Tuesday – Friday · 4 – 6 pm · bar & patio
Aperitivo hour
- Spritz$8
- House wine by the glass$9
- Arancini$7
- Calamari fritti$9
Walk in, no reservation needed. House wine is the Montepulciano or the Pinot Grigio.
Little Italy1417 W Taylor St, Chicago
Pasta rolled by hand, every single morning.
A Tuscan family kitchen on Taylor Street since 1987. Nonna Elda still rolls the pappardelle at the front window at seven; by dinner it meets a ragù that has simmered since breakfast.
Weekday specials
Reasons to come on a Tuesday
Every Tuesday · all evening
Martedì della Nonna
$42 per person
Elda's three-course family supper: antipasti to share, your choice of pappardelle al ragù, cacio e pepe or gnocchi al pomodoro, and tiramisù to finish. Kids 12 and under, $18.
Book a Tuesday tableLa famiglia
Three generations, one long table
Elda and Franco Vanni came to Chicago from Lucca in 1981 with a rolling pin, a pasta board and a recipe for ragù they refused to write down. Six years later they opened twelve tables on Taylor Street.
Franco has retired to the corner table, where he still checks every plate of pappardelle that leaves the pass. Their son Marco runs the kitchen; their daughter Giulia runs the dining room and the wine list. The pasta board is the same one.
- 1987Elda & Franco open with twelve tables
- 2009Marco takes over the kitchen
- 2019La Cantina, our cellar room, opens downstairs
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Elda Vanni
Founder · pasta
Rolls every sheet of pasta by hand, 7 am, at the front window. Ask her about the ragù; she won't tell you.
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Marco Vanni
Chef
Trained in Florence and Bologna, came home in 2009. Responsible for the bistecca and the seasonal specials board.
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Giulia Vanni
Dining room & wine
Builds our list of small Italian producers and plans every party in La Cantina.
Private dining
La Cantina, our brick wine cellar
A private room downstairs under vaulted brick, lined with our wine. Birthdays, rehearsal dinners, office parties, a family reunion that needs a long table.
- Seated
- up to 40
- Standing
- up to 55
- Minimum spend
- $1,500 Sun–Thu
$2,800 Fri–Sat - Time
- 3 hours
Minimum is food and drink before tax and the 20% service charge. A 25% deposit confirms the date. The room has a screen with HDMI, a wireless mic, and elevator access.
Enquire about La CantinaFamily-style menus
Il Pranzo$58 pp
Shared antipasti, two pastas, tiramisù
La Domenica$72 pp
Antipasti, two pastas, pollo al mattone or melanzane, contorni, dolci
La Festa$88 pp
Everything in La Domenica, plus bistecca alla fiorentina, branzino and a cannoli tower
Wine packages from $32 per person, or by the bottle from our list. Smaller group? For 9–14 guests we set a long table in the main room.
Good to know
Reservations, takeout & dietary needs
Reservations
- Book with our assistant, by phone, or in person, up to 60 days ahead.
- Parties of 1–8: a regular reservation. We hold the table for 15 minutes.
- Parties of 9–14: a $20 per person deposit, credited to your bill and refunded with 48 hours' notice.
- 15 or more: book La Cantina.
- Walk-ins welcome at the 10-seat bar and, May to October, our six patio tables.
- A 20% service charge is added for parties of 8 or more.
Takeout & delivery
- Pickup any time we're open, until 30 minutes before close.
- Our own drivers deliver within 3 miles: Little Italy, West Loop, Pilsen, University Village and the South Loop.
- $35 minimum, $5 delivery fee, free over $80. Usually 45–60 minutes.
- To cook at home: fresh pappardelle $9/lb, Sunday ragù $18/quart, marinara $12/quart. Order 24 hours ahead.
Dietary notes
- Gluten-free rigatoni (+$3) with any sauce, cooked in a separate pot with fresh water.
- We roll wheat pasta all day, so we can't promise a flour-free kitchen. Severe celiac? Talk to us first.
- Vegetarian dishes are marked V. Vegan: marinara on dried or gluten-free pasta, and several sides; just ask.
- The cannoli contain pistachio. Please tell your server about any allergy.
From our guests
4.8 stars from 1,260 reviews
★★★★★
The pappardelle is the best thing I've eaten in Chicago this year, and Giulia remembered the wine we had on our anniversary.
★★★★★
We booked La Cantina for my dad's 70th. Thirty-two of us, family-style, every course on time. The minimum was easy to hit.
★★★★★
Gluten-free rigatoni that actually tastes like pasta, and they were honest with me about cross-contact. I'll be back.
Questions
Before you come
Anything else? Our assistant answers around the clock, and Giulia's team confirms bookings by phone or text.
Do you take walk-ins?
Yes. The 10-seat bar and the patio (May–October) are first come, first served, and we seat walk-ins in the dining room whenever a table is free. Friday and Saturday evenings fill up, so book if you can.
Where do I park?
Valet runs Thursday to Saturday from 5 pm for $15. Metered street parking is free after 10 pm and on Sundays. The CTA Blue Line Racine station is an 8-minute walk.
Can I bring my own wine?
Yes. Corkage is $25 per 750 ml bottle, up to two bottles per table. We'll gladly open a special bottle for you.
Is it good for kids?
Very. We have high chairs and a kids' pasta for $10 (butter and Parmigiano, or tomato sauce). On Tuesdays, kids 12 and under eat the Nonna supper for $18.
Is there a dress code?
No. Come as you are; most guests are smart casual.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes, from $25, at the host stand or by phone. They never expire and work for La Cantina deposits too.
Vieni a trovarci
Find us on Taylor Street
1417 W Taylor StChicago, IL 60607
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday – Thursday | 4:00 – 9:30 pm |
| Friday | 4:00 – 10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12:00 – 10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12:00 – 9:00 pm |
Last seating 30 minutes before close. Lunch is served Saturday and Sunday.