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Italian Restaurants in Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Illinois
I favor eating at Italian restaurants above all others! Below, I've shared my experiences sharing a meal in the Italian restaurants that are close to my home or my extended family's homes. For me, that's the midwest United States; mainly Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Obviously, I feel right at home in most. The atmospheres are usually like eating with family; you can't help but leave happy, AND FULL!
Share your Italian Restaurant Reviews with me!
Minnesota
Cornerstone Pizza and Pasta
2 East Minnesota Street
Le Center, MN
(507) 357-4449
Pizza, pasta, hoagies, calzones.
My Dad and I checked out this restaurant for my birthday. The food was good and the lunch crowd steady.
I had a huge serving of cheese tortellini with a breadstick and I'm looking forward to returning to try a calzone!
Average cost of meal: $7-15
Cosetta's Italian Market & Pizzeria
211 7th Street West
St. Paul, MN
(651) 222-3476
Fabulous Italian market and cafeteria-style restaurant.
I LOVE Cosetta's. For my birthday, my husband and I wandered in and out of the antique shops on West 7th Street in St. Paul, with the ultimate destination being Cosetta's. Not to eat this time, but to stock up on all my favorite Italian pantry goods and fresh meats and cheeses. Since there are no Italian markets near me, I make the most of it taking my cooler and stocking up!
If you are hungry, choose anything from their counter - it's all good! They have a variety of salads and hot entrees. Most people come for their delicious pizzas.
If you are near or traveling through St. Paul, check them out.
Average cost of meal: $7-14
UPDATE: Sadly, Cuoco's closed their restaurant and market in October 2010.
Cuoco's Mi Famiglia
Ristorante & Bar, Catering, Italian Market
Regency Plaza
912 West Saint Germain Street
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Raymond and Jennifer Cook (Cuoco) proprietors
At a Women's Showcase Event
(showcasing women-owned businesses in the St. Cloud area),
I had the pleasure of tasting some delicious dishes from Mi Famiglia with wine pairings from
Carlos Creek Winery (Alexandria, MN)
.
First I tried Piave Cheese. The taste resembles that of a young version of Parmigiano-Reggiano. It was nutty and delicious.
Then we had an Antipasto and Marinated Vegetable Platter that was full of flavor.
The main dish sampling was Stuffed Beef Sirloin Braciola with their homemade sauce. Some of Ray's family is from the Abruzzo region, so the sauce tasted of the familiar, rich, long-simmered flavor I've come to know from my family's Abruzzi heritage.
Last, but not least we had an Italian Truffle Brownie from Ray's wife Jennifer's recipe. It was a perfect ending and matched the richness of flavors in the other dishes.
Trattoria da Vinci
400 Sibley Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 222-4050
The atmosphere is charming with mural paintings, vaulted ceilings and brick walls. Unique artwork and copies of Leonardo da Vinci's artwork decorate the restaurant. The place was buzzing with customers and the wonderful smells of delicious Italian dishes cooking.
I had the Gnocchi di Patate, homemade potato dumplings, with the tomato & basil sauce. It was delicate and delicious; melted in my mouth!
After dinner, we sat at the bar for a relaxing sip of Limoncello - one of my favs!
The original chef, Angelo Volpicelli, is a native of Rome and created the authentic Italian fare. After 10 years, he has moved on leaving his son, Daniele Volpicelli, to run the kitchen. Daniele has added dishes from throughout Italy to the menu.
It's a little slice of Italy right here in Minnesota!
Average cost of meal: $25-50
Trattoria da Vinci menu
Share your Italian Restaurant Reviews with me!
Illinois
Gino's East
633 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654-3792
312-943-1124
This review was submitted by my son, Drew. Thanks, Drew!
Excellent Chicago-style deep dish pizza with great service and an inviting atmosphere. Great fresh or reheated and they ship pizza anywhere in the U.S.!
Average cost of a meal: $26-50
Gino's East menu
Wisconsin
Il Ritrovo
515 South 8th Street
Sheboygan, WI 53081
(920) 803-7516
il ritrovo - "the hangout"
Great pizza, unique dishes and a great deli/market.
They have a variety of delicious dishes and are known for their great wood fired, Neopolitan style pizza. The restaurant is certified 'genuine Neapolitan pizza' by the
Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.
I love this Italian market & restaurant and try to stop in each time I'm visiting my family! It's abuzz with people coming and going, laughter, families gathering, and the delicious smell of pizza.
I felt right at home and even took home 3# of fresh ricotta to make ravs!
Average cost of meal: $10-25
Il Ritrovo menu
If you've had a great experience at an Italian restaurant, I'd love to hear from you!
Share your Italian Restaurant Reviews with me!
If you're traveling on the East coast, here's a round-up of some
Italian food restaurants in Providence, RI
courtesy of my colleague Ann Ronan. Thanks, Ann!
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