50 Best Italian Restaurants near Highland Park

“Todd and his daughter & staff are incredible . their wonderful service made my family dinner something so special. Everyone who works at this tiny gem is so welcoming. In a time when it seems every restaurant experience is rushed and rotten- Viaggo puts personal touch and love into every moment. Thank you so much Todd we will be back .“

“Aside from the pizza being amazing, big plus for whole wheat crust, I really think they grow their own people there! Every single time I call, no matter the reason, they are SO INCREDIBLY NICE. Every person who picks up the phone; helpful, kind, just NICE every time! How do they hire only nice people? I need the recipe. Thank you Pierros!“

“Lou's pizza is always amazing everywhere, but this specific location really stood out. They were on time with my take out order, someone helped me carry the large order to my car, and most of all, the manager went all out to make things right when there was an issue. Great food and great staff.“

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

“An intimate space, but the entrées and desserts were excellent and the service was pleasant and efficient. A modest, but reasonable wine list.“

“Great place for Italian!“

“Omar gave great service! Good was very good (ravioli with tomato cream). Good for kids too!“

“Great, authentic Italian cuisine. Never disappoints.“

“Carlos & Carlos in Wilmette was a good night out. We enjoyed the beef carpaccio, linguine with clams, and the meatballs—all well-prepared. Loved the sangria, and the service was excellent. We also tried the cannoli for dessert—beautifully presented, though probably not our favorite part of the meal. Overall, a good experience!“

“A Classic! Family run for over one hundred years. You can see, taste, and appreciate why. Our server Stella is fifth generation from the original family. Her lovely mother stopped by to say hello too. Eggplant Parmesan, Halibut in butter sauce, Alfredo and Spaghetti. So delicious! No room for dessert!!“

“So glad I tried and continue to enjoy Maria’s Italian Bakery and Cafe! This authentic spot offers wonderful service and excellent quality menu items— highly recommend!“

“My sister and I both ordered the grilled salmon. She asked for her to be cooked through; I asked for mine to be prepred per chef's recommendation. Both of our dishes were prepared to our specifications. Mine was seared on the outside and tender moist on the inside. To add to that perfection, the sunchoke purée had an amazing mélange of flavors. I finished my meal with the Scorza Dolce--also packed with flavor.I have now had three meals that were so exquisitely flavorful that they will stick in my mind forever (previous two are from 1981 and 2005). My salmon at Mino's is now my #1 all-time favorite meals!“

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

“First time diner. Very good food. Will go again.“

“We went to Washington Garden’s last night with friends hoping to enjoy some good Italian food. The food was delicious! The portions were large and the waitress couldn’t have been nicer. We will be returning soon. 🥰👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Ate here for the first time a couple weeks ago. This un-assuming spot had great veal and a fantastic Braciole. Prices were reasonable. Atmosphere is lacking (it's not fancy) but food is great. Good spot to take kids for some great Italian food. Will be back“

“Amazing and now I love the tacos 🥰“

“amazing food and awesome staff!!“

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

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

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

“Delightful owners, excellent customer service. The best lasagna we have ever tasted. It melts in your mouth. Beyond delicious!!!!“

“Had a wonderful experience for a business lunch. Great food and exceptional customer service. Lucia was wonderful!“

“Carry out was outstanding! Helped tide us over until we are all able to eat here and in all restaurants again! 👍🏼“

“We had family style dinner. Food was amazing!! Service was great. Everyone took such pride in their jobs.“

“Thank you Paninos for fast turn around and great food for our group tonight. The food was a big hit.“

“Large and varied menu, and they were quite accommodating to our party of 7. Every person at our table ordered something different and was delighted with their meal. I had the osso buco with risotto and it was delicious. Banana cake and butter cake for dessert were enough to feed the whole table after such a rich meal. It's the kind of place where you want to try everything on the menu because it all sounds so good. I will definitely come here again the next time I'm in town.“

“We had my sons second birthday party here and I would highly recommend to anyone who has enjoyed eating at Morettis. The catering and management team were very responsive, flexible, and excited for host our event. We had about 50 people and the staff was outstanding. Everyone loved the food. I would host again at Morettis!!!“

“We went to Tocco with my wife yesterday evening for the first time. It's the real thing, authentic Italian food that tastes as excellent Italian food. Details like the bread and the extra virgin olive oil confirm you are eating Italian. If Fabio is available ask him to see the Parmigiano pantry (it's a religious experience 😀). We recommend Tocco with no reservations...no pan intended. Alex (for Italians Alessandro)“

“My daughter had her wedding at this venue on 8/4/25. From the point of discussing the space, to reviewing the contract, to discussing options, to answering ALL of our questions, to the tasting, to the day of, our event coordinator (not sure that's her specific title) Amanda was nothing short of stellar. She was patient, thorough, and accommodating ensuring that my daughter was comfortable in a very important time of her life. Our event captain (again not sure of her title) Kylie also was amazing -- handling each of our requests quickly and pleasantly. These two ladies are an asset to your company & should be commended for their fantastic work ethic. All the event staff from the bartenders, to servers, to bus boys were pleasant and efficient. The food was delicious as well. Our event was amazing & memorable largely due to the associates we interacted with.“

