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We've compiled the best of the best in Little Italy - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Unlike the rest of Taylor Street, which is predominantly Italian in allegiance, Chez Joël waves the flag for France, and it’s a favorite with the locals thanks to its authentic bistro feel. The sunny, cozy bistro serves well-prepared classics along with a reasonably priced wine list favoring French and Californian selections.
This seasonal stand is a big hit in Chicago's hot summers, with shaved ice served with chunks of fruit in flavors from lemon to cantaloupe. Mario's was started in 1954 by Mario DiPaolo and his son, also named Mario but known as "Skip," who still runs it, with his own family.
Cheerful and reasonably priced, this fast-casual Little Italy café specializes in thick, square slices of pizza along with salads, sandwiches, and homemade pastas. Between the nearby University of Illinois Chicago campus and workers from the Rush University Medical District, it gets busy, but the cafeteria-style service makes it a quick, satisfying meal.
If you visit Taylor Street from May to mid-September, be sure to stop at Mario's Italian Lemonade, a neighborhood staple since the '50s. Everyone from politicians like Jesse Jackson to local families lines up for old-fashioned, slushy Italian ices here.
