Favorite Italian Restaurants
 

This one is easy for me. The Italian Village in Chicago. Classic place to eat. I love the Ossobuco, and the Veal Piccata. When you walk in, you feel like everyone knows you. The staff is great. The wine list is incredible. Good stuff, and if your in Chicago, go there.
http://holeinthedonut.com/wp-content...estaurant2.jpg

Maggiano's is also good. I have eaten only at the one in Oak Brook. It was very good. The Veal Marsala is killer good! I'm pretty sure Maggiano's has a place in every major city.

Re: Favorite Italian Restaurants
 

:tu

Sounds good! I'll be hitting up Maggiano's here in Scottsdale next week w/ some friends.

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Let me know what you eat and how it was Tyr:tu

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I hate to say this, but the only Italian restaurants I've been to are Olive Garden and Ciatti's. Ciatti's has decent food, but nowhere near the larger city italian places I'd wager. And their wine list SUCKS.

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Will do buddy :tu
I haven't been there before but heard really good things! There's a ton of good local Italian restaurants in the area that I frequent. I still want to get out to CA though and try the White Truffle Tagliatelle at Valentino's :tu

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Maggiano's is good.

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Tuscanys in Newport News, Virginia. Little old Italian man is the owner/cook. Best Italian food I have ever had. Quiet little place, low lit, huge portions, excellent food, great prices...the staff can be hit or miss...but the food alone is worth the visit.

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Capri, Arlington, Va.

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Will have to try next time I'm down there!

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Two for me.

Sammi's Cucina here in Brownstown, MI. He used to have a larger regular restaurant until it closed down some years ago. Now he has this small bistro style place that is all ala carte and mostly for takeout. The arancini are out of this world.

Cafe Borgia in Munster, IN. Haven't had a bad dish the times I've been there.

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:tpd: Don't know much about the authenticity, but I like the "family style" with a chance to try different items on the menu and you leave with at least another meal worth of food. :tu

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Spiaggia in Chicago, man I need to eat here too:dr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EL6NEYUx5Y

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Jasper's in Kansas City. Dee-lish.

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Gino's on State Street in Madison, WI. Really enjoy their food!

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Donatelo's in Tampa.... Hands down best Italian I have ever had. The food is amazing. It is like a time warp into a godfather movie though. The Maitre'D gives all women roses when they come in. They don't make them like this anymore. Better than RAO's or any high end place in NYC thats for sure.

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One of my all time favorites. This one is in Pasadena California.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...1296093262.jpg

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This place sounds great:tu

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I don't care a whole lot for Itallian food... Not enough meat and when I get done eating, I am hungry about 30 minutes later.. I can't stand Olive Garder... But Carrabba's is decent, with meat on the menu.
We have no "hometown" Itallian places in my area, if there ever is, they don't last long.

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I have only been to one Italian joint in your town, at the recommendation of a Great BOTL and his ever-enduring wife.
http://francescosholeinthewall.com/
That's the joint... and it didn't suck. At all.
I hope to be able to take someone there one day when I visit your city again.

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CWS I've walked by this place a bunch of times, my friends all love it, and I still haven't been here (almost went last Christmas). Now for the best Italian Beef available to human beings, have you tried Johnny's beef in Elmwood Park? To call yourself a true Chicagoan you have to go here and get an Italian Beef and Homemade Italian Lemonade. To Die For.:dr

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I love me some Buca di Beppo as well. Best calimari I've had there, although I must say pricing has gotten quite outrageous.

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:tpd: but there recent jump in stock price was even better :noon

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Garozzo's Ristorante four locations in the KC area..

http://www.garozzos.com/

Palermo in Los Angeles
 

http://www.palermorestaurant.net/

Great neighborhood restaurant, been coming here for over 30 years.

Best. Pizza. Ever.

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Most of my favorites have closed down due to old age of the owners but Monjunis is really good Louisiana Style Italian (Heavy Red Sauce) very informal and reasonable priced. Fabulous Lasagne! Locations in Shreveport (original), Baton Rouge, Monroe and others in Louisiana.:tu


http://monjunis.com/

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I will give this one a try on my next KC trip.:dr

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If you love Italian restaurants and are ever in St. Louis, you should go to "The Hill." It's an Italian neighborhood with scores of excellent Italian restaurants. It would be hard to pick a favorite but I really like a place called Favazza's. I think I could live on their salads, toasted herb bread and tortolini in cream sauce.

