Don’t we all envision a vacation on the Italian Riviera? Sipping a glass of wine along the rugged cliffs of Cinque Terre or Portofino, waiting on crumbly stone steps outside a restaurant while your taste buds get high from the scents of an Italian dish simmering a few steps away. While that dream may be far-fetched, it shouldn’t curb your high expectations regarding Italian cuisine. Mind-blowing pasta and pizza are spread out over this city, and these are the best Italian restaurants in Chicago you need to try.
Our team has carefully selected each Italian restaurant on this list. Our editors and the Secret Chicago team depend on personal experiences, recommendations, editorial reviews, customer feedback, and thorough research to bring you the most delicious Italian spots in Chicago. This list is regularly updated as we discover new openings and revisit established favorites.
1. Adalina
First on our list is the omnipresent Adalina. We’re sure you’ve heard of this sport, but the allure of Adalina begins at the grand entrance that leads you up a circular staircase into the modern yet decadent romantic dining room. This upscale Italian restaurant in Chicago is on the edge of the Gold Coast, and the sophisticated menu is filled with handmade pasta, hand-selected beef, and a curated selection of meats and cheese. A harmony between Northern and Southern cuisine, the standout items include the Campanelle, the Mafaldine, and the Waygu.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · No delivery
📍Address: 912 N State St, Chicago, IL 6061
2. Monteverde
When you head up the few stairs to Monteverde, it’s more of a delightful surprise that the restaurant leans away from heavy Italian decoration. Instead, the atmosphere has a bucolic, rusty, and otherwise Midwestern feel. This comes as no surprise because while the menu has some dishes that are intrinsically Italian, they each have an intimate spin that presents as homey yet carefully crafted.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 1020 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607
3. Ummo
You may have heard of Jose Sosa, the renowned chef who has gained prominence for his artisan execution and culinary creativity. One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago also happens to be the newest. His latest vision is Ummo, an Italian and American-influenced restaurant with the pendulum swinging first to opulence and then amusement. The standout Italian dishes include the Buratta E Prosciutto and the 7-year-aged Risotto Milanese & Braised Oxtail Ragù.
The favorite dessert includes Pomodoro e Basilico, a mirage of an heirloom tomato made of tomato, raspberry, and vanilla compote, yogurt, mousse, olive oil, and basil sorbet—it looks like a piece of art that could be on your grandparent’s coffee table.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · No takeout · No delivery
📍Address: 22 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
4. Sapori Trattoria
This two-story, laid-back restaurant is in the heart of Lincoln Park and is quintessential if you want a lowkey night with high-quality Italian dishes. The portions are hefty here, and one serving is enough to feed you and the person you’re with or to be devoured the next day as a leftover. Our favorite dishes include the creamy Pennette Cardinale and the Italian classic, Bucatini Carbonara. This is one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago if you want to get the most out of your money.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 2701 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
5. Riccardo’s Trattoria
Another Italian restaurant spot in Lincoln Park, Riccardo’s Trattoria, the menu paints an authentic Northern Italian-inspired cuisine. When you walk, the atmosphere reflects a casual osteria that feels like your family is back in the kitchen. If you want to gather with friends and go through bottles of wine laughing, this is the place to do it.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 2119 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
6. Tortello
This charming neighborhood pasta shop was conceptualized by a husband and wife who wanted to transport Italy’s culinary simplicity and cultural traditions to Chicago. Born and raised in Italy, the menu visualizes the husband, Dario Monnis’ Nonna’s recipes that reflect the very best ingredients, artisanal hand craftsmanship, and Italian hospitality. Some popular menu items include Tagliatelle Tina and Focaccia, Ricotta, & Honey.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · Delivery
📍Address: 1746 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
7. Daisies
This contemporary spot intertwined Italian cuisine with a Midwestern flair. The space is elongated with ample room for seating, and the decorations of a brick bar wall and wooden table resemble a rustic spot to enjoy with friends. Our favorites right now include Pappardelle and the Agnolotti. However, since the menu constantly rotates each season, it will be a reason to return and try something new. Daises also happened to win a Michelin star award this year, so how could it not make the list of best Italian restaurants?
