These 6 on the map
The 6 restaurants on this page, pinned where they actually are. Tap a marker to see which one it is — all 20 are on the map in the Whosly app.
Chicago Italian
Red sauce grew up on Taylor Street in Little Italy and along Grand Avenue. The pasta houses came later, mostly in the West Loop and Logan Square. For an Italian beef, go to Al's Beef on Taylor Street.
6 of the 20
Monteverde
West LoopItalian restaurant$$$Sarah Grueneberg's West Loop pasta house, where pastas are rolled in view all day; she won the James Beard Best Chef award for it. Order two pastas for the table.
Tufano's Vernon Park Tap
Little ItalyItalian restaurant$$Run by the DiBuono family since 1930 and named a James Beard America's Classic in 2008: red-sauce staples like lemon chicken and mostaccioli. Closed Mondays.
Daisies
Logan SquareItalian restaurant$$$Joe Frillman's Midwestern pasta restaurant in Logan Square, much of its produce from his brother's farm and its sustainability work rewarded with a Michelin Green Star. Leigh Omilinsky's café counter does pastries in the morning.
Ciccio Mio
River NorthItalian restaurant$$$Hogsalt's tiny, low-lit red-sauce room off Kinzie, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick with a short list of Italian-American classics done well. Save room for the cannoli-style cannocini or soft-serve gelato.
Piccolo Sogno
River WestItalian restaurant$$$Seasonal Italian since 2008, with pasta made in-house, pizzas from the wood oven and an all-Italian wine list; the ivy-walled garden patio is the draw in summer.
Club Lucky
BucktownItalian supper club$$A 1940s-style supper club on a Bucktown corner since 1990: deep leather booths, family-style platters of calamari and pasta, and a stiff martini. Lunch Wednesday to Friday. The patio opens in summer, and the holiday decorations go up in winter.
The other 14
The 20 are spread across 13 neighborhoods. River North (3), West Loop (3), Lincoln Park (2), Logan Square (2) and West Town (2) have the most; Andersonville, Bucktown, Fulton Market, Gold Coast, Little Italy, Old Town, River West and Wicker Park have one each.
+14 more in the app
A Piemonte-only storefront with a long Barolo list, a Wicker Park pasta shop that sells by the pound, an Adriatic room from a Top Chef winner, a 28-seat red-sauce room with Sinatra on the speakers, and more.
Add all 20 to your Whosly mapEvery one lands on your own map in a tap — save them, rate them, plan around them. City Packs are included with Planner Pro.
Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store
For pizza, see our pizza list.
Common questions
What is the best Italian restaurant in Chicago?
Where is Little Italy in Chicago?
What are the best old-school red-sauce restaurants in Chicago?
Do I need a reservation at Chicago's Italian restaurants?
Which Chicago neighborhood is best for Italian restaurants?
What are the best Italian restaurants in downtown Chicago?
Where can I see all 20?
All 20, on your own map
This page is 6 of them. The Chicago Italian pack in Whosly has all 20 — add it and every one drops onto your map, ready to save, rate and turn into a plan your friends RSVP to from a text, no app needed to answer. The pack is included with Planner Pro.
Get Whosly — free on iPhoneOr search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store
“Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs”.
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