In addition to traditional dishes, you will find a more unique St. Louis creation, toasted ravioli ... usually a beef filled ravioli toasted to a golden brown, sprinkled with cheese and served as an appitizer with a marinara sauce ... delicious.

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I really like Maggianos and Italian Village was pretty good (only have been there once though). But my favorite in the Chicago area is Franchesca's

http://www.miafrancesca.com

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A little hole in the wall restaurant my friend and I stumbled into in Rome several years ago. Our waiter barely spoke English but the food was AMAZING! :tu

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Used to be a place in Elmwood Park called Biancalana's. Is it still there?

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If you are a pasta fan, one place to check out in NYC, especially if going to see a show is becco. They do an absolutely amazing pre fix menu specifically catering to theater goers.

Also Babo (if you can get reservations) is pretty solid. I would seriously avoid little italy (the manhattan version) its overpriced and you get olive garden quality food. Little Italy in the Bronx however is pretty awesome and a great place to spend an afternoon (few good smoke shops, with custom rollers up there)

Rao's is solid, and so is carmines, but those are always packed.

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Used to be my favorite place nearby. It's about 10 minutes away, but it seems to have gone a bit downhill the last time I was there. My current local favorite is Amalfi in Bethesda, MD

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In Boston, Via Matta has all the bases covered for Italian food and is one of the best restaurants in general. Great scene and QPR.

http://www.viamattarestaurant.com

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In the little food court/ mall on Arthur Ave? I love the Calabria Pork Store; a must visit!

http://www.calabriaporkstore.com/img/bg_main.jpg

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Although I'm in the Houston area now, I grew up in Chicago and have been to Italian Village several times. Great place.
Myy favorite was a place on the Northwest side called El Centros. As indicated, it's at the corner of Elston and Central. Don't know if it's still there or not.
Also, if you get to Jackson, WY, a great little place to try is Anthony's.

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Thats it...

They did move the cigar roller out of the market, last time I was there. I live so close I should go more often, but its always fun to get over there a couple times a year.

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Donatello is the deal. Glad to see another out-of-towner singing their praises. Anyone we've ever taken there has absolutely loved it. :tu

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My favorite is the Trattoria del Vapore in Cernobbio, Italy. It's on Lake Como along the Swiss border. (Wow that sounds snobby.) My dad did business with the owners son and I was lucky enough to travel with him a few times.

I also like Cassarino's and Angelo's Civita Farnese Restaurant both on Federal Hill in Providence, RI.:dr

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Pizz De Oro in Costa Mesa, Ca. very nice mom & pop spot...
Sundays all you can eat Lasagna

http://www.ocweekly.com/locations/pizza-d-oro-207225/

http://www.eatatpizzadoro.com/

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hmm, small restaurant overlooking the Medit. Sea, perched high on a cliff in the town of Riomaggiore Italy....part of the Cinque Terra chain.

One huge meatball in the middle of a monstrous plate...with mussels, clams, capellini, and some amazing white sauce. Table red wine had a better taste than 10-30$ bottles here. 2 guys, 11 girls.

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Just saw this thread, then saw this coupon:
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/free_ziti...intCoupon.aspx

... so thought I would post it.



My favorites in Chicago were probably Mia Francesca and Spacca Napoli. But there are so darn many you just never know for sure ;)

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In your area, love Francesco's Hole in the Wall in Skokie.

In my area, Matteo's.

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Trattoria Lisina - the price is just perfect for the quality of dish they serve.

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Favorite, never disappoints OSTERIA in Palo Alto, CA. I think they have a San Fran Location but never been to that one.

Cunettos on the hill in St Louis used to have a steak Siciliana that was fantastic but last time I was there it has dropped off. I don't know how they do it but it is lightly breaded and than grilled (not baked or pan fried) as far as I can tell. Lay it down in a thick mushroom gravy. Hopefully next time they will be back up to par. If you go to the hill, best Italian market I think is Vivianos.

Santarpios in East Boston for pizza is a hole in the wall but outstanding.