The enthusiasm for Italian food in Chicago extends back to the 20th century. Italian immigrants moved to the city and shared their delicious cuisine.
Today, Chicago is home to the third-largest Italian community in the United States. Hundreds of restaurants prove it. Here are the 12 best Italian restaurants in Chicago, IL.
Sapori Trattoria
$$ | (773) 832-9999 | WEBSITE
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Anthony Barbanente founded Sapori in 2001. He gained his experience from a family restaurant where his father was the chef.
Sapori is a restaurant for many occasions, being both classy and inviting. It’s also a fantastic place for a date night because of the romantic environment.
Sapori can host small weddings, corporate events, team meetings, birthday celebrations, and more. The friendly staff will go above and beyond to ensure that your event runs well. You and your guests will surely enjoy delectable Italian cuisine.
Sapori’s menu is well known for its delicious six-hour Osso Bucco. Portions of pasta are also a big part of the menu. Handcrafted pasta includes lobster ravioli cappellaci di zucca.
You should order the Zuppa di Pesce if you enjoy seafood. It’s Sapori’s signature dish containing more than two pounds of fresh seafood and shellfish.
Ricardo Trattoria
$$$ | (773) 549-0038 | WEBSITE
Riccardo Michi, chef-owner, came from a long line of restaurateurs. No wonder he prepares many of the best Tuscan cuisines in the North.
The daily specials, such as panna cotta and seafood-filled ravioli, are popular among diners. Try the tripe Florentine. It’s veal tripe cooked with tomatoes and vegetables.
Try the fettuccine aragosta. It’s packed with noodles, scampi meat, lobster tail, and spicy sauce. Don’t forget to try their tangerine sorbet for a refreshing treat.
Riccardo Trattoria is elegant enough to celebrate memorable occasions while remaining unpretentious. This eatery is the place to go for authentic, well-executed Italian cuisine.
It’s cute and lovely. Its exquisite cuisine is like a page out of Italy, classy and undoubtedly good at what they do.
Osteria Langhe
$$$ | (773) 661-1582 | WEBSITE
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The cuisine focuses solely on the Piemonte region in northern Italy. This dining spot specializes in handcrafted pasta, truffles, and Piemontese wine. It has been named one of the top-notch Italian restaurants in the United States.
The atmosphere is perfect for a date night. The excellent wine list encourages you to order a bottle for your table.
The plin, which is small agnolotti packed with cheese, is delicate and lovely. The beef tartare is perfectly seasoned. Moreover, the rabbit loin is drenched in truffle sauce.
Order the luscious panna cotta to conclude the evening, just in case you need more proof that Osteria Langhe is the best.
Nico Osteria
$$$ | (312) 994-7100 | WEBSITE
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Nico Osteria serves Italian seafood in the Gold Coast district of Chicago. This restaurant provides a warm and pleasant eating experience for hotel guests and neighborhood diners. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.
You can order homemade pasta and excellent seafood in their classy dining room. Try their rustic fare in their casual yet refined bar space. You’ll surely enjoy their pristine crudo, grilled branzino, and more.
The restaurant serves a different menu daily. It is available for banquets, catering, private dining, and room service. It features pristine goods to highlight the bounties of the fishermen and farmers.
La Scarola
$$$ | (312) 243-1740 | WEBSITE
This restaurant is perfect for an informal date night and dinner with buddies. You can come here any day to taste authentic Italian food.
If you’d ask a random Chicago resident to pick a classic Italian eatery, La Scarola would be top of the mind. It’s a local hangout with white tablecloths and old celebrity portraits on the walls.
La Scarola is entrenched in Italian heritage. Their menu features Italian favorites, such as peppers and sausage. Try their delectable Shrimp Armani and bruschetta for appetizers.
Don’t miss Veal Mondelli and risotto primavera for mains. Huge pasta plates and veal scallopini the size of a table are great treats.
Gibsons Italia
$$$ | (312) 414-1100 | WEBSITE
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Gibsons Restaurant Group is best known for steaks. However, this magnificent tri-level venue expanded to include Italian cuisine in 2017.
Gibsons Italia is located close to the Chicago River. You’ll enjoy magnificent city views, a gorgeous dining space, and a lovely outdoor patio.
Gibsons takes pride in its grass-fed Australian beef. Superb Italian dishes include risotto, arancini, and fresh pasta fashioned with a gold extruder. There are also several enticing antipasti selections.
Alla Vita
$$$ | (312) 667-0104 | WEBSITE
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Alla Vita is a famed Italian restaurant in the former Bellemore space. Beautiful accents include fabric pieces flowing from the ceiling and a wooden pergola full of plants.
Savory dishes include buffalo mozzarella, wood-fired pizzas, and more. The chicken parmesan remains crunchy even in a rich tomato sauce. The pizzas won’t disappoint with their chewy crust.
Treat your taste buds with their delectable pastries. You can have the chef’s tiramisu, homemade sorbet, and gelato. The extensive wine list features mostly Italian labels. The liquor selection includes vermouth and Amari.
Alla Vita is a spot to share and enjoy delectable Italian family-style cuisine. The chef promotes his love of fresh, delectable Italian dishes prepared with the finest ingredients.
Piccolo Sogno
$$ | (312) 421-0077 | WEBSITE
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Piccolo Sogno means “little dream.” It’s a realization of the owners’ goal of starting their restaurant of Italian food and wine. It’s a great place to get away from the city and enjoy an intimate evening.
Their top dishes include homemade pizzas, seafood spaghetti, and more. Their all-Italian wine selection of over 400 options is also remarkable. The staff will help you decide what wine matches perfectly with your food to avoid overwhelm.
For something simple but gratifying, order their signature Ravioli. It’s packed with four kinds of cheese, drizzled with Marsala sauce, and garnished with pine nuts and Parmesan curls.
Piccolo Sogno is entirely focused on creating a one-of-a-kind dining experience that transports customers to Italy.
Tortello
$$ | (773) 360-1293 | WEBSITE
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Tortello is a relaxed counter-service eatery that makes everything from scratch. It features simple meals, high-quality ingredients, and Italian traditions. It prioritizes local and family-owned ventures.
Tortello is also a fresh pasta store like you’ll discover in every city in Italy. You can also buy pasta sauces and meal kits to prepare at home. You can sign up for a private class if you want to learn the chef’s secrets to making authentic pasta.
The lovely restaurant imports its flour from Italy. Strollers passing by can see the crew cutting and kneading dough into diverse forms via the front window.
Menu offerings include spaghetti stracciatella, cacio e pepe, and more. Don’t miss the must-try tiramisu, made with the chef’s grandmother’s recipe.
Ciccio Mio
$$$ | (312) 796-3316 | WEBSITE
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Ciccio Mio aims to give diners the Italian-American supper club feel. Get mesmerized when you enter the intimate dining room. It is furnished with chandeliers, ancient artwork, and classy banquettes.
The menu includes pasta, antipasti, and main courses. Everything is superb, from the bolognese lasagna to the crispy chicken parmesan.
Classics like lasagna rolls, spicy rigatoni, and truffle bucatini are expertly prepared in the kitchen. Order the soft gelato or cannocini for a decadent treat.
Adalina
$$$ | (312) 820-9000 | WEBSITE
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Adalina is a glamorous and elegant dining spot. It is built to show off. Vintage mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and luxurious velvet couches adorn this vibrant Gold Coast restaurant.
The place also takes pride in its modern Italian cuisine. It was created by Soo Ahn, a former chef of Band of Bohemia.
It highlights refined favorites like veal chop parm and cacio e pepe arancini. There is also truffled Caesar salad, tableside prepared.
The award-winning pastries, as well as the handmade pasta, also stand out.
Elina’s
$$$ | (312) 929-2249 | WEBSITE
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The place can seat only 28 people. It is dimly lit with candles perfect for intimate evenings. It boasts unique features such as a vintage mirror, an open brick wall, and teal banquettes.
Guests kick off with complimentary focaccia, garlic bread, and salami. Next, they move on to baked clams, signature vodka rigatoni, and more. These are all served in old china to generate a sense of history and belongingness.
Summary
Chicago offers everything when it comes to Italian cuisine. It provides unique dining options, ranging from classic to casual.
Take a look at the 12 best Italian restaurants in Chicago, IL, listed above. They’re the finest spots to visit when you’re in town. You’ll surely go home with contented tummies.
