Rosso Italia to open in Beachwood
Rosso Italia is scheduled to open its doors on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The space is adjacent to Blu, the Restaurant, also owned by Brad Friedlander. The restaurateur said in a release "opening an authentic Italian restaurant has always been a dream for me.” Rosso Italia will feature steak, seafood, chicken and pasta, but also charcuterie and "innovative...
CIAO Takes Win in Duello ai Fornelli
In collaboration with the Italian Language Program in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, the Chicago Italian Appreciation Organization (CIAO), UChicago’s Italian culture RSO, swept the competition for a win in Duello ai Fornelli, an annual cooking competition among various Chicago universities. Organized by the Italian internatio...
New Italian spot Pacino's debuts in Chicago
Looking to chow down on some Italian fare? A new spot has you covered. The new addition, called Pacino's, is located at 1010 S. Delano Court. Pacino's specializes in classic Italian dishes, according to the website. The menu features pizza, pasta and salads. With a five-star rating out of six reviews on Yelp so far, the newcomer seems to be a welco...
A look at Joe’s Pizza
“I’m going to tell you, like, the true story. Nobody got the story right yet. We haven’t told any press this whole thing yet,” said Ian Lafkowitz, co-owner of Joe’s Pizza (all five New York City locations and the new Ann Arbor one). This is just what I hoped would happen — just like the pizza, I’d come to Joe’s in search of the true authenticity I...
Italian quality for store brands shines at PLMA show
Italian manufacturers flocked to PLMA 2019, the US private label event of the year taking place in Chicago, to showcase quality, innovation and expertise in serving an industry that virtually accounts for half of all growth in retail stores in 2018. With a total of 62 exhibitors in the official Italian pavilions, Italy confirms itself as the larges...
At Bartolotta Restaurants, a brother adjusts to life without the other
For more than 25 years, Joe Bartolotta had been the very public face of Bartolotta Restaurants, a dining empire of 10 public restaurants plus catering at several prominent venues, restaurants for employees at the Kohl’s corporate campus, and franchise licensing for three airport restaurants. His death in April came as a shock but not a surprise, sa...
Trip to Alimentari provides inspiration and gigantic sandwiches
There are plenty of reasons to visit Alimentari, the European deli on the Near East Side from the owners of the nearby restaurant, A Pig in a Fur Coat. Chief among them are the massive sandwiches made behind the deli counter on thick, crusty Italian loaves baked especially for Alimentari by Madison Sourdough and wrapped in deli paper fastened with...
At Eataly, Now You Can Have Your Groceries and Eat Them, Too
Eataly is one of the more epic dining experiences in Chicago — with more than 60,000 square feet of Italian goodies, there’s pretty much something for every taste. But I’ve always experienced a sort of bittersweet edge to my shopping there. Since I never remember to go in with a real grocery shopping plan, I use Eataly more as a museum of beautiful...
Sassicaia: A Wine And Dinner To Remember
Sometimes there are evenings where the food and wine are simply perfect, both on their own and especially when paired together. Those nights are unforgettable. One such evening I was fortunate enough to participate in was a special Sassicaia dinner at Vivere restaurant at the Italian Village in Chicago. The Italian Village is celebrating its 92nd y...
A Healthy Diet to Fight Depression
When: Friday, November 22nd at 6pm - Where: Italian Cultural Institute - 500 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1450 Presented on the occasion of the 4th edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. The theme of this year's Italian Cuisine Week, which will take place from November 18-24, 2019, is Food Education: The Culture of Taste. This yearly initiat...
Our restaurant critic is going back to Italy with 2 top chefs. And you're invited.
It was only a few months into my tenure as the Free Press restaurant critic when I realized that — wait — maybe my job was actually, improbably, somehow even better than I imagined. I was sitting in a conference room with two of my editors who wanted to check in to see how I was settling in. During our wide-ranging conversation, I casually mentione...
Bovaconti Coffee is a Gem in Indianapolis
Earlier this month, the team behind Indianapolis coffee shop Georgia Street Grind brought another coffee brand to life: Bovaconti Coffee. With an upscale, vintage-style interior featuring plenty of exposed brick, painted tile ceilings and custom tile work, the multiroaster cafe reflects the historic character of the building in which it sits, as we...