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The Italian beef sandwich may have originated in Chicago, but here’s the top 5 best Italian beef sandwiches in Rockford, according to Yelp. Italian beef dates back to the 1930s and consists of thin slices of seasoned roast beef served on a French toll. Sometimes, the sandwich is dipped in au jus or topped off with Chicago-style giardiniera, mozzare...

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An Italian restaurant on the city’s far east side will close for good at the end of the year. Cucina Di Rosa, 1620 N. Bell School Road, will shut down effective Jan. 1, the restaurant announced on its Facebook page. “After several long family conversations, it was decided that our physical health has to be held as a priority in this challenging cli...

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A 1985 newspaper article about Shirley Fedeli's quest for dancers for her fledging dance troupe is the origin of Bea Ricotta's love for Amici Italiani. "My mom saw it and said, 'You like to dance. Why don't you do this?'" Ricotta found the dancing and the camaraderie to be so much fun that the dancers donned their costumes and danced the following...

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A native of Ferentino, Italy makes an impromptu stop in Rockford, Ferentino’s sister city. Matteo Cervoni was at a medical conference at Georgia Tech when he decided to end his first visit to the United States with a trip to Rockford. “I know a lot of people that come from my same country and he loves Ferentino,” says Cervoni. Rockford and Ferentin...

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A new restaurant is coming to Rockford's east side that hopes to be exactly what people are looking for in a steakhouse. Prime, located at 6565 Lexus Drive, the former site of Five Forks Market, is an Italian restaurant specializing in steaks, seafood and pasta. They will open their doors for the first time on Friday. "I miss some of our old Italia...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association held its annual Hall of Fame banquet Saturday at the Venetian Club. Inductees to Rockford's Italian Hall of Fame are nominated by the community and selected annually by the GRIAA’s Hall of Fame and Special Recognition Committee. Mike Doyle was the 2021 Italian Hall of Fame inductee. Mike has had a l...

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This weekend you can indulge in homemade Italian cookies, sausage and the oh-so-famous sfingy donuts. If you're familiar with these delicious eats you might be familiar with Festa Italiana. Families have made their way to the fields behind Boylan Catholic High School's football stadium for four decades to celebrate Italian culture in the 815. Festa...

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Its been 15 years since Rockford signed a Sister City agreement with Ferentino, Italy, but over 100 years of close ties have existed between the cities. This partnership celebrates the contributions of Italian Americans to Rockford and Ferentino’s importance in Rockford’s immigration history. Rockford’s Italian Sister City program began with DeCast...

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Rockford Public Schools will be open on Columbus Day this year, swapping the traditional annual day off for the state’s newly designated Election Day holiday on Nov. 3. Government entities and public schools across the state are adjusting their work and attendance calendars after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the legislation on June 16.  Some schools are...

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The Greater Rockford Italian American Association made the announcement Monday canceling all 2020 summer events, including Festa Italiana. This comes as the latest summer event to be canceled in the region due to COVID-19. While the state is currently in Phase 2 and ideally looking to get into Phase 3 within the month, officials with the associatio...

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