Craving a slice of hand-pulled pizza to go, a meal of house-made lasagna and tiramisu served by friendly staff, or jars of giardiniera to fill your cupboards at home? You no longer have to travel to Chicago’s Little Italy to satiate your hunger for Italian classics. They’re all right here in the near west suburbs.
Just as Italian immigrants headed west to Chicago in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, their families moved farther west, to Elmwood Park and the surrounding suburbs, a few generations later. Bringing with them treasured family recipes and traditions, they opened Italian grocery stores and restaurants along North Avenue in particular, creating what we’ve dubbed Little Italy West.
Because these shops and eateries are clustered together, it’s deliciously easy to shop, eat, and sip your way through Little Italy West—especially when you follow our suggestions below.
Italian Stores: Stock the Pantry Like a Nonna
To cook up a feast worthy of an Italian grandmother, you need to shop like one: at a grocery bursting with imported cheeses, fresh bread, sliced-to-order beef, and more essentials. And if the store also sells sandwiches to tide you over till you make it home, all the better.
Capri Italian Foods
7325 West North Avenue, River Forest, IL
Capri Italian Foods is a family-owned grocery/deli that has been selling Italian favorites for close to six decades. Many of its cheeses, deli meats, pastas, canned fish, and candies come straight from the old country. Other foods, including giardiniera, olive and eggplant salads, and sausages, are homemade.
Those whose love of eating far outweighs their love of cooking will want to head straight toward the cases of house-made marinara sauce, ravioli, meatballs, rolled eggplant, and other heat-and-eat dishes. If it’s a hearty lunch you’re after, order one of the nine-inch subs made on fresh Italian rolls; the eponymous Capri sub, stacked with salami, capocollo, mortadella, ham, and provolone, has long earned raves.
Alpine Food Shop
7538 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
10712 West 31st Street, Westchester, IL
Founded in 1955, Alpine Food Shop is justly renowned for its subs, available in three sizes and made with only the freshest meats and cheeses, plus its homemade oil and vinegar. You can also order homemade potato and pasta salads by the pound, including one made with pasta shells, green olives, mushrooms, red peppers, and a pesto-parsley-Parmesan base that would make any nonna swell with pride.
Despite its compact size, Alpine also sells sausages and cold cuts, jars of giardiniera and sauces, packages of risotto and pasta, and Italian snacks alongside typical deli chips and candy. And should you get there before the cannoli sell out, be sure to grab one or two. Bonus points to the staff, who manage to be both speedy and friendly.
Casual Italian: Pizzas, Sandwiches, and Everyday Comfort
Whether you want to grab a slice to go or grab a table to share a pie with family or friends, the western suburbs offer a number of options.
Armand’s Pizzeria
7650 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
26 South La Grange Road, La Grange, IL
Thin-crust aficionados have been flocking to Armand’s since the 1950s, back when the original Elmwood Park site was known as Victory Tap. The congenial staff will make you feel like a regular whether it’s your first time ordering takeout or you come by every week with the kids in tow.
In addition to the perfectly crispy thin-crust pizzas, Armand’s offers double dough and pan pies, as well as pizza nova, with a base of olive oil instead of tomato sauce. Newbies should factor in the time it will take to select their toppings from choices including house-made Italian sausage, hot giardiniera, roast beef, and fresh garlic. Start with an appetizer or two (arancini balls, stuffed artichoke), add a salad, and finish with a slice of cheesecake. This is what pizzeria dreams are made of.
Johnnie’s Beef
7500 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
No conversation about Italian flavors in Elmwood Park is complete without mentioning Johnnie’s Beef, a true local landmark. Lines that stretch out the door most days are a testament to how beloved this stand is, and how worth the wait. The menu is old-school in the best way, featuring iconic Italian beef, Italian sausage, and combos, plus crisp fresh-cut fries and Italian ice.
The star here is definitely the Italian beef sandwich, served on a roll that holds up under all that flavorful jus. Order it juicy if you like your sandwich generously dipped, and don’t skip the peppers for that classic Chicago bite. Because Johnnie’s sits right on North Avenue, it’s easy to add to any Little Italy West itinerary.
