Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani shares Italian recipes in new cookbook
“Good cooking and a lot of flavor don’t have to take a lot of time,” says Fabio Viviani, chef, restauranteur and TV personality, explaining why he wrote "Fabio’s 30-Minute Italian." His beautifully photographed cookbook is filled with wonderfully accessible recipes. “The whole premise is easy,” he said. Viviani, who lives in the Chicago area now...
Chicago folks, if you haven’t hit up this BYOB Italian spot yet, you’re dining wrong
Chicagoans will attest that there is no shortage of delicious Italian food in the Windy City. On every corner and from every price point, there’s always an option for handmade pastas (shoutout to the "pasta queen of Chicago" for winning the James Beard Award for Best Chef) or grandma’s bolognaise recipe. And yet, if you haven’t dined at Antoine Ced...
Portillo’s Could Soon Be Delivered to Your Door
Giardiniera apparently travels well—even more so laden on a dipped Italian beef—which is good news since a new report says Portillo’s is testing delivery at certain locations, including in Chicago. According to Crain’s, Oakbrook-based Portillo’s is testing delivery at its River North location in addition to several other out-of-state stores. "I see...
Iron Chef Judge Mario Rizzotti to visit Jake's in Old Town Saginaw
Iron Chef America judge Mario Rizzotti is coming to Saginaw, bringing his "4 the Love of Italian Food" tour with him. The tour, which visits a different state every month and stops at eateries along the way, was designed to show Americans how to eat themselves into good health through authentic Italian cuisine, according to organizers. Rizzotti wil...
Readers say Salvatore’s is one of the best
At Salvatore’s Restaurants, it’s all about the family. The owners – Salvatore Coppola, Mike Carannante and Michele Lucignano – are cousins and business partners. Together, they’ve created an experience for guests at their restaurants to feel like they are a part of one big Italian family, which might be one of the reasons why The Vindicator’s read...
Triano's Pizza also makes delicious Italian beef
Triano's Pizza, one of the Southwest Side's favorite pizza joints, decided not that long ago that it would tackle the process of making its own Italian beefs. It's a lot tougher than it looks and they nailed the recipe for the sweet, hot and juicy beefs. Since the mid-80s, Triano's Pizza has been a staple in Garfield Ridge, on the city's Southwest...
Mario's Italian Lemonade Now Open For 2017 Season
Despite forecasted temperatures in the 40s and 50s all week, Little Italy's famous frozen lemonade spot is now open for the summer season. Mario's Italian Lemonade, 1068 W. Taylor St., opened quietly last week amid weekend temperatures in the 40s, one employee at the stand said Tuesday. Mario's typically opens for the season every May 1 and closes...
Esteemed Italian Pizza Maker Bonci to Soon Open First U.S. Location
While Beard Award partiers wipe their eyes from a late night on Monday spent at Lena Brava, there’s news on Rick Bayless’ new neighbor on Randolph Street. Reps for esteemed Italian pizza maker Gabriele Bonci have applied for a liquor license for 161 N. Sangamon St., the northwest corner of Randolph and Sangamon. That’s where America’s first Bonci p...
Authentic Italian polenta meets American fast dining
The smell of fresh pesto wafts from the kitchen as Emile Chalouhi and Camillo Villa huddle over the stainless steel kitchen island, weighing ingredients on a small scale and exchanging banter in Italian. It is early afternoon at The Polenta Bar in the West Loop. White chairs and tables sit empty as the restaurant undergoes renovations to make the e...
Italian Chain Vapiano to Open Second Chicago Restaurant in River North
Vapiano, the Italian restaurant chain with a location in The Loop, is opening another Chicago restaurant. Ownership has leased space in the AC Hotel in River North, the same building where SafeHouse Chicago opened in March. Look for a two-floor, 9,188-square-foot restaurant to open this fall, according to REJournals.com. The location at 630 N. Rush...
Mishawaka's Di Loreto banquet hall gets major makeover
Vinnie Bilancio is quite the tour guide. He's been coming to the Di Loreto Club, an Italian-American social club at 914 Division St. in Mishawaka, since boyhood. Bilancio's parents were members. Their wedding reception happened on site. After spending 19 years living in California, Bilancio returned to Mishawaka five years ago to help care for his...
Italian restaurant coming to Old Town Warrenton
A new restaurant will open in downtown Warrenton next month. Denim and Pearls, featuring Italian and American food, whiskey and wine, will replace The New Bridge at 29 Main St. “The food will still be upscale, but the atmosphere will be more relaxed,” co-owner Thomas “T.C.” Robinson said in an interview Thursday. Mr. Robinson and Rick Marrero, bot...