Cicchetti

Italian restaurants are some of my favorites, and there seem to be an abundance of them opening up in Chicago the past few months. Cicchetti is in Streeterville and was opened by restaurant vet Dan Rosenthal. There are also some heavy hitters as the executive chef, sous chef and pastry chef.

I absolutely loved this place. Not quite as much as Bottlefork, but a close second for new places I've been to recently. The food is so good and we could have ordered so many things on the menu. The Nonna's Meatballs are must, as well as getting a flatbread. I've also since learned Dan Rosenthal's restaurants are known for their homemade ravioli, so wish we'd gotten those. At the end of the meal, they bring out a shot of limoncello for everyone. This was such a fun touch and made us very happy!

The staff was super friendly, and the ambiance and interior are also just my style. Lots of white, marble, exposed wooden beams and black metal. They have a great area that could be separated off for private parties. The layout is a bit confusing though because it is connected to a Sopprafina (which Dan Rosenthal also owns), and at first you might think that half the restaurant is empty. Well, apparently that half is not part of Cicchetti and is actually Sopprafina. They also have a great outdoor area, so this would be a fun place to come back for brunch. Overall, I highly recommend this place!