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The youngest of three children, Allan Zitella was born in Chicago to Joseph and Christina (Zipparo) Barrile. His mother died when Zitella was 3 years old and he and his siblings, Richard and JoAnn, were eventually adopted by their maternal great-aunt and -uncle, Anna and James Zitella. Zitella grew up in the neighborhood around Harlem and North ave...

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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...

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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...

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Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto, and Gianluca Ginoble continue to captivate audiences worldwide with a series of prestigious live performances, highlighting the trio’s enduring global success. Tickets will go on sale from November 22. Members of the Il Volo Official Fan Club will be able to purchase tickets IN ADVANCE from November 20. The States w...

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With a dinner hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to the US, Mariangela Zappia, the series of over fifty events organized by Italy’s diplomatic-consular network, the Italian Cultural Institutes, and Italian Trade Agency offices in the United States began to celebrate the ninth annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, themed “Mediterranean Diet an...

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The long awaited documentary about the coolest, hippest, Radio Hall of Famer – the late, great Dick Biondi – will receive a special viewing Thursday, Nov. 14. The film screening and fundraiser starts at 6 p.m. at the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago. Proceeds from the screening will go toward putting the final touches on the film bef...

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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....

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In an old brick building covered in vines, sitting along McKinley Road in Lake Forest, is a vestige of a disappearing era — Carlo’s Tailor Shop. The workshop is crowded with racks of in-progress suits, well-used tools, spools of thread and scrap organized in a way only one man understands. That man is Piero Amidei, who at 77 years of age runs the s...

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As Italian Heritage Month came to an end last month, we once again honored local Italian-Americans of note. The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Italian Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Award Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Venetian Club in Rockford, Illinois. The GRIAA is a non-profit organization of volu...

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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...

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