Chicago's Hands-Down 5 Best Italian Restaurants, According To Reviews

Chicago is well-known for its Italian beef sandwiches (which can out you as a tourist, depending on how you order them), but sometimes you'd rather have a plate of pasta at a nice sit-down restaurant than get a messy — albeit delicious — sandwich to-go. You'll find plenty of both in Chicago. The Windy City has lots of Italian heritage: Italians began arriving in Chicago in the 1850s, and Yesterday's America reports that the rate of immigration skyrocketed in the late 19th century through the 1930s, thanks in part to the jobs available in factories, construction, and the railroad industry. Today, Chicago has one of the largest Italian-American populations in the U.S. (via Intravartolo) and, ergo, it has some of the region's best Italian restaurants.

Many of Chicago's Italian restaurants can be found in the city's Little Italy neighborhood on the Near West Side, but great Italian meals are available throughout the city, as are classic Italian-American dishes like Chicago's famous deep-dish pizza (here are the 10 best places to try it). Whatever you decide to order, Chicago has plenty of Italian eateries to choose from. Here are the five best, according to reviews.

Located in Rogers Park (a scenic neighborhood known for diverse culinary excellence), Anto Pizza & Pasta might be best known for its viral handmade pasta in a cone. The menu also features Italian classics from chef Tony Barbanente, who was born in Bari, Italy and emigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s, according to the Chicago Tribune. These classics include Roman-style pizza, artisanal arancini, and famous caprese salad. Entrees range from $15 to $32 as of this writing, making Anto Pizza & Pasta one of the more affordable Italian restaurants on this list.

With an impressive 4.6 average rating on both Yelp and Google, plus a 4.9 average rating on Tripadvisor, it's clear that Anto PIzza & Pasta is a neighborhood favorite. "Hands down one of the best spots I've been for a while for pasta and it's in Rogers Park!" wrote one Yelp reviewer. "I ordered the lemon linguini with shrimp and it was amazing! I have dreams about it." Note: This establishment is BYOB, so if you plan to indulge, grab a bottle of wine before you leave the house.

Ignotz Ristorante has been serving up classic Italian dishes since 1999. You'll find this cozy restaurant in a refurbished house in a pocket neighborhood called the Heart of Chicago, located within the larger neighborhood of Pilsen. The Heart of Chicago was the site of the city's first Little Italy, and it has a strong Northern Italian heritage to this day (via Globalphile). The menu features Italian favorites like pasta carbonara, linguini and clam sauce, chicken marsala, and pizza. As of this writing, entree prices range from $14 to $50, with the majority in the $20 to $40 range.

With a 4.5 average rating on Yelp, a 4.7 average on Tripadvisor, and a 4.8 average on Google, it's no surprise that Ignotz's is consistently busy. The restaurant's website recommends making reservations. "Ignotz's Ristorante is a time machine that drops you straight into 1980s Chicago," one Yelp reviewer wrote, "back when red sauce was king, Sinatra played on repeat, and nobody apologized for pouring Chianti like it was water."

Il Milanese is a relative newcomer that opened in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood in 2023. Founded by three longtime chefs — Riccardo Michi, Massimo Di Vuolo, and Carlo Maggi — Il Milanese focuses on dishes from Northern Italy. The menu includes favorites such as pappardelle, bucatini, and risotto, as well as traditional entrees such as osso buco (veal shank) and maialino (pancetta-wrapped pork loin). As of this writing, entree prices range from $22 to $48. "We want to go back to simple dishes," Maggi told Block Club Chicago in 2023. "But while they're very simple, they're also very difficult to execute because of the many things that can go wrong preparing it that can spoil the dish."

The restaurant quickly became a local favorite, with a 4.4 average rating on Yelp and a 4.8 average on both Tripadvisor and Google. "Every dish felt like it was crafted with care, from the perfectly al dente pasta to the rich, savory sauces that linger just long enough to make you smile," wrote one Google reviewer. "It's the kind of place where good food doesn't need to shout — it just quietly impresses."

The small and cozy Ciccio Mio is always in high demand according to Time Out Chicago, so you'll likely need a reservation to get in. Ciccio Mio opened in 2019 as one of restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff's Hogsalt Hospitality restaurants (known for other Chicago favorites like Au Cheval and Gilt Bar). Its menu features Italian favorites such as focaccia, lasagna, and bolognese, as well as steaks and seafood. As of this writing, entree prices range from $22 to $50. The restaurant also offers an extensive wine list and cocktail menu.

When Ciccio Mio opened, Sodikoff told Eater Chicago that the restaurant was "built to simply be a nice Italian restaurant," and the reviews (a 4.6 average on Google, 4.7 on Yelp, and 4.8 on Tripadvisor) show that it has achieved this goal, as does its Michelin Bib Gourmand. As one enthused Yelp reviewer wrote, "There are good pastas in Chicago, there are great pastas, and then there's the tagliatelle carbonara at Ciccio Mio that just quietly ruins you for every other version forever. This isn't your nonna's carbonara (it's better). ... Ciccio Mio isn't just serving pasta; they're conducting symphonies in guanciale and gorgonzola. That carbonara is already legendary in my personal Chicago hall of fame."

Void opened in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood in 2024 and quickly earned a reputation for its unique takes on Italian food. In an early review, the Chicago Tribune proclaimed it "a whimsical Italian American refuge for the weird and wonderful." It was founded by Chicago restaurant industry veterans Tyler A. Hudec, Dani Kaplan, and Pat Ray.

Void's menu features quirky dishes like Spaghetti Uh-O's (anelli Siciliani, meatballs, and vodka sauce) and Agnolotti del Lungo (Korean sweet potato, ricotta, mozzerella, kimchi, toasted sesame, and scallion). As of this writing, dishes range from $9 to $45. The cocktail menu even includes No-Lört, an alcohol-free variation of Chicago's infamous Malört digestif. Reviews show there's an appetite for this quirky take on Italian food: Void has a 4.6 average rating on Yelp, a 4.8 average on Google, and a perfect 5.0 average on Tripadvisor. One Google reviewer called Void "a delightful establishment, with great personality, and wonderfully executed dishes, served with a smile and presented whimsically!"

We began our search for Chicago's best Italian eateries by reviewing best-of lists from food publications like Eater Chicago, Time Out Chicago, and The Infatuation, as well as discussions on social media platforms such as Reddit and Facebook. After creating a long list of contenders, we then looked up each restaurant to confirm that it's still in operation. We noted the average reviews on Google, Tripadvisor, and Yelp and ranked the restaurants accordingly.