Top Best Italian Restaurants in The Wire

"Gibsons Restaurant Group goes Italian with this ritzy waterfront property that's ideal for those nights when someone else is picking up the tab. Because it's Gibsons, the menu is crowded with steaks and seafood, but there are also some fantastic antipasti offerings (we daydream about the arancini) and pasta courses to be had. Though it's a splurge, the 7-year aged risotto with mushrooms and black truffles is worth every penny."

"Soak in riverfront and skyline views from three different levels at this West Loop steakhouse, which serves house-made pastas, high-quality cuts of meat and other Italian delicacies. The second and third floors of the restaurant feature tables spread across on spacious patios, while the fourth rooftop is available for private events (in case you've been looking to plan a waterfront soiree in the near future)."

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

"Located in the Fulton Market District, Formento’s is an authentic Italian restaurant that serves traditional and classic Italian dishes alongside new Italian-American favorites. Inspired by the age-old tradition of an Italian ‘Sunday-supper gathering,’ Chef/Partner Tony Quartaro has created a menu that takes diners into the heart of an Italian Cucina – think porcini bruschetta and Nona’s meatballs for lunch and wood-fired zucchini and pesto Giovanni for dinner. Desserts include handmade gelato and chocolate cake, while a world-class wine menu features over 600 varietals from around the world, ensuring guests will find the perfect accompaniment to the cuisine."

"Situated in the hip and busy Fulton Market District in Chicago's West Loop, Formento's is, at its core, a homage to traditional Italian home cooking. Executive Chef Todd Stein features the light and bright flavors of Italy with the best ingredients he can get his hands on. Meanwhile, the recipes are all based on traditional family recipes from the owner's grandmother, while Chef Todd contributes new-age dishes to the menu as well."

"Next on our list of the best desserts in Chicago, it’s Formento’s. Formento’s is a really great restaurant in it’s own right (and definitely a place to enjoy a fancy date night), but you absolutely want to go here for their famous chocolate cake. Just take a look at the photo below and tell us you don’t want to get stuck in!"

"We really use to enjoy coming here and would recommend it to friends or family. However, it has changed drastically."

"Mirabella Italian Cuisine in Avondale is an upscale Italian steakhouse with a warm ambiance. The white-tablecloth dining room with romantic lighting sets the scene for indulgent pa..."

"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."

"Ranalli's has heaters for its patio in Lincoln Park, but the pizza and pasta restaurant's website still advises, "Dress warm, Chicago." (Ranalli's/Ranalli's). The famed large patio in Lincoln Park is equipped with heaters for outdoor dining. The hot pizzas should also help."

"Outstanding Mediterranean and Lebanese food consistently comes from the kitchen of this longtime Andersonville favorite. The large menu includes a mix of meat and vegetarian options (vegan options too). Roast lamb with couscous, Moroccan chicken with apricots, and Mediterranean eggplant are just a few of the goodies that await."

"If you find yourself hungry in the Downtown area, then chances are high that a Freshii is not far away. The Toronto-based chain stakes its claim on fresh food fast with wrapped filled with vegetables, bowls overflowing with brown rice and detoxifying juices."

"Traditional Japanese cuisine meets forward-thinking fare at this six-time Bib Gourmand award-winning restaurant, where two kitchens work together to offer eaters a comprehensive dining experience. For a front-row vantage point of the team’s handiwork, grab a seat at the sushi counter. It’s here where guests can watch as their plates are prepped, from tuna tartare with pickled Asian pear and black tobiko, to the beloved trio maki roll, complete with tuna, salmon, hamachi, cilantro, and chili oil."

"After recouping from a recent fire, Arami is back in business serving fine sashimi, nigiri, and maki, as well as tasty ramen, and other large and small plates. Presentation is not an afterthought here; each dish is beautifully plated. They recently received a Michelin Bib Gourmand nomination for the fifth year in a row."

"And none of us would exhibit our robust appetite full-on while a potential lover is across the table. Arami is the perfect eatery where the nigiri and sashimi are as good as it gets. The menu at Arami is far from fancy, but the food is authentic."

"Sandy Chen has been keeping Evanston well-sated with her Chinese cuisine for over 20 years. In addition to the expansive a la carte menu, she’s doing some specials for the Chinese New Year that are filled with auspiciously lucky foods like Spring Rolls and Dumplings (wealth), Peanuts (long life), Fish and Rice Cakes (increased prosperity), and Lychee (close family ties). You won’t want to miss those Seafood Pan-Fried Noodles (Happiness and Longevity)!"

"In addition to high-quality sushi and sashimi, this Irving Park newcomer is becoming best known for its omakase menu, a multi-course experience customized to the customer’s flavor preferences and budget. For those going a la carte, stick with go-tos like the toro sashimi and seasonal whole fish, served sashmi-style. For tastes a bit less traditional, sample through a medley of signature maki, such as the Inferno Dragon (with white tuna, fried smoked salmon, and fried jalapenos) or the Hi Jack (with tempura shrimp, cream cheese, and unagi sauce)."

"Enjoy the warm ambience, unique look, and quality Japanese dishes offered at one of the finest restaurants in Chicago–Raisu Japanese Fine Dining. The restaurant is well known for its innovative take on food that includes classic Japanese techniques prepared with diverse flavors to create stunning, mouthwatering bites for eclectic crowds. From seasonal exotic fish and an array of drinks to accompany the dishes, you can experience it at Raisu."

"If you’re looking for the best Japanese restaurant in Irving Park of Chicago, this establishment happens to serve a large variety of sushi dishes. Taking a simplistic view of fine dining, Raisu Japanese is a more approachable and casual restaurant. But that doesn’t make the experience any less riveting."

"Shanghai Terrace is a top-voted principal Chinese Restaurant in Chicago according to Zagat Survey. The restaurant in the premises of hotel ensures to provide and serve freshly made Cantonese sandwiches aboard the 1930s supper club décor, or out on The Terrace with spectacular skyline views and beverages. Diners can measure into the enchanting surroundings of this restaurant and savor identifying cookery, always honored together with the AAA Four Diamond Award."

"In the upscale Peninsula Hotel in Downtown Chicago, you'll find a gourmet dim sum restaurant with roaring ‘30s supper club décor and a blend of Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes. This Zagat-listed pearl of an eatery blends old world elegance with new world sensibilities for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Shanghai Terrace is one of the best restaurants in Chicago for atmosphere and fine dining."

"Along with promising some of the best Chinese food in Chicago, Shanghai Terrace also boasts some of the best views. From both the seasonal terrace and main dining room on the fourt..."

"Restaurants Contemporary American Little Italy, UIC. We can appreciate the mission that fuels this Douglas Park restaurant: "Make fine dining cuisine and service approachable and fun instead of pretentious and stuffy." Inside the unmarked building, guests are treated to a multi-course experience that's part dinner party, part performance, which makes for a deliciously entertaining night out. Though menu components shift with the seasons, diners can expect to taste the restaurant's playful spin on French fries and ice cream, which is inspired by none other than McDonald's."

"Diners who have managed to snag a rare reservation at El Ideas should prepare for anything – if they can even find the restaurant. Directions to the restaurant read, “Turn down the dead-end street; EL ideas is the only business whose windows look out onto the street. There is no signage.” The next line should read, “Good luck."