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MAGNIFICENT MILE. Italian management recreates Milan's original Bice at this Michigan Avenue outpost. The stylish place offers sleek Art Deco touches and attentive service. Try an authentic risotto, carpaccio of tuna or swordfish, Milanese veal chop, or a sampler of four delectable pastas. All desserts are made on the premises, and homemade gelato is particularly noteworthy. EL: Red Line to Grand/State
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STREETERVILLE. This hotel eatery's tasty menu adds Californian style to Italian standards. The seasonal menu changes each month, and on Sundays, the kitchen is abuzz preparing for an over-the-top Sunday brunch. Plus, live jazz can be heard in the Calittera Bar. If you're feeling indulgent, dine at the chef's table, which seats 18 amid racks of wine bottles. The full bar serves draft and bottled beers, Scotch, bourbon, and over 100 wine varieties.
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Campagnola
815 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60202 · 847-475-6100
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EVANSTON. The small dining room fills up quickly with patrons eager to enjoy the creative dishes of chef Michael Alternberg. The name means "country-style," and that's just what you get – rustic, wood-laden surroundings, complete with some cozy looking couches, and the best of bold Italian cooking. Try grilled calamari with tapenade, wood-grilled sardines, or wood-grilled Muscovy duck with organic vegetables. Simple but amazing desserts, including white chocolate rhubarb cake or an elegant cheese plate.
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Coco Pazzo
300 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60610 · 312-836-0900
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RIVER NORTH. Perfect for special occasions, this restaurant focuses on hearty Tuscan cuisine. The dining room has a spacious, airy interior, upscale but still comfortable. The food is full of assertive flavors, as evidenced by dishes like pappardelle with rabbit, roast pancetta-rolled pork loin, and herb-crusted half rack of lamb with artichokes and fried polenta. Any of the grilled game dishes is sure to please. The most popular dessert is cioccolato fondente, a chocolate volcano ready to erupt as soon as your fork hits it.
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LITTLE ITALY. This neighborhood charmer earns high marks for its traditional trattoria atmosphere, friendly service, and Northern Italian and Tuscan-inspired fare. Start off with an appetizer of mussels in spicy tomato sauce before moving on to heartier matters, like pollo limone, rigatoni melanzane with roasted eggplant and mozzarella, and salmone pagliacci with broccoli, eggplant, garlic, and white wine.
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Gabriel's
310 Green Bay Rd, Highwood, IL 60040 · 847-433-0031
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HIGHWOOD. Cuisines collide at this refined restaurant, namely French and Italian. The open kitchen allows guests to see masterful chefs at work, preparing everything from a veal porterhouse to pastas and seafood dishes. The menu changes seasonally to take advantage of the freshest ingredients, and when the weather permits, tables on the patio are decked out with flowers and linen.
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Pompei Bakery
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1531 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607 · 312-421-5179
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LITTLE ITALY. This cafeteria-style restaurant has a well-deserved reputation for putting out some of the area's best pizzas, breads, and desserts. The menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, pastas, and desserts. Try a stuffed pizza, like "The Works" or the "Beef Angelo." Homemade pastas topped with savory Italian sausage or meatballs are a perfect solution for times when only good old-fashioned Italian will do. Just looking for something sweet? Order a slice of Italian chocolate sheet cake or try a chocolate-dipped cannoli.
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Spiaggia
980 N Michigan Ave, 1 Magnificent Mile, level 2, Chicago, IL 60611 · 312-280-2750
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MAGNIFICENT MILE. For luxurious, upscale Italian dining, Spiaggia is a top pick. One of the town's most romantic dining rooms, it features sparkling platinum-and-white decor, sculpted steel light fixtures, and fantastic Lake Michigan views. The food is simplicity at its best, crafted with the finest aged cheeses, the freshest produce, and wonderful pastas. Delicious dishes include roasted scallops with Parmigiano Reggiano, tenderloin of rabbit, and an unforgettable citrus sea bass. Perfect wines, impeccable service, and irresistible desserts make this restaurant a winner in every category. An 8-course tasting menu is available for $165 per person. A pairing of 8 wines may be added for $90 per person. EL: Red Line to Chicago/State
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Va Pensiero
1566 Oak Ave, Margarita European Inn, Evanston, IL 60202 · 847-475-7779
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EVANSTON. This serene dining spot is considered the best northern Italian restaurant in Chicago, thanks to perfect pastas and risotto dishes, a well-chosen wine list, and a rustic, authentic Italian environment that is complete with pillars. The name means "think freely" in Italian, and chefs do just that, going beyond basic pasta dishes to offer game or seafood concoctions like roasted Atlantic salmon with mustard glaze. Reservations recommended.
Looking for a restaurant? We've explored the options, checked with critics, and pounded the pavement to offer only the best. Recommendations come complete with contact information and a brief description highlighting the important features of the restaurant. Fit our choices to your mood, or let us guide your tastes. You'll likely find a few places that not even locals know about.
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