"Google “Monteverde” and try to make a reservation for some time over the next month. Did you hear that? That was Resy laughing at you. This is the best Italian restaurant in Chicago, and the first place we try (and often fail) to make reservations when we want to celebrate with someone from the East Coast. The menu is full of hits, from cacio e pepe to the ragu alla Napoletana—a tomato-braised pork shank with three soppressata meatballs, two cacciatore sausages, and a pile of fusilli we want buried with us when we die. The service is always great, and at no point during a meal here will you wonder why it’s so hard to get a reservation. The regular dinner service is booked out for months, but they serve lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and your chances of getting a table go up exponentially if you look for a reservation then. The bar is first come, first served, so come here alone and plan to take up an absurd amount of space for you, your pastas, and your pork shank." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen