50 Best Italian Restaurants near Des Plaines

“Came here for Mother’s Day! Great food we each had a different dish and shared Calamari for the table. Delicious. The sauce was just like Nonna makes!“

“I’ve had three parties here. The Prices are affordable and the food is absolutely delicious. Shout out to the service! every thing was phenomenal as usual!“

“Love, Love this place! Amazing catering. My first time experience and the best customer service was with Joana and the food amazing. ☆☆☆☆☆“

“I wanted a nice meal. I got it. The steak was great, and the gravy was even better. One downside of ordering steak at an airport that I didn’t know is that you’ll be cutting it with a dull knife. The entree was $36, and with tax and tip was $46. No drinks or other items. It was very satisfying, and the server was excellent!

I only ask the following:

I would have preferred to be seated inside rather than in the hallway if possible.

Please do not do the QR code menu and ordering thing. I had to request a paper menu.“

“This was the perfect place for my daughter's baby shower. The room was lovely. The staff was excellent and the food was so good! We opted for the buffet. There was plenty of food. The ice cream sundae bar was a hit. All around? The perfect place. I cannot say enough good things.“

“First time I went was tonight and it was magnifico. Excellent service not too busy and cozy. Great food. I will definitely get back and have another meal there really recommended.“

“Always excellent, always delivered no problems whether its the yummy chicken or a stuffed pizza. Keep up the good work!“

“Absolutely great service Great food“

“Delicious and great service! We had the halal deep dish, crispy wings, tiramisu and chocolate cakes. Best decision“

“BEST Italian food in Illinois, this place is absolutely amazing. We got the poblano soup and the rigatoni alla traverstin and it was the best pasta and soup I have ever had. I requested it to be spicy, and they made it exactly how I wanted it, it was wonderful! My husband ordered his without the spice and it was just as amazing. Also, it is very refreshing to have a restaurant where all of the waiter and waitresses have conversations with the guests, it was so great to see. We had Susanna and her sister and they were so sweet to us. They all are so hospitable and genuinely great people. We have tried many many Italian restaurants in the area, and this is by far the best one and a must try.“

“The food is excellent and I cannot say enough kind words about how amazing the staff is. Every time we bring our toddler here, they treat her so special, making her smile, and so attentive to her. She absolutely adores the servers we’ve had. It makes you feel like part of the family.“

“My FAVORITE grilled chicken sandwich! Everything is amazing! Highly recommend!“

“Food was excellent as always and our server Moses made it extra special. Always one of my favorites!“

“From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and exceptional hospitality. The ambiance at Francesca’s Tavola is unmatched—classic, classy, and comfortable. The Pollo Arrosto Romana was divine—crisp skin, tender meat, and the rosemary lemon flavor was out of this world. Highly recommend!“

“It is always a pleasure dining here. Wonderful service is always provided. Great food with large portions. The cocktails are amazing! Let’s not forget the tasty appetizers and scrumptious desserts!!! GA must try!! You will not be disappointed!!“

“The gm Stephan is amazing. Great experience and great good and service“

“Gpay didn't work and I had no physical card. After trying the Gpay several times, I gave up. The manager asked for the drink I was drinking back, lol. I got in the car, saw my wallet in the seat and decided not to go back in. I drove out of my way to try this food, but this experience with being asked for the drink back was shocking. #theapartmentlady“

“What a great meal and service at Pasta D'Arte Trattoria Italiana!

To start, the drinks were solid—a nicely balanced Manhattan on the rocks and generous pours on the wines by the glass. Our group of four shared the Caprese Salad and Caesar Salad, both excellent and plenty to go around.

For entrées, we enjoyed the Linguini Del Mare, Pumpkin Ravioli, Osso Buco, and Walleye Alla Piccata. Everyone loved their dishes! Note that the tomato-based sauces have a nice spicy kick from red pepper—we really enjoyed it, but if you prefer milder, I assume they can likely accommodate.

The attentive and knowledgeable service made the experience even better, guiding us through choices nicely. Free valet on a busy Saturday night was a plus as well, and the overall vibe was welcoming.

My only complaint: the place gets very noisy on a packed Saturday night, making conversation tough without raising your voice. It's that lively, bustling trattoria energy, though!
Overall, a fantastic meal and service—we'll definitely be back!“

“Just a fantastic place everything I order is always excellent! I ordered the sun-dried tomatoes and a side order of meatballs that were fantastic. I highly recommend this place the pizzas excellent the cannolis out of this world, etc..“

“I always stop when I’m nearby!“

“Food, service and experience was perfection!“

“Love this place! We eat here frequently on Sundays!“

“I’ve been eager to try Mortadeli since it first opened, and after hearing so many rave reviews, I finally had the chance to stop by for lunch yesterday. Let me tell you, everything everyone says about this place is spot on! First off, the food is absolutely delicious. Everything on the menu is so tempting, it was hard to choose, but I went with the meatball sub and pasta salad. As someone whose grandmother made the best meatball sandwiches, my expectations were high – but Mortadeli’s version did not disappoint! It was fantastic. The pasta salad was also amazing, fresh, and perfectly seasoned. The atmosphere at Mortadeli is incredibly inviting – it strikes the perfect balance between classy and cozy. The staff are very friendly, and you can tell they genuinely care about making your experience special. The service was top-notch, with attentive staff and quick delivery of our food. One of the owners even took the time to chat with us a bit. Another pleasant surprise was the parking – I had my doubts at first, but we found a spot just around the corner with no problem at all. Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I’ll definitely be back. Mortadeli is a must-visit!“