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · Delivery
📍Address: 2375 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
8. Franco’s Ristorante
This picturesque and cozy neighborhood staple has served authentic Italian cuisine since 1989. Franco’s Ristorante is a family-owned jewel of Southside Chicago in Bridgeport. As you step through the door, you’re overcome with familial warmth, and it’s extended throughout their menu. From a selection of pasta, the Jumbo Rigatoni and Pipette “Little Pipes” Alla Vodka are on the top of our list to try; the atmosphere and delicious pasta make it one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago in our book.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 300 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616
9. Club Lucky
This old-school Chicago Italian restaurant spot still reverberates with easy yet elegant sparks of a 1940s supper club. This homestyle, harmonized with traditional Italian favorites, is served family-style. Whether it’s just you and someone else or a 10-person crew, this easy spot highlights a party-esque feel. Even better, the setting is complimented with a cocktail lounge to quench your dirty or expresso martini thirst.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 1824 W Wabansia Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
10. Alla Vita
This romantic restaurant is hidden in the corner of a quiet part of Randolph Street and is reminiscent of an eatery on the sidestreet of Cinque Terre. As soon as the air is warm, head to the back of Alla Vita’s patio, enclosed with a breathtaking arched pergola interior and draped with luminary lights above. The menu features authentic Italian homestyle dishes such as Campanelle and Bucatini—paired with a bottle of wine, and you’ll never want to go home.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · Delivery
📍Address: 564 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661
11. Piccolo Sogno
This Italian oasis is the perfect backdrop for a romantic evening, with ivy-covered walls, twinkling lights, a spacious patio, and delicious Italian food and wine. The options are masterfully made classics for an extravagant yet effortless experience. Order a melty margarita pizza or the finest prosciutto di Parma pizza; you can’t go wrong. The Italian wine list features 400+ wine selections at affordable prices, so you can enjoy this Italian escape without breaking the bank.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 464 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60642
12. RPM Italian
Backed by Giuliana and Bill Rancic, this Italian restaurant will cure all your Italian cravings. This sleek, modern hot spot features contemporary dishes meant to be shared—you can never go wrong with Mama DePandi’s Bucatini or the Cremini Mushroom pizza. As for why it made our best Italian restaurants in Chicago list, they also have an essential happy hour menu that includes $8 cicchetti and signature cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass starting at $8. This is the place to either start your night or end it.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 52 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654
13. Trivoli Tavern
Hidden down an old cobblestone courtyard alley, Trivoli Tavern is a lush American tavern with a beautiful, captivating interior that transports you from Chicago to a quaint town with a prominent plaza everyone congregates to. Whether your stomach is set on steak, pasta, or both—the menu caters to what you fancy, from a famous prime rib to handmade pasta prepared to be blown away by Trivoli Tavern. Of course, it’s on our list of best Italian restaurants in Chicago.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · No-contact delivery
📍Address: 114 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
14. A Tavola
If you’re looking for a romantic restaurant in Chicago that also happens to create divine gnocchi—this is the place. Tavola is a secluded spot in West Town that reminds you of a celebrity’s elegant Manhattan brownstone. You’ll probably be unaware of the restaurant altogether if you’re not carefully examining it.
However, once you’re inside, the fragrance of the small, seasonal menu of Italian fare will greet you, from the portobello mushroom to the short rib to the notable Gnocchi. This hidden gem and one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago is something quite different from most Chicago restaurants—the quiet, romantic, and thoughtful charm.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout
📍Address: 2148 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
15. Ciccio Mio
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in · Takeout
📍Address: 226 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
16. Tre Dita
Helmed by two-time James Beard-nominated Chef Evan Funke, Tre Dita is now the most sizzling new restaurant. Italian for “three fingers” is a nod to the precise thickness of a properly cut bistecca Fiorentina, which the “cucina Toscana” serves from its open-hearth, wood-fired grill, handmade pasta, and more. Besides the delectable menu, at the heart of Tre Dita, which Vetrina Toscana has designated as the first certified Tuscan restaurant in the United States, is Funke’s renowned temperature—and humidity–controlled “pasta lab.” It is quite a breathtaking scene to pass by—and specifically, why it’s one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago.
🍽️ Service options: Dine-in
📍Address: The St Regis Hotel, 401 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601