The 18 Best Italian Restaurants In Chicago - Chicago - The Infatuation

"The West Loop has so many Italian restaurants that red sauce fatigue can feel like a real hazard. But the Roman-style dishes at Il Carciofo popped up and said, "Hold that thought." Like its Croatian sibling, Rose Mary, this spacious Fulton Market spot is filled with West Loopers who can’t resist the pull of a trendy restaurant. Another shared trait: damn good food. The creamy rigatoni alla carbonara with guanciale is al dente perfection. Their namesake fried artichokes imported from Rome make us want to wait at O’Hare with a welcome sign. Reservations are released a month out, so as long as you’re planning on eating about four weeks from now, you should be in the clear. If you want to eat there this week—well, hopefully you’re ok with sneaking out early from work or eating dinner right before bedtime. Most available slots (if there are any) are only from around 5pm or past 9pm." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen