Best Date Night Italian Restaurants in Avondale & North Center (60618)
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Void
Playful Italian-American cooking that turns comfort dishes into clever, chef-driven plates.
Notable Picks
#1
Void
8.6
Void is a dimly lit Italian-American spot in Avondale where chef-owners rework red-sauce classics into playful plates like Spaghetti Un O’s and confit grilled octopus. The room feels equal parts neighborhood date-night and industry hang, backed by a sharp Lambrusco-heavy wine list and attentive service.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti Un O’s with meatballs, Gnocchi in vodka sauce, Confit grilled octopus
What makes it special: Playful Italian-American cooking that turns comfort dishes into clever, chef-driven plates.
8.4
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Business Lunch Power Players
Trendy Table Hotspots
Family Friendly Favorites
Il Milanese focuses on Northern Italian cooking, with ossobuco, saffron risotto, and charcoal-grilled meats anchoring a white-tablecloth dining room. It’s the neighborhood choice when you want classic Milanese dishes and a serious wine list without heading downtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ossobuco alla Milanese, Risotto alla Milanese, Tagliata di manzo
What makes it special: Milanese-style dishes and risotto in a polished, neighborhood dining room.
8.2
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Open since 2002, Buona Terra is a longtime Irving Park Italian ristorante known for rigatoni in sun-dried tomato cream, house pizzas, and a busy bar. It’s the kind of place neighbors use for anniversaries, family dinners, and weeknight pastas in a cozy, brick-walled space.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni Buona Terra, Pappardelle Bolognese, Linguine alla Vongole
What makes it special: Long-running neighborhood Italian spot with hearty pastas and pizzas.
#4
Amano Bistro
8.0
Amano is an intimate North Center bistro leaning on fresh pastas, seasonal antipasti, and a compact wine list. It feels more like a neighborhood dinner party than a big-night-out destination, with a menu built for sharing a couple of starters and a pasta or two.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tagliatelle Bolognese, Mushroom ravioli with brown butter, Margherita-style pizza
What makes it special: Small, chef-driven Italian bistro with a tight, seasonal menu.
8.0
Angelo's Wine Bar pairs a deep bottle list and cocktails with thin-crust pizzas, pastas, and shared plates in a renovated Albany Park space. It works as a flexible date spot, from casual margherita-and-wine nights to longer dinners built around Drunken Bucatini and short rib ravioli.
Must-Try Dishes:
Signature Wings (three sauce styles), Classic Thin Crust Pizza, Angelo's Burger
What makes it special: Long-running wine bar where pizza, pasta, and promo-priced wings overlap.
Worthy Picks
#6
La Nonna
7.9
La Nonna is a BYOB Argentine-Italian spot tucked on a residential Avondale corner, known for huge milanesas, pizzas, and empanadas. Its casual room still works for relaxed dates, especially when couples split a bottle of wine and a platter built to feed more than two.
Must-Try Dishes:
Milanesa Napolitana, Empanadas, Milanesa Sandwich
What makes it special: BYOB Argentine-Italian spot where oversized milanesas and pizzas dominate tables.