Murano keeps Italian focus in sleek restaurant setting (review, photos)
A couple of televisions hang over the bar in the sleek space that Murano occupies on E. 6th Street downtown. But if you go you won't be watching them. That's because the real sport is people watching. Order a drink and gaze at the constant street traffic flowing by the restaurant, a snug spot between the even busier Superior and Euclid avenues. Wom...
Michael's Italian Feast reopens East Peoria location
Michael's Italian Feast has returned to East Peoria. A fourth outlet of the local restaurant chain opened Wednesday at 1302 E. Washington St., a location McDonald's once occupied. Michael's restaurants already had been established in Eureka, Germantown Hills and Washington. The outlet in Eureka opened about four years ago, about the same time the f...
Scarpe regional Italian restaurant opens in Valpo
Downtown Valparaiso has another elegant, sophisticated dining destination. Scarpe, a regional Italian restaurant, opened in late June in the old Bon Femme space at 66 Lincolnway in Valparaiso. It serves authentic cuisine from the 20 different regions of Italy with a focus on regional ingredients from the Midwest and a seasonal, chef-driven menu. O...
New Italian spot Il Culaccino debuts in Chicago
Looking to chow down on some Italian fare? A new spot has you covered. Located at 2134 S. Indiana Ave., the newcomer is called Il Culaccino. Il Culaccino specializes in classic Italian dishes, with menu items ranging from fried calamari to meatballs to house-made gnocchi. The fresh addition has gotten an enthusiastic response thus far, with a 4.5-s...
Geja’s Café Debuts Giro d’Italia - A Tour of Italy Wine Festival
Chicago’s oldest wine bar, Geja’s Café, perfectly nestled at 340 W. Armitage Ave, is welcoming the upcoming fall season with the debut of its three-month wine festival Giro d’Italia, beginning Sunday, September 1st through Saturday, November 30th. Throughout these three months, wine enthusiasts of all calibers will have the opportunity to enjoy sel...
Bar Verona Provides Upscale Italian to Metro Detroit
The New York strip steak I ordered recently at Bar Verona stands out as one of the tastiest steaks I’ve enjoyed in years. Topped with garlic-herb butter and grilled medium-rare as specified, my steak came with whipped potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon. Based on this entrée and other items sampled, I have high hopes for this upscale-c...
New West Loop Italian Spot to Feature a Familiar Chef’s Fresh Pastas
Gioia Ristorante + Pastificio is an upcoming Italian spot pegged for a spring 2020 opening in West Loop at 1133 W. Randolph Street. It’s a new building with room for a first-floor restaurant. The chef/partner behind the restaurant is a familiar face for Chicago. Federico Comacchio has worked as the executive chef at two beloved Chicago Italian rest...
New Dairy to Bring Taste of Italy to Huntington Co.
A taste of Italy has been transplanted to Huntington County. The Golfo di Napoli Dairy organic cheese factory will soon begin production and will celebrate with a public open house on a yet-to-be-announced date in August. The production facility in Warren is the only one currently operated by Golfo di Napoli anywhere in the world and will produce...
New restaurant brings Italian flair and flavors to Hyde Park
Ascione Bistro, a highly anticipated Italian restaurant, has opened at the Hyde Park Shopping Center, 1500 E. 55th St., offering both classic and modern Italian dishes prepared by Chef Gaetano Ascione. The bistro is in a “soft opening” mode with a limited menu now while staff is being hired and trained, but Chef Ascione expects that to change in th...
Boyne city’s Bella Vita Restaurant & Bar: the word is out
“We’re off the beaten path, and we don’t advertise,” said Kelly Woodard, who co-owns with her husband, Matt, Boyne City’s popular Italian dining destination Bella Vita. While it’s not a traditional recipe for restauranteurs, the Woodards’ low-key approach works; Kelly Woodard said that the majority of their regular guests dine with them more than o...
New South Loop Italian Restaurant Gives McCormick Place Attendees a Nearby Option
McCormick Place’s dining scene received a boost over the weekend when a new Italian restaurant, Il Culaccino, debuted. The restaurant is from the owners of South Side stalwart Franco’s, which has been around since 1986 in Bridgeport. The new restaurant includes a wine bar, a tree-covered patio, and Chicago Italian-American classics like chicken Ves...
Tuscany restaurant will return to Oak Brook with new name, more menu items
Tuscany, a popular Italian restaurant that closed in March after 25 years in Oak Brook, will be replaced with a new eatery that will keep several of the same menu items, along with some new offerings and a new name. Steven Hartenstein, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Tuscany owner Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, will be...