Chicago, IL
Best Italian in Chicago.
Harry's top 10 Italian spots in Chicago score 84–91 on the Harry Score. 3 carry critic or guide backing. Prices run $$ to $$$$.
Chicago's Italian center of gravity is Taylor Street, the old Little Italy that UIC's campus ate into during the 1960s without managing to kill off its restaurants. This isn't imported fine dining — it's the same low-budget cooking that also produced the Italian beef sandwich: braised meat, garlic bread as a food group, chicken vesuvio on nearly every menu. Harry checks whether the red sauce tastes like a stockpot or a can. West Loop's newer rooms plate lighter and more composed; Taylor Street doesn't apologize for either.
Ranked by Harry Score. The Harry Score is a weighted blend of Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions. No paid placements. No affiliate links.
Scores last recomputed
Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
italian
1020 W Madison St, Chicago
4.7 across 2.8k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and World's 50 Best.
$$$
Harry
91
Worth It
78
Piacere Mio Italian Restaurant
italian
7636 Madison St, Forest Park
4.8 across 304 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; a sensible spend, nothing wasted here.
$$
Harry
89
Worth It
80
Ignotz's Ristorante
italian
2421 S Oakley Ave, Chicago
4.8 across 1.2k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; classic Italian cuisine in a cozy, narrow space adorned with colorful old-world murals.
$$
Harry
86
Worth It
78
Ciccio Mio
italian
226 W Kinzie St, Chicago
4.6 across 950 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide.
$$$
Harry
86
Worth It
76
Il Porcellino
italian
59 W Hubbard St #2, Chicago
4.8 across 5.2k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; ranked #103 of 10,138 locally on Tripadvisor.
$$
Harry
86
Worth It
78
Torchio Pasta Bar
italian
738 N Wells St, Chicago
4.8 across 569 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; housemade pastas at this intimate Italian eatery & bar with a patio.
$$
Harry
85
Worth It
78
Italian Homemade Company
italian
947 W Fulton St, Chicago
4.7 across 382 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; ranked #71 of 10,146 locally on Tripadvisor.
$$
Harry
85
Worth It
78
Gibsons Italia
italian · steak-house
233 N Canal St, Chicago
4.7 across 4.4k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; ranked #148 of 10,146 locally on Tripadvisor.
Caveat: You're getting an experience. Whether you needed it is up to you.
$$$$
Harry
85
Worth It
74
OLIO E PIÙ
italian
445 N Dearborn St, Chicago
4.7 across 3.8k Google reviews; praised by Travelers Choice (Tripadvisor Travelers Choice 2025).
$$
Harry
85
Worth It
78
Provare Chicago
italian · fusion
1523 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
4.8 across 5.7k Google reviews; a sensible spend, nothing wasted here.
$$
Harry
84
Worth It
77
Italian in other cities
More cuisines in Chicago
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Questions Harry gets about Italian in Chicago
- What is the best Italian restaurant in Chicago?
- Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio tops Harry's Italian list for Chicago right now, with a Harry Score of 91/100.
- How does Harry Hungry score Italian restaurants in Chicago?
- Harry Hungry blends ratings from Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions into a weighted Harry Score (0–100). A separate Worth It Score ranks restaurants by value for money. No paid placements, no affiliate links — the ranking is built from public data only.
- Are there tourist-trap Italian restaurants in Chicago to avoid?
- Harry Hungry flags restaurants where Tripadvisor ratings diverge significantly from local reviews — a common tourist-trap signal. See the tourist trap index for Chicago on Harry Hungry for a full breakdown.