Best Instagram Worthy Italian Restaurants in Chicago
20 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Alla Vita
House-made pasta plus wood-fired pizza in a modern West Loop room.
Notable Picks
#1
Alla Vita
8.8
A West Loop Italian room built around house-made pastas, wood-fired pizza, and share-first ordering that keeps the table moving. The strongest play is one pasta lane plus one wood-fired starter, then stop before the order sprawls. It’s best for a dress-up dinner that still feels lively and current.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni alla vodka, Wood-fired meatballs, Ricotta dumplings
What Makes it Special: House-made pasta plus wood-fired pizza in a modern West Loop room.
Vibes:
Hidden Gems Heaven
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
This 1972 Lincoln Park icon invented the pizza pot pie—a theatrical bowl of Wisconsin brick cheese, homemade sauce, and Sicilian dough inverted tableside. The Mediterranean Bread alone has cult status, and the historic brownstone sits across from the site of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pizza Pot Pie, Mediterranean Bread, Oven Grinder Sandwich
What Makes it Special: The original pizza pot pie, served nowhere else, created by attorney Albert Beaver
#3
Anteprima
8.7
A small, neighborhood-feeling Italian dining room that wins on careful cooking and a menu that rewards pasta-forward ordering. It’s the kind of place locals treat as a repeatable special night: one starter, one standout pasta, and a dessert that actually lands.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orecchiette with spicy lamb sausage, Grilled octopus, Lemon panna cotta
What Makes it Special: Pasta-driven Italian cooking that holds up across years of demand.
#4
Daisies
8.6
Daisies is a Michelin-recognized Midwestern-Italian restaurant where house-made pastas and vegetable-forward plates lead, with the kitchen able to accommodate gluten-free needs on many dishes. The newer, larger Logan Square space adds daytime coffee and pastries while keeping dinner firmly in special-occasion territory.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carrot bolognese tagliatelle, Strawberry panna cotta, Warm rhubarb crostata
What Makes it Special: Michelin Bib Gourmand pasta spot where seasonal produce, careful technique, and a willingness to accommodate gluten-free guests make it a neighborhood benchmark.
8.6
A modern casual-Italian cafe built around slice-and-go Sicilian bakery pizza plus a deeper bench of panini, pasta, and gelato for a full meal. It works best when you treat it like a “pizza first, sweets after” stop—grab a couple slices, then finish with gelato before you roll out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Vodka Burrata slice, Panzerotti
What Makes it Special: A slice counter that pairs bakery-style pizza with a serious gelato lineup.
#6
Tortello
8.6
Chef Dario Monni's counter-service pasta shop produces some of Chicago's finest handmade pasta, crafted daily with imported Italian flour and Wisconsin farm eggs. The open kitchen lets diners watch artisans shape tortelli, tagliatelle, and bucatini while the signature tortelli di burrata with brown butter and sage has become a destination dish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tortelli di Burrata, Focaccia with Ricotta & Honey, Cacio e Pepe
What Makes it Special: Daily handmade pasta crafted using Old World Italian techniques with eggs from a dedicated Wisconsin farm
#7
Tre Dita
8.6
A Tuscan-leaning steakhouse inside The St. Regis built around handmade pasta and live-fire cooking, where the meal works best as a paced progression from schiacciata to pasta to a shareable cut. The room is designed for big-night energy—views, polish, and a menu that rewards ordering fewer things, better.
Must-Try Dishes:
Schiacciata bianca, Pici cacio e pepe, Bistecca alla Fiorentina
What Makes it Special: Handmade Tuscan pasta and live-fire steak in a skyline-view dining room.
8.5
A contemporary Hyde Park Italian room built for a more “dress-up” date with cocktails, shareable starters, and handmade pasta at the center. It’s strongest when you order in the burrata/meatballs lane, then commit to one pasta and one main to keep the pacing smooth.
Must-Try Dishes:
Burrata, Meatballs, Gnocchi
What Makes it Special: A stylish Hyde Park Italian dining room with handmade pastas and a date-night-friendly cocktail program.
8.4
An Italian neighborhood room with a chef-driven streak—Roman-style pizzas and pasta cones that skew richer than they look. It’s at its best when you split one pizza and commit to one signature pasta build, letting the kitchen’s comfort instincts carry the meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tortellini vodka pasta cone, Squid ink pasta, Roman-style pizza
What Makes it Special: Roman-style pizza plus playful, rich pasta cones.
