Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Chicago by diners
It's no surprise that, in most countries, traditional national cuisine is the most popular, according to a . But Italian food isn't just top-rated in Italy鈥攊t ranks as the second-most popular cuisine in Germany and France and takes the bronze spot in the U.K., Mexico, and India as well.
Of course, it's also among Americans' favorites鈥攁nd there's lots to love about it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken Parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering, even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce鈥攖hink frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feelings. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant鈥攃omplete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, Parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread鈥攂rings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Chicago based on diners' reviews on as of January 2025.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
#30. Bar Roma
- Rating: 4.3/5 (422 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5101 North Clark St. Ste 1 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Bars, Italian
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#29. Buona Terra
- Rating: 4.3/5 (716 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3608 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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#28. Acanto
- Rating: 4.3/5 (606 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 18 South Michigan Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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#27. Tortello
- Rating: 4.3/5 (519 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1746 West Division St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pasta Shops, Italian, Salad
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#26. Tutto Fresco
- Rating: 4.3/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2901 North Ashland Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#25. Bari Foods
- Rating: 4.3/5 (907 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1120 West Grand Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Salad, Italian, American
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#24. Rose Mary
- Rating: 4.4/5 (760 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 932 West Fulton Market Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Modern European, Cocktail Bars
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#23. Coda Di Volpe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (604 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3335 North Southport Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#22. Il Porcellino
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1572 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 59 West Hubbard St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Salad
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#21. Alla Vita
- Rating: 4.4/5 (684 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 564 West Randolph St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#20. Ascione Bistro
- Rating: 4.4/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1500 East 55th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#19. Olio e Pi霉
- Rating: 4.4/5 (500 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 445 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#18. Il Milanese Ristorante
- Rating: 4.4/5 (103 reviews)
- Address: 2201 West Montrose Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#17. Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge
- Rating: 4.4/5 (909 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1027 West Madison St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#16. AVVIO
- Rating: 4.4/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4358 North Elston Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
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#15. Sapori Trattoria
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2966 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2701 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Cocktail Bars
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#14. Franco's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.4/5 (368 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 300 West 31st St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#13. Pasta D'Arte Trattoria Italiana
- Rating: 4.4/5 (692 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6311 North Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#12. Antico
- Rating: 4.5/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1946 North Leavitt St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#11. La Storia Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (498 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1154 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
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#10. Monteverde
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1365 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1020 West Madison St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Wine Bars
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#9. Ignotz's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (463 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2421 South Oakley Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#8. Sal's Trattoria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (419 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2834 North Southport Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#7. Forno Rosso Pizzeria Napoletana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (827 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3719 North Harlem Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
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#6. Nora Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (132 reviews)
- Address: 636 North St. Clair St. Floor 1 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Cocktail Bars, Sardinian
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#5. Torchio Pasta Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (410 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 738 North Wells St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#4. Ciccio Mio
- Rating: 4.7/5 (531 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 226 West Kinzie Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#3. La Nonna
- Rating: 4.7/5 (421 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3400 North Lawndale Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Argentine, Italian
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#2. Regalia
- Rating: 4.7/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5959 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
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#1. Sfera Sicilian Street Food
- Rating: 4.8/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5759 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Sicilian, Breakfast & Brunch
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 290 metros.