“Arrived in half the quoted time, piping hot and enough for two meals - not to mention super flavorful and delicious! I ordered fettuccine w/bolognese & broccoli and it was packaged in adorable packaging as well. I will be ordering again in the future for sure“

“We hosted a meet and greet for work and our team had a wonderful evening and delicious meals! The staff and management are easy to work with, accommodating vegetarian and non-vegetarian requests. I would highly recommend the venue for small/intimate or large gatherings!! The outdoor seating has fantastic views and a relaxing atmosphere!“

“Amazing service! Above and beyond what we could have expected, especially with our 2 year old! Delicious food and beautiful atmosphere. Highly recommend!“

“Went out with the family! Great service, our waitress Jenyttzy is a gem! Very charismatic friendly and energetic! Service was good, time passed by quickly with good times here. The Drink in the picture was strawberry lemoncello margarita. Cheers everyone!! 🥂“

“Great time last night good all of this world remember when grandma used to make it“

“Love their food but some improvement is needed with ordering. I’ve had 2 issues which I wasn’t going to mention the first one but after today I decided to write about it so maybe Managment can see and tweak things a bit. First issue a while ago (I think about 5-7 months ago) I ordered a plain cheeseburger with fries and bottled water. Drive away from the drive-through and as I get ready to eat my food 10 min later I realize they didn’t put cheese on it. So I drove back and said I asked for a plain cheeseburger and you guys forgot to put the cheese on. Girl says ok and gets me a new one. Drive away and I park in front of the store to just take a peak and guess what. Again no cheese. Burgers have no cheese. Cheeseburgers have cheese. A plain cheeseburger gets nothing else except for cheese. A plain burger is just a bun and the burger patty. I just wanted to eat so I moved on and ate my plain burger. Today I ordered a Buffalo ranch chicken salad but I asked if I can have the chicken grilled instead of the breaded one and they gave me chicken without Buffalo sauce. If they weren’t sure they could have asked but this wasn’t for me. And this was not their first time ordering this item but they’ve never had an issue so somehow this message was confusing either to the kitchen or how it was rung in. This was ordered at 5:04:50 PM on 2/10/2022 receipt DT98. Order Id: AAANPKMJAQAH at the 861 E. Rand Rd. My. Prospect location. We didn’t have the energy to drive back and get the right chicken. Again, we love your food but these things shouldn’t keep happening. Thank you“

“Great food. Their supper club menu is wonderful. #iraeats“

“Fresh and delicious attention to detail. Just had a deep dish pizza with red onion and yellow peppers. Perfect balance of flavors.“

“It is a very cozy italian place. We went here for mom Moms birthday The food was scrumptious My wife and I had the lasagna.While my mom, the birthday girl had chicken marsala Our waiter Damon was exceptional.He was gregarious and attentive And they topped it off with a birthday treat.For my wonderful mom“

“I will never give a review on yelp. It is a very terrible website. Moretti‘s in Wheeling is phenomenal. Just as the manager Jess 💕 she is so incredible and she recognizes my Tourette syndrome. 🤪 Joshie and Eddie are my favorite bartenders, but Sarah the upcoming new Beautiful Bartender., Shes gonna be an asset for this company. Her Smile is so contagious. this is by far my favorite Moretti’s. And I have been to all of them.“

“Great atmosphere and food!“

“Delicious Food and awesome service !!! We have now been enjoying this Dengeos Location for 4 awesome years !!!

Kid-friendliness: There are highchairs and large tables to accommodate.

Wheelchair accessibility: Ample parking and ease of entrance.“

“Short of Rome the food is great great great@!@
The specials are a real treat the lasagna is delicious!!! LUCY is great the owner is friendly and cares for his guests.

The best for more than 30 years!
Roseann“

“We dined in tonight. The staff was friendly and helpful and the food was amazing. Will definitely stop in again next time we are in town.“

“Goirdano’s left our area and I stumbled on to NPC. I ordered and was surprised they deliver to Skokie. I called an hour later and they informed me due to busyness our pizza was accidentally delivered to the wrong location. They quickly credited me the amount and still made a new order for us. The pizza was fantastic. Deep dish and margarita. They totally owned the situation and did their best. Pizza felt cleaner. Less additives or chemicals than Lou’s or Giordano’s. Will definitely return.“

“Great place! Great price! Best place to come in a city :)“

“Convito's is a restaurant where one can count on a professional wait staff. Courteous. Friendly. Service with a smile. The food selection is great and the food is delicious! The added bonus is the food market next to the restaurant, which is wonderful for “take home”!“

“Repeat customer at Beats and Brunch that exceeded my expectations, again! The attention to detail by GM Eric was outstanding, making our entire brunch experience feel like VIP service. Our server, Zero, was exceptional, and the bar’s drink selection was impressive. The staff was friendly and welcoming across the board. For a more intimate vibe, the Chef’s Table is the perfect spot — but if you want to feel the energy and dance vibes, grab a table by the DJ!“

“Love this place. As a dine in experience terrific for kids too! Two arcade games, one TV on nickelodeon, and paying via code on your phone! (A godsend for parents needing to make a quick exit.) Our favorite spot in town, for take out and now dine in too!“