people can agree onit’s that a hearty plate of pasta is always a good choice. Heavy with Italian traditionChicago is home to some of the country’s best red sauce restaurants. From timeless classicssuch as spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Vesuvioto contemporary offerings featuring fancy ingredients like trufflesthere’s a lot of variety to be had. Some spots have histories that span decades while others are relative newcomers. But the one thing they all have in common: Cooking that’ll make Nonna proud. In addition to phenomenal Italian restaurantsChicago is also home to places that focus primarily on pizzaspastasand Italian beef.
The latest update adds Dimmi Dimmi Corner ItalianClub Luckyand Avvio to the mixjoining a roster of stalwarts that have kept Chicago’s Italian dining scene thriving for generations. Here are some of the city’s most stellar options for Italian cuisine.
— Additional reporting by Ashok Selvam and Serena Maria Daniels
Avvio Italian Kitchen
When Sabatino’s closed in 2018Chicago lost one of its great old-school Italian institutions. Thankfullyformer Sabatino’s chef Joel Piedra carries the torch at Avviokeeping the spirit — and many of the beloved recipes — alive. Expect classics like stuffed chicken breast and Richard’s Speciala trio of filet mignon marsalabreaded shrimpand veal piccata. And true to traditionevery entree still comes with soup and salad.
Void
Void is a comfy spot along Milwaukee Avenue in Avondale that flips a lot of cliches about Italian American restaurants on its back (“When you’re hereyou’re family,” etc). The restaurant strikes a balance between approachability and precisionwith a focusedrotating menu that still keeps staples like lasagna and gnocchi on regular rotation. The house-made SpaghettiOswhich are presented in a can to evoke childhood memoriesare a great example of Void’s attention to detail.
Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago
Mano a Mano
The owners of Andros Taverna opened a dimly lit and intimate restaurant that serves a variety of pastas made with farm-fresh ingredients. Mano a Mano features attentive servicegreat dessertsand an ambitious wine list. While it’s not a traditional red-sauce spotit puts a modern spin on familiar Italian classics. The seafood-stuffed pastas are worth the splurgeand the bread is also a must-order — the stracchino with the focaccia is a crowd-pleaser.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Daisies
The relocation of this Logan Square favorite brings Italian cuisine through a Midwestern lenshighlighting close ties with local farmers and some of the city’s best pasta. The family-friendly spot doubles as a cafe by dayserving sandwiches and pastriesand transforms into a sit-down dinner destination at night. Don’t miss pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky’s memorable desserts.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Riccardo Trattoria
Coming from a family with a rich restaurant pedigreechef-owner Riccardo Michi whips up some of the finest Tuscan food on the North Side. Diners love the daily specials and crowd-pleasing dishessuch as lobster-and-crab-filled ravioli and luscious panna cotta. Be sure to try the tripe Florentinetoo — veal tripe braised with vegetables and tomatoes is a truly memorable preparation.
Riccardo Trattoria
Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian
Dimmi Dimmi has brought a fresh splash of red sauce to Lincoln Park. Chef Matt Eckfeldwho has worked at notable Italian hot spots like Carbone and Contessadelivers Italian American dishes such as Italian beef- carpacciobaked clams casinospicy vodka stuffed shellsand tavern- pizzas. The menu is complemented by spritzes and Italian-leaning cocktails like a Calabrian dirty martini. It’s a welcoming spot for families or a casual dinnerthough reservations can be hard to snag.
Club Lucky
A retro Italian supper club right in Wicker ParkClub Lucky channels the ‘40s lounge vibe with brick wallsred leather boothsand a serious martini menu. You’ll find handmade pastas and classics like fried calamarichicken Vesuvioand chicken parmall served family‑. With its vintage décorthe spot is as much about the atmosphere and company as it is about the food.
Tortello
There’s a slew of places in Chicago to get great pasta but very few dedicate themselves to the craft like Tortello. Husband-and-wife owners Dario Monni and Jill Gray take the art of pasta making seriously and enlisted a master sfoglina to help train the team. The charming pastificio imports its flour from Italy and the storefront window provides passersby with a view of the staff cutting and kneading dough into a variety of shapes. The menu presents options like tortelli filled with burratacacio e pepespaghetti stracciatellaand chiusoni alla gallurese. Fresh pastas by the poundsaucesand meal kits are available as well. The charming outdoor patio is a great summer retreat.
Adalina
Glitzy and glamorousAdalina is built to impress. The lively Gold Coast restaurant offers plenty of eye candyfrom crystal chandeliers and vintage mirrors to plush velvet seats. Servers dressed in tuxedos echo the stylish settingwhile chef Soo Ahn’s modern Italian menu showcases refined dishes like cacio e pepe aranciniveal chop parmand a truffled Caesar salad prepared tableside.
Adalina
Elina’s
Industry vets Ian Rusnak and Eric Safin teamed up to open this small Italian American joint in West Town in 2022. The spacewhich has just 28 seatsis dimly lit by candles and features striking features like an exposed brick wallan antique mirrorand teal banquettes. Every meal starts with complimentary garlic breadfocacciaand salami before diners dig into clams casinorigatoni a la vodkachicken and eggplant parmcherry pepper ribsDover sole piccataand more — all served on vintage china.
Garrett Sweet/Eater Chicago
Piccolo Sogno
Escape the bustle of the city at Piccolo Sogno’s lush garden patio and enjoy an intimate evening filled with rustic cuisine and Italian wines. The “little dream,” the restaurant name’s translationof Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo treats diners to dishes like seafood spaghetti neropappardelle with wild boar ragubraised beef short ribsand wood-fired pizzas.
Galdones Photography/Piccolo Sogno
Ummo
The owners of Tzucochef Carlos Gaytán’s lauded Mexican restaurantturned their attention to Italian cooking when they took over the former Rockit space in River North. Ummo leans into decadence with dishes like burrata and avocado crowned with caviarand pasta tossed in a rich lobster cream sauce with seafood.
Ciccio Mio
Hogsalt Hospitality recreates the Italian American supper club experience at River North throwback Ciccio Mio. Guests are transported to a bygone era when they step into the cozy dining room decorated with vintage artworkchandeliersand plush banquettes. The kitchen deftly turns out excellent classicssuch as black truffle bucatinispicy vodka rigatonilasagna rollsand chicken parm. And for a sweet endingget the cannocini or soft-serve gelato.
Ciccio Mio
Tre Dita
Tre Dita inside the luxurious St. Regis Chicago is one of the prettiest restaurants in townoffering a mix of pasta and steaks from L.A. chef Evan Funke. This Lettuce Entertain You spot is rooted in Tuscan cooking and has a pasta lab where guests can watch the team make intricate noodle shapes by hand.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Rose Mary
Since openingRose Mary has been one of the city’s hottest tableswith South Side native Joe Flamm blending Italian and Croatian flavors into something truly special. The pasta is exceptionalfrom malfadine with lamb ragu to radiatori cacio e pepe. The pork ribs are equally impressiveas is the Croatian standout sausagecevapi. The spacious interior features an open kitchenneutral tonesand woodwork detailingas well as ample plants displayed throughout.
Rose Mary
Monteverde
Top Chef and Spiaggia vet Sarah Grueneberg places an emphasis on freshly made pastas and delivers regional Italian flavors through a modern lens at her lauded West Loop restaurant. The food lineup provides hits such as cacio whey pepeegg yolk ravioliospaghetti al pomodoroand wok-fried arrabbiata. Grueneberg took home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2017.
Monteverde
Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap
Guests don’t have to be regulars to feel like family at this longtime neighborhood joint. Owned by the DiBuono family since 1931little has changed at Tufano’s over the decades. Stop in for hearty red sauce dishes and favorites like eggplant parm and lemon chicken Vesuvio. Other old-school touches include chalkboard menus and a cash-only policy. The James Beard Foundation honored the restaurant as one of “America’s Classics” in 2008.
Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap
Peanut Park Trattoria
Taylor Street has changed over the yearsbut it remains a vital landmark when tracing the history of Italian immigrants in Chicago. Peanut Park Trattoriaowned by the owners of Coalfire Pizzaproudly serves delicious meatballsdelicate orecchiette with Italian sausageand ‘nduja from Tempesta Market. With touches of Italian inspiration incorporated into the aestheticincluding a wine cave- wall and other memorabiliaPeanut Park proves that Little Italy still has a heart.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Bacchanalia
Head to the Heart of Italy for this family-run operation that’s been around for over four decades. Touting recipes from the old countryBacchanalia turns out notable versions of linguine with clamsbreaded pork tenderloinveal scallopinigorgonzola gnocchiand more. To finishpistachio cannoli is a must. The cozy dining room adds a warmhomey touch to every meal.
Nella Pizza e Pasta
Calamari frittiquattro formaggi risottoand house-made spaghetti are some of the specialties at this Hyde Park Italian restaurant. While this list steers clear of pizzeriasthe restaurant’s Neapolitan pies are worth noting. Freshly baked bread proves just as essential for soaking up the many flavorful sauces. The space features a bright design accented by white subway tiles.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
