Top Best Italian Restaurants in Cook County

"Rooftop restaurants Chicago, Gibsons Italia | Photocredit: www.gibsonsitalia.com/. Located by the waterfront in West Loop, Gibsons Italia is one of several smaller siblings to the iconic Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, which has been one of Chicago’s leading restaurants since 1989. Bright, modern and quite swanky in decoration, Gibsons Italia is set over three levels, with both an outdoor terrace and a rooftop with retractable roof."

"Technically an Italian steakhouse, Gibsons features a large lunch menu with a large variety for diners with a variety of..."

"Steaks , Italian"

"A chic, brick-accented spot inspired by red-sauce joints of the 1950s The B. Hospitality guys (The Bristol, Balena, and Nonna's) opened the doors to their sprawling Randolph Street restaurant back in 2015 and have been serving up well-executed takes on mid-century, southern Italian cuisine ever since -- even with a menu overhaul leaning toward lighter, seafood- and veggie-focused fare a year later. The dining room's old-school vibe -- complete with crimson banquette seating, white tablecloths, and black-and-white photos -- invites diners to try pasta dishes inspired by the classics like rigatoni, in which the ricotta-topped pasta covered in a pork neck gravy is accompanied by spicy fennel sausage and fluffy meatballs."

"In Fulton Market, you can visit Formento’s for a unique blend of new and old culinary creations. Along with an expansive wine menu, diners can find “an array of dishes steeped from traditional family recipes alongside new-age dishes."

"Il Culaccino – Chicago Italian Restaurant has a full-service restaurant, bar, outdoor patio, and offer carryout, private events, and catering. A part of Franco’s Restaurant Group, IL Culaccino’s idea includes a luxurious casual dining restaurant, full-service bar, outdoor patio, and a vast list of fine and award-winning wines. Il Culaccino offers catering and private events."

"The gist: Former Spiaggia executive chef and Top Chef champ Joe Flamm’s first restaurant is an homage to Italian and Croatian coastal cuisine—lovingly dubbed “Adriatic drinking food.” Named after his two grandmothers, Rose Mary’s inviting space sparkles thanks to glossy azure tilework and the bustling open kitchen’s eye-catching charcoal hearth. The food: The seasonally-driven menu showcases Flamm’s mastery with pasta (think: tagliatelle with duck sausage, cavatelli cacio e pepe). But that hearth also churns out stunning roasted vegetables like coal roasted beets with honey and pistachio, not to mention show-stopping seafood dishes (OMG grilled clams with ramp butter!)."

"Restaurants Italian West Loop. Named for both of his grandmothers and combining elements of Italian and Croatian cooking, Top Chef winner Joe Flamm's Rose Mary brings seasonal dishes to a cozy Fulton Market space lined with hanging plants. Flamm describes the menu as "Adriatic drinking food," packed with heart dishes like Gnocchi with beef cheek pašticada (a wine-soaking process) and pork ribs served with a cabbage and yogurt relish."

"One of Chicago's most antipated restaurnat openings of the year has arrived. Former Spiagga chef, Joe Flamm's Rose Mary has arrived in Fulton Market with loads of early praise. Flamm leans one his experience with Italian classics by offering pasta and risottos menus, but also takes a new venture into Croatian fare."

"This newer delicious hotspot comes from the same owners as Maple and Ash. Located in Wicker Park, Etta is known for its mediterranean-leaning menu with lots of tasty wood-fired options like pizza and the “bubbling shrimp.” The large second floor terrace offers the same menu and warm breezes above North Avenue."

"The Wooden Pavilion at the Lincoln Park Zoo’s South Pond is a fantastic way to frame Chicago’s skyline around the John Hancock Center. Additionally the structure itself is fun to photograph and a fun spot for portraits. South Pond on Google Maps"

"Consider it the Art Institute’s brash, rebellious sibling, with especially strong minimalist, surrealist and conceptual photography collections, and permanent works by René Magritte, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol. Covering art from the 1920s onward, the MCA’s collection spans the gamut, with displays arranged to blur the boundaries between painting, sculpture, video and other media. Exhibits change regularly so you never know what you'll see, but count on it being offbeat and provocative. Illinois residents get free admission on Tuesday."

"Museum of Contemporary Art With an ever-changing set of temporary exhibitions, you never really know what you’re going to get at this museum. It’s good for modern art lovers but sometimes verges on just being weird."