Italian cuisine is ubiquitous on Rush Street.
Running northbound through the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast, Rush Street has been the center of Chicago nightlife for decades. It's packed with countless bars, clubs and restaurants that span less than a mile of city blocks. If you want Italian, Rush Street gives you numerous dining options. Some of the restaurants are not directly on Rush but easily within walking distance of the bustling boulevard.
Rosebud on Rush
Considered to be the "coziest" of the Rosebud chain of restaurants in Chicago, Rosebud on Rush serves Italian dishes in a renovated brownstone just a block from Michigan Avenue. Appetizers include traditional Italian sausage and peppers, bruschetta and fried calamari. On the greener side, try Rosebud on Rush's caprese salad and Italian Cobb salad (with crispy pancetta, provolone and genoa salami). Along with numerous pasta plates, the restaurant serves larger entrees such as "Costoletta Di Vitella" (double-cut veal chop) and "Filetto Portobello" (pan-roasted filet served in rich marsala wine sauce with portobello mushrooms). The restaurant also mixes a killer martini before you kick off your meal.
Rosebud on Rush
720 North Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312-266-6444
rosebudrestaurants.com/rest3.php
Ristorante Quartino
Two blocks South of Rush Street on State, Ristorante Quartino serves "authentic" Italian pizza, several varieties of pastas (garganelli, linguini, and orecchiette) and lighter fare such as polenta fries and garlic bread to complement its wine bar. The restaurant also cooks up risotto dishes with aged acquerello rice from Piedmont. If you want something to snack on between rounds at the wine bar, Quartino also serves a foundue with cubed calabrese bread and apples, crudit s, or bresaola. For parties of two or more, consider the "Salumeria Tasting" platter that includes a selection of two salumi, two cheeses, three spuntini and an assortment of olives.
Ristorante Quartino
626 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312-698-5000
quartinochicago.com
L'Appetito
Just one-and-a-half blocks off Rush Street at the John Hancock Center, L'Appetito began as one of the first authentic Italian downtown delis in Chicago and has expanded into a full-service cafe. Along with a daily-changing menu of homemade pizzas and pastas, L'Appetito specializes in tostinos, grilled sandwiches such as the "Napoletano" (pancetta and mozzarella), the "Luino" (swiss cheese, genoa salami, and red peppers), and the "Milano" (smoked mozzarella and roasted eggplant). The caf also serves a large assortment of Italian cookies, pastries and gelato.
L'Appetito
John Hancock Center
875 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-337-0691
lappetito.com
Tags: Rush Street, Rosebud Rush, Ristorante Quartino, Street Chicago, Along with, also serves