Massa Cafe Italiano
7434 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
In Italy it’s rare to consume cappuccino in the afternoon or evening, but feel free to order one at Massa Cafe Italiano any time of day, as well as an espresso, a latte, or an affogato with gelato. The coffee beans are roasted daily, and the gelato and sorbetto are made daily in-house too—reason enough to swing by when you need a pick-me-up.
Massa isn’t just for snacks, however. Order a panini loaded with the likes of house-made meatballs, fresh mozzarella, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers to stave off the afternoon munchies. On a warm evening sit outside with the family and share a hand-stretched pizza with a side of polenta fries. Or stop by after dinner for a Nutella pizza or a gelato sundae and enjoy a true taste of la dolce vita.
Pompei
22 West Conti Parkway, Elmwood Park, IL
A fixture in Chicago’s Little Italy for more than a century, Pompei opened its Elmwood Park outpost in autumn 2025. The roomy interior features both tables and booths, and there’s a patio with glass garage-style doors that open up on warm days, making this an inviting spot to gather with friends or hang out with family. Alternatively, you can order to go and pick your food up inside or take advantage of the drive-in—how’s that for convenient?
Pompei is perhaps best known for its savory strudels, made with pizza dough instead of puff pastry; in addition to those filled with Italian standbys such as meatballs, pepperoni, and marinara sauce, you can choose non-traditional offerings including turkey with stuffing, steak or chicken fajita, and veggie with a whole-wheat crust. The pizza offers more options: by the slice or by the pie, thin crust or thick. Likewise, you can select house-made fettuccini Alfredo and ravioli as well as imported pasta topped with one of more than a half-dozen sauces.
Spizzico Pizza & Pasta
7446 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
Classic neon sign outside, brick walls inside, and all the carbs you could ever desire: Family-owned Spizzico Pizza & Pasta is the archetypal neighborhood joint, down to the outgoing staff behind the counter. This is where you go when you need the comfort that only Italian-American dishes can provide.
Rather than get mired in the thin crust vs. deep dish debate, Spizzico offers both, plus stuffed and double dough pizzas for good measure. Pasta dishes including ravioli, tortellini, and lasagna are robust conduits for the homemade marinara or meat sauce. While chicken wings aren’t old-school Italian, the ones at Spizzico have become something of a traditional starter. For a true Old World option, try the homemade minestrone.
Sit-Down Italian: Red-Sauce Nights and Special Occasions
The above casual eateries have dining areas, but sometimes you want a somewhat more elevated experience, complete with cloth-clad tables and on-trend cocktails. These restaurants are made for date nights, gatherings with a group, and transforming any evening into a celebration.
Blue Fire Restaurant
7438 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
The cuisine at Blue Fire Restaurant isn’t exclusively Italian—beef Stroganoff, chicken wrap shawarma, and medovik are among the menu options—but purists will find plenty to relish nonetheless. Start with fried calamari or bruschetta with prosciutto, then proceed to creamy mushroom risotto or linguine with shrimp and pesto sauce. Meat-lovers enthuse about the oh-so tender ribeye and the perfectly seasoned lamb chops, and of course there are numerous pizza options.
The dining room’s ornate chandeliers and vibrant pillows heaped on the seating add to the cozy, boho-chic vibe; the bar area, with decorative blue bottles suspended from the ceiling, makes this a fun stop for a nightcap after a concert or a movie. There’s a patio too, draped with hanging plants and enclosed in winter with open-flame heaters for maximum coziness or romance, depending on whom you’re with.
Donny G’s Restorante & Bar
7308 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
When you want to make a night of it, head to Donny G’s. There’s a full bar, and on Friday and Saturday evenings live music or a DJ beginning at 7:30. (Pro tip: Make a reservation.) The interior is cozy but not cramped, and on summer evenings you can try for a patio table instead; order a refreshing limoncello spritz while you’re at it.
Donny G’s takes pride in its homemade pastas, which include pillowy ravioli and giant rigatoni in vodka sauce with crumbled sausage. The whitefish with artichokes and mushrooms in a garlic white-wine sauce is soundly praised; ditto the chicken piccata and the veal marsala. Servings are hearty, so come hungry, especially as you don’t want to miss out on the bruschetta piled high with tomatoes, the grilled octopus, or the other appetizers.
Jim & Pete’s
7806 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park, IL
Few restaurants are suited for date nights, family outings, and special-occasion festivities alike. Jim & Pete’s is, however. The well-curated wine list, entrées such as black-ink pasta pesce and lobster ravioli, and the subdued lighting reflecting from the tin-tile ceiling create a romantic ambience, while the myriad pizza options, the burgers, and the attentive staff are just what you want when dining out with the kids.
No matter who you’re here with, order a few starters such as the antipasto plate, the baked clams, and the mozzarella sticks to share. And while the ample portions make it difficult, try to leave room for dessert—there’s no better way to conclude your evening than with the homemade tiramisu.
Cultural Events and Living Traditions
Little Italy West isn’t just about what’s on your plate; it’s also about the traditions that continue to bring the community together. Throughout the year, local organizations and parishes host events that celebrate Italian heritage, honor beloved saints, and keep long-standing customs alive in the near west suburbs.
On and around Columbus Day, you’ll find parades and gatherings that highlight Italian-American history and pride, often followed by the kind of food-focused celebrations you’d expect, featuring sausage, pasta, sweets, and plenty of time to catch up with family and neighbors. Feast days dedicated to patron saints also play an important role in community life, with special services and shared meals that echo the way these occasions are observed in small towns across Italy.
Even if you’re just visiting for the day, you can feel these traditions woven into daily life, whether it’s a Sunday crowd heading to dinner after church or a deli counter conversation that sounds like a family reunion. These cultural moments are part of what makes the area feel like a living, breathing neighborhood community.
Bocce is another thread that ties the community together. The Elmwood Park Bocce League plays on indoor courts at the village’s Community & Recreation Center on Conti Parkway, as well as on the immaculate outdoor courts at Centennial Park and the two additional outdoor courts in the Village Circle. With more than 150 teams in the summer league across the indoor and outdoor courts, warm evenings feel like a neighborhood block party built around friendly competition and plenty of conversation.
The Story Behind Little Italy West
Also known as the Hull House neighborhood, the area around Taylor Street in Chicago’s Near West Side was for decades the city’s largest Italian-American community. Italian bakeries, grocery stores, pizzerias, osterias, and trattorias stood shoulder to shoulder in what was dubbed Little Italy, the aroma of fresh-from-the-oven bread and garlic-infused red sauce perfuming the street.
By the 1960s, however, the University of Illinois Chicago had begun encroaching on Little Italy, forcing many residents out. Affordable housing and family-friendly green spaces drew a significant portion of them to the near west suburbs. Elmwood Park and River Forest became especially popular areas for these Chicago refugees to settle down. And by opening businesses along North Avenue, they created their own version of Taylor Street’s convivial proximity.
Many of these businesses are now run by the children and grandchildren of the founders. Likewise, the children and grandchildren of the original clientele frequent the shops and restaurants today. Generations continue to enjoy recipes brought over from the old country and traditions such as Sunday evening family dinners; neighbors continue to catch up with one another at the deli counter; wait staff at the pizzerias continue to greet regulars by name. All of this makes Little Italy West as vibrant and welcoming as the original Little Italy was, allowing the area to serve as a flavor-filled corridor connecting the past with the present… and hopefully the future too.
Join Us in Little Italy West
Just a quick drive from Chicago, Oak Park, and other near west suburbs, Little Italy West is a worthy destination in and of itself, as well as a great place to refuel while exploring the area. Dig into a slice or a sub for lunch, relax over wine and house-made pasta dishes during dinner out, treat yourself to a gelato or affogato anytime, and stock up on imported groceries and ready-to-heat dishes you won’t find anywhere else.
In other words, relish the same tastes and traditions that generations have before you, this time just outside Chicago.