Quattro Mani: From Chicago For Chicago
This year, Quattro Mani is all about Chicago! From chefs to producers to community members, this new take on an old classic is a series of cultural events happening on on Tuesdays in La Pizza & La Pasta. Introducing Quattro Mani: From Chicago For Chicago! Why "quattro mani"? Because "four hands" are better than two! All year long, our newest dinn...
Sons of Italy sausage always a hit at the Undo’s Upper Ohio Valley Italian Fest
The Undo's Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival kicks off this week in Wheeling, but some of the major preparations are happening across the river. In fact, one of the festival's favorite foods is made at the Sons of Italy in Bellaire, where they finished Tuesday making more than 3,000 pounds of sausage. “We prepare 3 weeks in advance,” Sons of Italy...
From Italy to America: Carol Amendola d'Anca ospite dell'IIC di Chicago
Un appuntamento dedicato a tutte le persone curiose della cultura italiana. Ogni mese l’Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Chicago propone una tavola rotonda per discutere sulla cultura italiana e italo-americana attraverso l’arte, la musica, il linguaggio, la musica, la cultura in generale e, ovviamente, il cibo. Prossimo appuntamento il 25 luglio al...
Napoli's takes 35-year tradition downtown
By the week of Aug. 20, one of Woodstock’s great local business landmarks will change forever. After almost 35 years, Napoli Pizza will leave its store on Lake Avenue at Route 47 and move into the former Corner Grille building at Washington and Throop streets, just off Main Street. For people who grew up in Woodstock since the ’80s or ’90s (this a...
Food We Love: Family remains at the heart of Tufano’s Restaurant
Street crews were outside 1073 W. Vernon Park Place in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood because a crumbling piece of the sidewalk Food We Loveneeded repair. A 14-year-old Joey di Buono watched as they poured the cement. As it was setting, Joey decided to write something because that piece of cement was outside his grandparents restaurant: Tufano...
In West Bend, Bibinger's owner will open Culaccino Italian restaurant
Culaccino Bar + Italian Kitchen, a second restaurant from the owner of Bibinger's, is opening in late summer in West Bend. It will be at 110 Wisconsin St. That's the former site of Dublin's, which closed this year. Culaccino is projected to open in September. Owner Travis Dowden, whose aim has been to open multiple restaurants, is describing Culacc...
New food vendors, Montana A Cappella Society at the Hamilton Farmers Market
Food, glorious food, is at the Hamilton Farmers Market. Hot fresh food is made to order plus baked and specialty items are available. New food vendors include Reel Flavors Food Truck & Catering, Two Chicks’ Scratch, The Grind and The Montana A Cappella Society fundraiser will offer food seasoning items with a taste of Italy. Reel Flavors Food Truck...
Weekend-worthy pizza at Filippo’s in Mahomet
Although we are lucky to have an abundant variety of dining choices in C-U, my quest to find a pizza that reminds me of the ones back home (the Kankakee area, a 90-minute drive north) has been ongoing since I moved to Champaign 19 years ago. Prime Time was the closest, in my opinion, but, sadly, they closed shop several years ago. The kind of pizza...
Como’s New Owners Will Start Throwing Parties on the Restaurant Patio in August
Como’s, perhaps one of the most unexpected restaurant resurrections in recent memory, is preparing to undergo a big renovation. But before that revamp gets underway, Como’s new owners Peas & Carrots Hospitality will begin hosting a patio bar pop-up called FOMO’s next month. The events will kick off on Friday, August 3 and are expected to continue t...
Giasone’s to offer adult-only, upscale Italian experience
Co-owners Jason Gray and Derick Crumpacker see a fine line in how to offer an upscale dining experience: they want to strike a balance between casual elegance while avoiding the pretension that some may associate with higher-end restaurants. And the pair, along with their CFO Terri Caskill, may have nailed that balance with Giasone’s Ristorante, th...
Ava's Italian Ice brings fresh fruit flavors to Bucktown
Some people love Italian ice so much, they decide to change careers, and devote their lives to it. At least that's the case for a young family near Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood who have set up shop along a busy stretch of Western Avenue. There, they make nearly a dozen flavors a day, using only the freshest fruits they can find. Marisa Cruz and...
Little Lulu's Italian Ice brings fruit-filled treats to Portage Park
A new shop dishing out shaved ice has opened its doors in the neighborhood. The new addition to Portage Park, called Little Lulu's Italian Ice, is located at 5035 W. Montrose Ave. The shop was established by Autumn Bastyr, a mother of twins and professional photographer, who was inspired to start developing her own treats after struggling to find h...