“Nottoli's is the Best Italian Food in Chicagoland Period! Everything is Handmade! The Homemade Italian Sausage is World Class! The Sandwiches are Amazing, They Also Have Frozen Food, The Frozen Handmade Pizza's are Delicious! We Have 4 Generations of My Family that have Shopped at Nottoli's...We Highly Recommend it!! 🏆👍🏻“

“I used to eat here all the time, unfortunately, I moved away and it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve eaten Serino’s. The food is amazing! It’s just like going to grandma‘s house and getting some fresh made Italian food!!!“

“Raffi is a wonderful host and the server is very attentive. Loved all of the meals I have had there over the years. My favorite is the mostaciolli with spinach and ricotta, better at Raffis than anywhere else I’ve been.“

“Solid food every time! Had great risotto last night, their pastas are always good & great cocktails. Take home family meals are delicious and a lot of food for the money. Recommend!“

“Excellent food, great service, knowledgeable waitress“

“We ordered food for our daughter’s graduation party and it was amazing and so good! All of our guests commented how good everything was. Sandwich tray, vodka pasta and Italian beef were outstanding!“

“Our reservation was for 5pm and we walked in at 502pm. The food for both my wife and I were absolutely the best Italian food we have ever had. The price was excellent for such great quality. We will try to come at least once per month. Thank you very much for our delicious meals. We will see you soon.“

“My family and I love this place. You can’t go wrong with anything you order. Great service and family atmosphere too.“

“we had a table reservation 10 people walked in what a pleasant surprise interior was nicely done our waiter was excellent ordered drinks excellent our dinner order was great food was amazing we all had different entrees very well done I can't say enough about the staff we will definitely be back“

“Food was good as hell frfr and u get a lot with the chicken Alfredo and broccoli 🥦“

“If your looking for a true hidden neighborhood gem come to Pastina. I came here for Valentine's Day with my wife and had a wonderful time. The food was excellent and all the recommendations were on point. The chef was also able to make anything off menu but we went with the offerings. The Chicken Lemon I had was delicious and very well prepared with fresh capers. My wife had the chicken Vesuvio and loved her food and enjoyed the fresh mushrooms in the sauce, she said it was like eating two different meals at the same time. We also had the spinach soup which my wife fell in love with and now wants the recipe. The Bruschetta with the sweet roasted tomatoes is a must try. For dessert we topped it off with a delicious creme brulee cheese cake. Our server was very kind and attentive and everything she recommended was 5 stars. I will say this is a very date night spot and cozy space but don't let that stop you from coming with a small group of friends though I'd recommend a reservation for that. Neighborhood parking isn't too bad but I'd say give yourself a little time to get here and find a spot. I can't wait to come back and try more.“

“My favorite Italian restaurant in the northern suburbs. Great food and awesome atmosphere 👍.“

“Amazing and now I love the tacos 🥰“

“awesome place thank you Jackie and Gio“

“Our entire experience was wonderful, from the valet parking, the excellent service, friendly faces, mouth watering entrees and delicious desserts! We are from southern Illinois and have always wanted to visit. So glad we did, as we had an excellent time, never felt rushed and will definitely visit again!“

“amazing food and awesome staff!!“

“Great Food! Great Service! Always a Favorite❤️“

“Great food , charming atmosphere . Excellent service from Anna“

“great food, great service, good times.“

“We celebrated Wednesday! Food and service was great! My only concern was the place is loud. It's crowded. You will definitely need a reservation! They do have Happy Hour! Parking, thank goodness, is complementary since the parking lot is small. Cheers!“

“They had great food !! I liked their chicken with sauce on it !! Very tasty !!“

“This past weekend a group ( 14 ) of us experienced a wonderful evening at Pazzi Di Pizza in Elmhurst. It was a fun get-together that was enhanced by great appetizers and varied, delicious pizzas. We also were served by some of the best and most courteous staff we have ever experienced. Marco, the Manager, who attentively scheduled our evening, came over, introduced himself, inquired about our needs, and then introduced us to Charlie, our evening's server. Charlie was exceptional!! It was our second time meeting at this venue, and I highly recommend a visit!“

“Friendly, professional staff and delicious food.“

“First visit here and everyone in our group loved their meals. Karen was our server and she was just awesome. My meal was so good, I couldn't wait to get at my leftovers (and my wife's leftovers when she wasn't looking). They are not close to where we live, but we'd definitely go back next time we're in the area!!“

“Excellent service, amazing food. Gelato is incredible! :) Very nice people there, too! Will definitely return!“

“I ate dinner at Donny G's several hours ago and am still thinking about my memorable fine-dining experience. I ordered the cream of broccoli soup, shrimp de jonghe, and chicken marsala. All three were really delicious. The sauces on the shrimp and chicken were outstanding. Hector was my waiter, and I appreciate his excellent service. I always look forward to dining at Donna G's because this restaurant never disappoints.“

“I have been coming to this location for a little over a year now and they just. don’t. miss. You walk in that front door and they are always ready to push out orders! I go so often I’m starting to think I annoy them a little 😂 all jokes aside, I have tried pizza from all over the state and others too, but nothing can compare to a slice from Anthony B’s. They never have the pizza just sitting it’s always fresh and piping hot. It’s HONESTLY the BEST PIZZA I have ever tasted in my life. I find myself coming back at least once a week (or more 😂) if you feel like you’ve never tasted REAL pizza come to Anthony B’s, you’ll never want a slice from anywhere else. Thank you to the amazing employees who are dedicated to providing AMAZING quality and thank you specifically the young lady with the blonde streaks, she is so so amazing, kind and SUCH a hard worker. Thank you Anthony B’s for being so MARVELOUS !“