#10
Ciccio Mio
8.4
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Trendy Table Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Birthday & Celebration Central
Ciccio Mio is an intimate, reservation-booked room styled like a vintage Italian supper club, known for rich pastas, antipasti platters, and thoughtful cocktails. Since opening in 2019 it has become one of River North’s most sought-after Italian date spots, with a heavy emphasis on indulgent, sauce-driven dishes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy vodka rigatoni, Lasagna bolognese rotolo, Orecchiette pugliese
What Makes it Special: A small, softly lit Italian room focused on luxurious pastas and classic antipasti.
#11
Nuovo Chicago
8.4
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Trendy Table Hotspots
An upscale kosher-dairy dining room where wood-fired-style pizzas and pasta come out built for sharing, making it an easy family dinner that still feels like a night out. The move is to order one pizza for the table, add a salad or appetizer, and let the service pace things so kids aren’t waiting forever between bites.
Must-Try Dishes:
Build Your Own 12" Cheese Pizza, Neapolitan-style specialty pizza (goat cheese + basil), Mozzarella sticks
What Makes it Special: Upscale kosher-dairy Italian where pizza night can feel polished.
8.4
A cozy, chef-owned neighborhood room that leans into pasta specials, comfort-forward classics, and a dim, date-friendly vibe. The menu plays best when you keep it in the house lanes—one appetizer, one pasta, and a focused main—so execution stays tight.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti bolognese, Scallop risotto (seasonal special), Focaccia + Caesar salad
What Makes it Special: Chef-owned, intimate Italian cooking with nightly-style specials energy.
#13
Bar Roma
8.3
A lively Andersonville Italian spot where the move is pasta plus a cocktail—big flavors, bold plating, and a room that runs energetic rather than hushed. It’s a strong pick when you want a modern date-night vibe with comfort-forward classics like cacio e pepe and lasagna.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e pepe, Pappardelle, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: High-energy Italian with pasta hits and a cocktail-forward bar program.
8.1
A Lincoln Square counter-style spot pairing Roman-influenced pizza with a coffee program, built around fermentation-driven dough and crisp, structured slices. It works best as a focused pizza mission—one signature pie, one focaccia-based sandwich, and you’re out before it gets busy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Roman-style pizza slice, Focaccia sandwich, Espresso drink
What Makes it Special: Roman-style pizza and coffee built around fermentation-focused dough work.
#15
Olio e Più
8
The Chicago outpost of Olio e Più brings a coastal-trattoria feel to Dearborn, with a menu built around tableside cacio e pepe, rich gnocchi, and photogenic cocktails. It draws a style-conscious crowd that prioritizes ambiance and presentation alongside familiar pasta and pizza staples.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti cacio e pepe (tableside), Ravioli di short ribs al ragù, Gnocchi Castelmagno e tartufo
What Makes it Special: Design-forward trattoria known for tableside cacio e pepe and visually showy plates.
#16
Pizza Art Cafe
8
A neighborhood Italian cafe anchored by wood-fired pizza, with a menu that goes beyond the basics into shareable starters and composed plates. The best move is to start with a small appetizer, then pick one classic pie and one more adventurous topping combo for range.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Bruschetta/crostini, Mushroom pizza
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired pizza at the core, with a broader Italian cafe menu.
Worthy Picks
Since 2015, owner Dino has been crafting authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas using imported Italian flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh burrata. The wood-fired oven produces a signature fluffy crust that earned recognition from WGN's Chicago's Best Pizza.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chili Burrata & Prosciutto Pizza, Margherita Pizza, Calabrese Soppressata
What Makes it Special: Imported Italian ingredients and authentic wood-fired technique
7.9
A newer Irving Park address that aims for a fuller Italian dinner arc—fresh pastas, seafood, and a dessert finish—rather than a quick neighborhood red-sauce stop. It works best when you order like a proper sit-down meal: one pasta, one protein, and a shared sweet to close.
Must-Try Dishes:
House-made pasta, Pan-seared salmon, House-made gelato
What Makes it Special: A newer Italian spot that leans into fresh pastas and a full dinner arc.
#19
Forno Mauri
7.8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A compact Printer’s Row pizzeria focused on Neapolitan-style pies with a more premium ingredient and wine-forward feel than a typical family slice shop. It’s best for a small family that wants a quick, high-quality pizza dinner—one pie per two people keeps it clean and avoids pizza overload.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita-style Neapolitan pizza, Daily pizza special, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: A small, modern Neapolitan-pie room that prioritizes ingredient-driven simplicity.
#20
Palermo Bakery
7.6
A high-output Italian bakery where the display cases do the talking—bread, cookies, pastries, and custom cakes that keep the line moving. The smartest order is a classic cannoli plus a box of cookies, then add one seasonal special if it’s fresh and in stock.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cannoli, Italian rainbow cookies, Seasonal pączki
What Makes it Special: A deep Italian-bakery bench with cookies, pastries, and celebration cakes.