il Carciofo
Roman restaurant · West Town ·
Authentic Roman Italian fare, housemade pasta, Roman-style pizza
Authentic Roman Italian fare, housemade pasta, Roman-style pizza
"Rome through and through, this sibling embraces that city’s flavors, features an open kitchen, and uses a coffee program supplied by Caffé Umbria." - Lisa Shames
"The West Loop has so manyItalian restaurantsthat 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 spaciousFulton Marketspot 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." - Team Infatuation
"Chicago is filled with Italian spots serving mattress-sized scallopini or deconstructed lasagna, but Il Carciofo in Fulton Market is one of the few to embrace the simplicity of Roman cuisine. You’re here for the perfectly al dente housemade tagliatelle, rigatoni, and dishes with only a few ingredients. In each bowl with meaty ragu or guanciale, you're able to thoroughly savor the quality of the tomatoes and cheese fresh off a red-eye from Italy. 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." - john ringor, nick allen, adrian kane
"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
"If you want some great Italian food from a buzzy new restaurant, head to this Fulton Market spot from the Rose Mary team. The warmly lit space is filled with couples who have the same idea as you, but the service is very relaxed, and it’s not too loud to chat. Inevitable conversation topics: the namesake fried artichoke with a dusting of salty pecorino and the must-order pastas. But if you briefly stop listening to zone out into your creamy rigatoni alla carbonara, that's perfectly normal. 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, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen