The 35 best Italian restaurants in Chicago

You might recognize the chef-owner at this West Loop eatery: Sarah Grueneberg finished in second place on Top Chef's ninth season and has also won a James Beard Award. She's secured a top spot in pasta-loving Chicagoans' hearts, too, with her beautiful menu of Italian treats. You mustn't skip the ragu alla Napoletana, a huge plate of fusilli in red sauce with pork osso bucco, soppressata meatballs and Italian sausage. Add fresh-shaved black truffles to any dish for an additional but worth-it fee (when available).

Situated just off of one of Chicago's busiest intersections, Piccolo Sogno is a tucked-away oasis offering tried-and-true Italian delicacies. If you visit just once this year, make your reservation during the warmer months and request a table on the greenery-lined, fenced-off patio out back. In the sunshine, the prosciutto and fresh melon taste sweeter, the gnocchi softer and the pizzas fresher. We can't explain it.

Hogsalt Hospitality is known for building some of the most popular and transformative dining experiences in the city. At Ciccio Mio, the company nails the look and feel of an intimate Italian American supper club with charming touches that include ornate furnishings and vintage-style art on the walls. The food doesn’t isn’t an afterthought though, and you’ll definitely want to carbo load on pastas like creamy spicy vodka rigatoni and lasagna rolls. But make sure to save room for dessert because the cannoncini will send you home on a high note. The space is small and reservations go quickly so plan weeks ahead to get a table.

It’s okay to splash a little red sauce on the butcher-paper-topped tables in this raucous storefront. Old friends and big families admire the autographed celebrity photos and shots of the owner’s family tacked to the frescoed walls. Smiling waiters squeeze between tables juggling huge plates of eggplant parmigiana and bottles of decent Italian red. Order any of the appropriately garlicky pastas and a plate of escarole and beans for the table; the leftovers will warm up just fine tomorrow.

Regional Piedmontese cuisine is the focus at this tiny Logan Square storefront, which means the menu is dotted with truffles, cream and eggy handmade pastas. The space is ideal for date night and practically begs you to order a bottle of wine for the table from the excellently curated list. The plin, miniature agnolotti filled with cheese, are beautiful and light; the beef tartare is impeccably seasoned; and the prosciutto-wrapped rabbit loin is *chef's kiss*. In case you need further proof that Osteria Langhe reigns supreme, order the creamy panna cotta to finish the evening.

Boka Restaurant Group turned the beautiful space that once housed Bellemore into a similarly stunning Italian concept in 2021. The dining room is an attention grabber, featuring waves of fabric dangling from the ceiling and a garden pergola adorned with greenery. Boka maestro Lee Wolen prepares wood-fired pizzas, pillowy ricotta dumplings and crunchy chicken parm, bathing in fire-roasted red sauce, to complete the exquisite experience.

There are few things in this world that taste better than authentic Italian pasta that's made by hand. Dario Monni, the owner of this sweet counter-service restaurant in Wicker Park, understands that, and his upbringing in Italy only adds to the legitimacy of this operation. Buy hand-crafted noodles by the pound or stay awhile and luxuriate over a plate of namesake tortelli, which are stuffed with creamy burrata and topped with brown butter, sage and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. Monni uses his grandmother's recipe for the tiramisu, making it a must-try dessert.

As Lincoln Park’s go-to Italian joint for all occasions—whether it be a first date or an anniversary celebration—it’s easy to get the impression that people are coming here out of habit. In reality, Chicagoans are attracted to the warm, homey room and the housemade pastas like spaghetti with veal meatballs and fennel-flecked Italian sausage, or sumptuous gnocchi paired with a lively pesto sauce. They’re so tasty you’ll realize that locals love Sapori for good reason.

This old-school favorite opened its doors in the Heart of Italy neighborhood in 1933, which almost explains the faded travel posters and weary saloon decor. But the kitchen is far from tired, going beyond typical pastas and parmigianas to specialize in rustic dishes from Siena. Listed between the chicken Vesuvio and the stuffed shells are a rich ravioli filled with porcini mushrooms and a spirited rendition of penne alla puttanesca. Ask for a digestif with the check.

Gibsons Restaurant Group goes Italian with this ritzy waterfront property that's ideal for those nights when someone else is picking up the tab. Because it's Gibsons, the menu is crowded with steaks and seafood, but there are also some fantastic antipasti offerings (we daydream about the arancini) and pasta courses to be had. Though it's a splurge, the 7-year aged risotto is worth every penny.

Sporting just 28 seats in the main dining room, Elina’s is one of the most intimate Italian-American joints in town. Chef-owners Ian Rusnak and Eric Safin, who worked at several acclaimed New York restaurants prior to landing in the Midwest, offer a short but sweet menu of hits. You’ll start with complimentary bread and salami before moving onto items like baked clams casino, rigatoni alla vodka and dover sole piccata, all served on fine china. Prepare to rub elbows with your neighbors, too, because the tables are packed tight.

For its latest concept, DineAmic Hospitality celebrates 1950s Italian American cuisine with an opulent steakhouse in Fulton Market. The stunning 8,200-square-foot space is decked out in crystal chandeliers, fresh florals, booths dressed in lavender mohair, dark leather chairs and other elegant touches. This is a place to see and be seen, and chef Joe Rizza complements the experience with a menu that’s equally dazzling—Caesar salad is prepared tableside, squid ink pasta arrives topped with a whole lobster and the beefy steaks are grilled on a wood and charcoal hearth. The wine list boasts dozens of Italian bottles, while dessert is headlined by a slice of decadent chocolate cake.

The nearby condo dwellers with kids in tow may be a different crowd than the Polish regulars who once frequented this joint post-Prohibition, but the owners have gone out of their way to restore the original cocktail-culture look of the ’40s. The place is always buzzing, thanks to a dependable, old-school, family-style Italian menu with standouts like grilled or fried calamari, chicken Vesuvio and escarole with sausage and beans. If you’re kidphobic, go late for Sinatra's greatest hits and signature martinis in the lounge.

Upon entering this Old Town stalwart, you'll get the feeling that many people have enjoyed special moments at this time-worn restaurant. It's true: For more than 30 years, Topo Gigio has helped diners celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and Friday nights over heaping plates of rigatoni, seafood-studded risotto and a mean veal saltimbocca. Celebration or not, you shouldn't sign the check without a bowl of the dreamy house-made tiramisu.

While traveling through Rome several years ago, Aldo Zaninotto found himself utterly obsessed with Testaccio, a neighborhood south of the city center. Zaninotto, who owns Chicago's Osteria Langhe, couldn't get enough of the area's diverse restaurants, historical ties and fantastic art scene. After several more trips, he couldn't help but draw parallels between the Roman neighborhood and Chicago's own Logan Square. Now he's connected the two with a restaurant in the former Quiote space that spotlights healthy fare cooked in a wood-burning oven. Guests can sample classic Italian dishes alongside modern interpretations—with a robust wine list to match (when in Rome, right?).

This Cicero grocer and deli has been in operation since the ‘60s, slinging much more than just Sicilian-style pizzas. There’s always a line of people waiting for owner Giuseppe Quercia’s homemade meatballs, pastas and chicken limone—the surest sign you’re in the right place. Bring bills (cash only) and grab some astonishing creamy gelato on your way out.

The soft focaccia and fruity olive oil delivered to your table at this popular River North mainstay are good indicators of what’s to come. Start with some antipasto—an assortment of cured meats, aged cheeses and herb-cured olives—to whet your appetite. From there, pair a pasta dish (we vote gnocchetti) with a main (the whole roasted fish are always divine).

The James Beard Foundation recognized longstanding Italian kitchen Tufano’s as an American classic in 2008 and it’s easy to understand why. The University Village restaurant has been owned by the DiBuono family since 1930 and serves superb renditions of Italian-American favorites, such as lemon chicken and eggplant parm. Regulars know the menu by heart but for first-timers, the dishes are posted on chalkboards. Make sure to bring some bills as it’s cash only.

A culinary collaboration between celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic and Chicago restaurateurs R.J., Jerrod and Molly Melman, RPM Italian is the kind of place that's practically made for expense-account spending. Start with orders of the prime beef meatballs and braised octopus before jumping into the house-made pastas (you can't go wrong with the creamy carbonara). The impressive gluten-free menu still offers plenty of options, including six pasta dishes crafted using flour-free fettuccine. When dessert rolls around, find room for the delightful bomboloni.

The Gold Coast is full of glitz and glamour and this Italian palace is no exception. The sophisticated second-floor dining area—outfitted with crystal chandeliers and vintage mirrors—is a bustling and boisterous spot for a celebratory occasion. Servers dressed to the nines guide guests through chef Soo Ahn’s menu, which is loaded with luxuries like caviar, a truffle Caesar salad and veal chop parm. After dinner, head downstairs to the Rose Lounge for a digestif.

Italian cuisine boasting Midwestern ingredients is what chef Matt Troost specializes in at his restaurant in West Town. Instead of the usual lineup of red sauce classics, you’ll encounter recipes with contemporary twists. That means dishes like a deconstructed lasagna, seasonal risotto and fried chicken gussied up with Calabrian honey, fried rosemary and pickled hot peppers.

