Nando Milano a Central Illinois standout
Nando Milano Trattoria in Champaign, Illinois, was the only Italian restaurant named among the “Best in Central Illinois” by Eater Chicago. “Guests can expect to pay $100 per person for dinner before drinks and tip, and yes, lest you think your eyes deceive you, that is a $600 bottle of wine on the list,” Eater writes. However, the high prices are...
Sotto Brings Elevated Flavors To The Basement Of Italian Village
Chicago’s oldest Italian restaurant is opening a basement eatery with an elevated menu and relaxed vibe that owners hope will attract a younger crowd. Sotto opens Thursday in the basement of the sprawling Italian Village Restaurant, 71 W. Monroe St., following an extensive makeover. It replaces La Cantina Enoteca, one of the restaurant’s three dini...
Beloved Italian restaurant Balena is popping up in Chicago early next year
Just a few weeks after we published a piece about the 23 local businesses that Chicagoans wish they could bring back from the dead, Boka Restaurant Group reached out to reveal its intentions of running a Balena pop-up—one of the very eateries mentioned in the story—from January 19, 2025 through January 26, 2025 at the Wellsley (504 N. Wells Street)...
Taste: Take time to enjoy the 'slow food' experience at Cosimo & Susie's
When customers think of Cosimo Rulli, they don't think of a Bit of Italy, they think of a lot of love. The 89-year-old proprietor of Cosimo & Susie's A Bit of Italy exudes that emotion with his wife at the Italian restaurant he and Susie have run for the past 35 years at Town & Country Shopping Center. Rulli calls the food "slow food," cooked and p...
Roncadin Opens New Plant in the USA
On November 18th, Italian frozen pizza maker Roncadin officially opened a new production plant in Vernon Hills, Illinois, marking a significant step in its U.S. expansion. The 7,000-square-meter facility, which employs 100 staff, houses a production line capable of producing 30 million pizzas annually, using carefully sourced ingredients and tradit...
Costa’s Ristorante a dining destination in northwest Illinois for over 30 years
The menu at Saro Costa’s restaurant may be well-rounded, but it didn’t get that way by cutting corners. That’s because when you sit down at Costa’s Pizzeria and Ristorante in Byron, you’d be hard-pressed not to find something you’ll like. While Italian fare is his bread and butter (and that bread’s made from scratch, he’s proud to say), he’s got a...
Pizzeria DiLauro A Slice of Tradition in Chagrin Falls
Nestled in the charming village of Chagrin Falls, Pizzeria DiLauro, an East Coast inspired pizzeria, stands as a testament to the timeless appeal of authentic, handmade pizza. This family-owned pizzeria has become a beloved fixture in the local dining scene, offering a warm and inviting atmosphere where customers feel like family, and each bite tel...
New Italian-American restaurant, Little Chicagos, operates along Walnut Street in downtown Muncie.
Family is the single word describes the goal and mission of Little Chicagos. Managed by Aaron and Rhonda Blake, the husband-wife duo aims to create an atmosphere full of family. They strive to replicate the feeling of being with family, starting with scratch-cooking in a laughter-filled kitchen and extending to the Italian cafe design of the dining...
Bar Corallini brings a taste of Italy to Madison
Through the floor-to-ceiling window near the north entrance of Bar Corallini, people passing by can stop and watch the head chef, Giovanni Novella, hand make his own pastas and pizza doughs. Prepping rigatoni, spaghetti or his personal favorite, pappardelle, Novella perfectly shapes each piece of pasta, all while making it look mesmerizingly easy....
Discover Sorelle Italian: Long Grove’s New Italian Food and Wine Market
Sorelle Italian brings a taste of Sicily to Long Grove, Illinois, with its unique blend of café, market, and restaurant. Named after founder Mario Sorelle’s three daughters, Sorelle Italian showcases a variety of Italian-inspired offerings and warm hospitality that invite guests to enjoy an authentic Italian experience. Inspired by Sorelle’s hometo...
Italian Beef’s Golden Age
If you told me Mr. Beef was Chicago’s most popular tourist attraction of 2024, I’d believe you. Having never been to the River North stand (I’m a Johnnie’s or Al’s gal), I decided to join the line of folks who had flown into town and proceeded directly, suitcases in hand, to the restaurant on which the one in The Bear is based. Despite all the ques...
Grand Opening of Oven 360 Pizza: Bringing Authentic Italian Neapolitan Flavors and Handmade Gelato to Troy, Michigan
Oven 360 proudly announces the grand opening of its first U.S. location at 1711 Crooks Road, Troy, Michigan. Founded by childhood friends Remo Tortola and Lucio Franceschelli from Miranda, Italy, Oven 360 promises to deliver an unparalleled Neapolitan pizza experience alongside its renowned handmade gelato.Remo and Lucio, upon arriving in Canada, s...