Dining

  After 42 years, Tony Spavone’s Ristorante in Bloomingdale has changed ownership, although it might not be apparent to customers. New owners Dan and Teresa Williams, who live in nearby Wood Dale, bought the eatery at 266 W. Lake St. from founder Tony Spavone in late October. However, Spavone remains actively involved in the running of the restaurant, which has helped tremendously with the transition, Dan Williams explained. “It’s been a great partnership,” Williams said. Born in Naples, Spavone came to the U.S. as a boy and learned to cook at 13 while working in his father’s Chicago restaurant, Seven …

Gibsons Italia in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood took the top spot among the 13 Illinois restaurants featured in Restaurant Business’ 100 top-grossing independent restaurants for 2025. The modern Italian steakhouse boasted more than $32 million in sales, with an average check of $114. The No. 1 spot was claimed by Mila in Miami, with more than $51 million in sales. Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse in Chicago, Oak Brook and Rosemont are also on the list, as well as Bob Chinn’s Crab House in Wheeling, and Cindy’s Rooftop, Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, Quartino, Swift & Sons, Cira, Luxbar, Girl …

La Scarola Italian restaurant at 721 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago has at least two celebrity fans: actor Jeremy Allen White of the FX’s hit show “The Bear” and Guy Fieri, the Emmy award-winning restaurateur and TV personality. Fieri is said to never skip a visit to La Scarola — which appeared twice on his show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” — while in town, Chowhound reported. White also pointed to La Scarola, which opened in 1998 and is owned by Joey Mondelli and Armando Vasquez, as a favorite, according to Chicago Star media.  

Restaurant industry veteran Brett Patterson was appointed president and CEO of Portillo’s in February. He also joined the board of directors of the Chicago-based fast-casual restaurant known for its Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs and decadent chocolate cake. Patterson brings extensive leadership experience across large, national restaurant brands, with a strong background in operations, team development and driving sustainable growth, according to GlobeNewswire. “This is a tremendous brand with a powerful culture, an incredibly passionate fan base, a long runway for growth, and a team that truly cares about delivering great experiences,” Patterson said.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill, which operated more than 200 restaurants at its peak in the early 2000s, is now down to fewer than 10 locations, TheStreet reported. The casual Italian restaurant chain’s website lists 17 locations, but many of those have closed, according to media reports. One location remains operational in Illinois, at O’Hare International Airport. Founded in Texas in 1988, Romano’s peaked in 2006 with nearly 250 restaurants but filed for bankruptcy in 2017, with closures bringing it down to 91 restaurants, Restaurant Business reported. The chain is currently owned by RMG Acquisition Co.

The North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle, in suburban Chicago, is hosting its sixth annual Festa della Sopressata on April 25. The competition pits local sopressata makers in a battle for first, second and third place. Attended by more than 80 people last year, the event is hosted by chef Anthony Iannone, NAPCA founder, and co-sponsored by Pastorelli Food Products and Triaforni, an Italian manufacturer of pizza ovens and related products. Special hosts include Frank “The Sodfather” Balestri, a past winner and now instructor of sopressata classes at NAPCA. Judging will be led by past winner Lou Santilo. …

Carmine’s, one of Chicago’s most iconic Italian restaurants, reopened at 1037 N. Rush St. after a two-year, multimillion-dollar renovation that included major interior and exterior upgrades. The restaurant is owned by Alex Dana, founder and president of the Rosebud Restaurant Group, who first opened Rosebud on Taylor Street in 1976. Carmine’s originally opened in 1994, Block Club Chicago reported. “Carmine’s has always been about bringing people together around great food and genuine hospitality,” Dana said in a statement reported by the news site. “This reopening allows us to honor that history while creating something exciting and relevant for the next …

The Chicago-based restaurant group Ballyhoo Hospitality this winter opened its 14th location, DeNucci’s Hinsdale, located at 8 E. 1st Street in downtown Hinsdale. DeNucci’s has existing locations in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood and suburban Highland Park. Guests at the Hinsdale location can find familiar classics like Branzino Piccata, Eggplant Parmesan and Veal Marsala, alongside nightly specials such as Lasagna Bolognese. Leading the kitchen, chef Salvatore “Sal” Lo Cascio lends his signature touch to the restaurant’s Monday Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza Day. Gluten-free Sicilian-style pizza is also available. “Opening in Hinsdale is both a milestone and a natural next step for Ballyhoo,” …

Did you know that music can help you figure out how to cook pasta al dente? Barilla has nine playlists on Spotify designed for that purpose, with songs whose duration corresponds to the cooking time for various pasta shapes. The playlists are titled “Absolute Carbonara” (19 minutes), “Mixtape Spaghetti” (nine minutes), “Boom Bap Fusilli” (11 minutes), “Moody Day Linguine” (10 minutes), “Pleasant Melancholy Penne” (11 minutes), “Best Song Penne” (11 minutes), “Top Hits Spaghetti” (nine minutes), “Timeless Emotion Fusilli” (11 minutes) and “Simply Classics Linguine” (10 minutes). Dubbed “Playlist Timer,” the campaign was created by Publicis Italy in 2021. For …

The Italian dining chain Olive Garden recently rolled out changes at its 900 restaurant locations across the United States, including 33 in Illinois, the U.S. Sun reported. Its menu now includes a “lighter portions” section with seven entrees available for dinner and on weekends: Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Cheese Ravioli, Fettuccine Alfredo, Eggplant Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico and Five Cheese Ziti al Forno. Known for offering grated-on-the-spot cheese on entrees, Olive Garden now features cheese graters for $19.99 when customers order food online. Each grater purchased includes a free block of the chain’s Romano. For more, click here.