When beloved Northwest Side institution Sabatino’s closed in 2018, Chicagoans mourned the loss of a dying breed of Italian restaurants. Fortunately, former Sabatino’s chef Joel Piedra stepped up to help fill the void left behind by opening his own place, Avvio. You can expect to see a lot of familiar crowd favorites on the menu, such as stuffed chicken breast and Richard’s Special—filet mignon marsala with breaded shrimp and veal piccata. And like its predecessor, entrees come with soup and salad to ensure no one leaves hungry.

Though named after a hedonistic festival, this is a quaint, family-owned restaurant that has been serving up what it calls “recipes from the Old Country” in the Heart of Little Italy for three decades. Nouveau Italian cuisine takes a backseat to over 20 pasta dishes and a long list of classics like chicken parmesan and veal scaloppine. Bacchanalia is not nearly as sinful or risky as its name implies, but is certainly satisfying.

Hailing from Lodi, Italy, Federico Comacchio helms the kitchen at Gioia Ristorante e Pastificio, showcasing a rotating menu of regional Italian dishes and housemade pastas, including paccheri in tomato sauce with aged Parmigiano, prepared tableside. The really hungry can order the Milanese, a breaded double veal chop served on a wood platter with arugula and tomato salad. Just make sure that you'll have enough room to sample the frozen tiramisu souffle paired with a glass of limoncello.

The owners behind Coalfire Pizza and Tempesta Market joined forces to open this casual trattoria in Little Italy. The streamlined menu focuses on seasonal specials plus reliable go-tos such as calamari fritti, vongole and a 22-ounce bone-in rib eye served with gremolata. And for dessert, don’t skip the tiramisu. Take a walk around the neighborhood after dinner to burn off the calories; you might be able to spot nearby Arrigo Park, known as "Peanut Park" by locals.

One of the best Italian restaurants in town isn’t tucked away on some corner in Little Italy. Surprisingly, it’s smack-dab in vanilla Lincoln Park. Chef Riccardo Michi’s family founded the Bice restaurant empire in Milan, so he knows a thing or two about regional Italian food. Don’t miss the ravioli di aragosta e granchio, ravioli filled with lobster and crab in a creamy saffron sauce. Become a regular and the waiters might cap off your meal with chocolate-dipped profiteroles.

Don’t waste your time searching the menu for the crudo and truffles. This is Bridgeport, where locals eat thick pork chop Vesuvio and big bowls of penne tossed with spicy pesto, capers and succulent nibs of prosciutto. If you must, temper your order with a light insalata, like the roasted beet salad or the super-fresh caprese.

When summer rolls around, the plant-lined sidewalk patio in front of this West Loop restaurant is populated by neighborhood folk sipping prosecco and piling prosciutto atop country bread. The interior of Formento's offers a different vibe entirely, with dim lighting, leather banquettes and tons of exposed brick. Take your pick, then tuck into well-executed takes on classic Italian-American dishes, like tempura-fried calamari, chicken Vesuvio and bucatini carbonara.

Handmade pastas and solid happy hour specials ($8 carafes of wine, anyone?) are enough to get us in the door of this Andersonville gem, but it’s the meatballs that really shine. Chef Fred Ramos offers them in several varieties—the “Manzo” with ground beef and braised beef cheek is our favorite—and you can add a fried egg if you need more protein.

Despite its sprawling, multi-level dining room, this River North mainstay is always stuffed to the gills. Most of the dishes on the lengthy menu are designed to be shared, so load up your table with polenta fries, veal meatballs, shrimp risotto and linguine with clams. The approachable price tags make it all too easy to upgrade to a half-litre of wine.

This tiny Gold Coast restaurant makes the perfect backdrop for date night. But after one look at the menu, you'll realize that the cutesy interior is backed up by fantastic fare. Start with a plate of artisanal cheese and charcuterie before diving into the pappardelle bolognese and rustic hand-stretched pizzas. There's also an outstanding wine selection and spritz flights.

A Chicago tradition since 1927, Italian Village is actually home to three restaurants—though Vivere and La Cantina are currently closed. But you can still grab dinner at the Village, which is designed to look like a quaint European town. The kitchen puts out items like slurpable minestrone soup and fettuccine alfredo that begs to be twirled.

Tradition runs deep at this old-school, family-owned Italian joint located on the outskirts of the West Loop. That means massive servings of tried-and-true classics like rigatoni smothered in Sunday pork gravy and veal marsala dripping in tender, earthy mushrooms. It's a great place to go when you're counting on leftovers for lunch the next day.

What’s not to like about this affable Andersonville restaurant? It’s cute, it’s bustling, service is helpful and the food borders between good and great. Year-round don’t-miss items include the lemon-kissed grilled octopus and the brick chicken balanced with spicy bitter greens. Like any good trattoria, Anteprima rotates much of the menu according to season, but house-made pastas prove as perfect with rabbit ragù in cold weather as they do with bright fava beans and ricotta in spring.