At Monteverde Restaurant and Pastificio in Chicago, chef Sarah Grueneberg wows her guests with house-made pasta dishes so boisterously flavorful, you can’t help but come back for more.
But she has to get out of the kitchen herself every once in a while, so she’s shared with us some of her favorite places to dine in both Chicago and her beloved Italy.
What are your favorite places for Italian food in Chicago?
Always hard to pick favorites but currently enjoying:
L’aventino – this place just opened offering up pinsa pizza with this great airy, crispy crust. They’re also making lovely supplì.
L'Aventino
Gibson’s Italia – Gibson’s is my favorite old-school restaurant in Chicago and a couple of years ago they opened up an Italian-style steakhouse offering the best of both worlds. I can have delicious pasta, a steak, and a martini, with insane views of the Chicago River.
Gibsons Italia
Tempesta Market – We use a lot of their charcuterie and salumi at Monteverde. I like to go here for Italian-style sandwiches with cured meats and pickled eggplant inspired by his family’s Calabrian heritage.
Tempesta Market
Passerotto – Chef Jennifer Kim is combining Korean and Italian cuisine together to create really unique dishes and flavors.
Passerotto
And for non-Italian food?
Too many to name, but a few include:
Kumiko – a cocktail bar that focuses on the food as well as the drinks. Japanese inspired with small bites including this crazy delicious fried prawn.
QXY Dumpling – This place makes great dumplings and I think I’m instantly drawn to it as they are making the dumplings to order, much like our pastas at Monteverde, and you can choose the style of preparation (steamed, boiled or pan-fried).
Galit – less than a year-old spot from James Beard Award-winning Chef Zach Engel offering up some flavorful and consistently solid middle eastern food.
Lastly, your favorite restaurants in Italy?
You guys are making this tough for me! Some thoughts…
SantoPalato – Rome
Grano – Rome
Caffè Arti E Mestieri – Reggio Emilia
Trattoria Cognento – Novellara
L'Osteria di Chichibio – Polignano a Mare
Osteria La Zucca – Venice
Dal Pescatore – Canneto sull'Oglio - One of the first restaurants I staged in and where learned to make the best spaghetti pomodoro.