Italian-style deli set to open in former Bluephies location downtown
A new Italian-style deli called Casetta Kitchen and Counter is set to open downtown in February. Tommy Gering, 28, and James Juedes, 30, are longtime friends who grew up in the same Wausau neighborhood. Now both in the restaurant business, they plan to open a 40-seat casual spot in the former Bluephies Downtown Deli location at 222 W. Washingt...
Italian store in Orland Park was teenager's idea
By Ginger Reilly It is not every day that a teenager tells his parents that he wants a store, but that is exactly how one Orland Park business was born. "That was his dream, and we all got together, and we did it together," said Lina Lamorte of her son Alex Lamorte, who was 18 when Italia Imports opened in July 1999 in Orland Park. ...
Highwood’s Del Rio celebrates 90 years of timeless Italian food
Highwood's Del Rio Restaurant is known for its authentic Italian food and Old World ambience — emphasis on the word "old." Del Rio, which turns 90 this year, may be old by industry standards, but the restaurant itself is constantly evolving. Owner Bill Pigati attributes Del Rio's success to the philosophy of the original owner, his grandm...
Pizza party for kids!
WED, NOV 11, 2015 AT 12:00 PM: Pizza party for kids!Eataly, 43 East Ohio Street Chicago, IL 60611By: Scuola Italiana Enrico Fermi - FREE REGISTER Join the Scuola Italiana Enrico Fermi and Eataly for a interactive pizza making lesson: make your own pizza to take home, then lunch on tasty pizza from Rossopomodoro and have a nutella pizza f...
Nando Milano brings Italian food Downtown
By Jessica Hammie Downtown Champaign's newest restaurant is Nando Milano Trattoria. This is the second location for the restaurant — the first is in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood — and currently the only exclusively Italian fine dining establishment in Downtown Champaign. The restaurant is lovely. The remodel and build out of...
Eataly Chicago Opens Chain's First-Ever Roman-Style Pizza Concept
In their first move after closing Baffo, Eataly Chicago today will open a second pizza concept. It's called Pizza alla Pala, named after the wooden paddles the puffy central Italian pizzas are served on. The opening is described as a way to liven-up the second floor piazza and is expected to be the first in a series of moves. No, they're a...
Miko's Italian Ice Ushers in Spring by Opening This Week
by Victoria Johnson You know it's spring when Miko's is open. The popular Italian ice stand in Logan Square will open Thursday afternoon while the Bucktown location will open Friday. Both Miko's Italian Ice locations close for the winter each year and then re-open when the weather warms up a bit, making it a sort of unofficia...
NONNA'S ITALIAN DELI A HIDDEN GEM
You've got a look a little harder to find Nonna's, tucked into the back of the big and flashy Formento's on West Randolph, but the search is worth it. "I grew up in New York suburbs going to a lot of old school Jewish delis and a lot of great just Italian neighborhood delis, and I wanted to bring a lot of those ideas to the table here. But do...
Italian from scratch at Ballaro in Highwood
In north suburban Highwood, there's a new place downtown near the train station which is attracting a loyal clientele due, in part, to their commitment to making everything from scratch. It's a good thing the pasta machine works well at Ballaro, because nearly every table has a plate of one of the restaurant's three or four daily options. &nb...
Mariano's pact with trade group will bring more Italian products to stores
By Jessica Wohl Mariano's has a new partnership with the Italian Trade Agency to bring products from southern Italy to its stores, a move it could replicate with other countries as the growing grocer hopes such specialty fare will help it stand out from rivals. Bob Mariano, the chairman and CEO of Roundy's who started the Mariano's chain,...
M Italian is a grown-up treat that welcomes kids: Family-friendly restaurant review
My 5-year-old stuffed spaghetti in his mouth like it was some kind of contest. My 3-year-old happily devoured her pepperoni pizza. And my husband and I clinked drinks in the sunshine, savoring a moment of leisurely serenity with two normally picky, occasionally whiny eaters. (This was a treat, and not just because we didn't have...
Osteria Via Stato was Italian in River North before everything was
Chef David DiGregorio has been in Chicago for 35 years, but he still has the broad East Coast accent of his native Rhode Island—an accent that bespeaks big family tables full of hearty Italian food. After working for several restaurants here, he's spent the last ten years as chef-partner of Lettuce Entertain You's Osteria Via Stato, which...