Where are the Chicago Italians?? (Cicero, St. Joseph: buy, foods, suburban)

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by HelloCleaveland

Not sure how the Irish are ''Chicago'' and not New York given that the New York trifecta is Irish-Italian-Jewish...but anyway, yes, Chicago is not all that Italian.

The classic New York quints are Irish-Italian-Jewish-Black-Puerto Rican. The Irish were the first to fade into the general white population so NYC has become Jewish-Italian-Caribbean (PR/Dominican)-Black-Everybody Else in the World.

[Maggiolone]

I'm originally a Berwyn Italian - there are many, many Italians still in Berwyn. Many went to Berwyn when UIC ruined the Taylor Street area. Most Italians in Berwyn are not Sicilians, like their countrymen father north along Harlem in Elmwood Park-Montclare-Galewood-River Forest-Norridge.

Currently, I live near Addison and Milwaukee. Unfortunately, there's no grocery stores, restaurants, delis, or coffee shops in my area that even have a slight amount of Italian offerings. Sabatino's closed.

I miss living in Berwyn and desire to buy a big, beautiful bungalow there like many an Italian before me, but at least North Harlem Ave has everything I could want for Italian food.

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by Maggiolone

I'm originally a Berwyn Italian - there are many, many Italians still in Berwyn. Many went to Berwyn when UIC ruined the Taylor Street area. Most Italians in Berwyn are not Sicilians, like their countrymen father north along Harlem in Elmwood Park-Montclare-Galewood-River Forest-Norridge.

Currently, I live near Addison and Milwaukee. Unfortunately, there's no grocery stores, restaurants, delis, or coffee shops in my area that even have a slight amount of Italian offerings. Sabatino's closed.

I miss living in Berwyn and desire to buy a big, beautiful bungalow there like many an Italian before me, but at least North Harlem Ave has everything I could want for Italian food.

If you miss Sabatino's, you should check out AVVIO. I just ate there the other day. It's the former head chef of Sabatino's and the menu, and the dining experience is pretty much exactly the same. The decor isn't the same but the food is. Down to the complimentary pizza bread and the giant loaf of fresh bread that takes up half the table.

[Chicagoisthebest]

I miss sabatinos

[mwj119]

There used to be a lot of Italians in the NW suburbs.

North was more Jewish/Greek.

I will say, I interact or meet far less Italians now than I used to. Certainly less as a % compared to the East Coast.

Unpopular opinion, but maybe that’s why a good majority of Italian food in and around Chicago stinks. Not easy to find a homemade pasta around here. The exception, not the rule.

[LeotheOrangeCat]

Elmwood Park

[personone]

Chicago has one of the largest (top 5) metro areas for Italian/Italian Americans. So they are all over the metro. The old-school enclaves, as with most other cities (including the east coast) have shrunk so they may not be as visible, but they are all over.

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by Chicagoisthebest

I miss sabatinos

Same chef. Same menu.
Interior is more modern, and sadly, no piano bar.

Avvio

[Master Jay]

Good Friday! The first Italian neighborhood in Chicago I ever visited was the Taylor Street neighborhood; and that was in 2009. And the first restaurant I tried there was Francesca's, which I see is now an Indian restaurant.

Today I came down and brought my bicycle so I biked around the city. The Taylor Street library used to be on the 3rd floor of a building, near where the new library is. Truthfully, I felt the old library had a warmer feel to it. Obviously the new library is only 2 years old, but within its newness, it felt like it lacked the charm and warmth. Also, I noticed they had an all-Chinese section, which I don't recall the past library having..Maybe I'm wrong.

Also, Taylor Street has as many East Asian restaurants as Italian establishments. Maybe even more.

Also, and I'm JUST SAYING: Truthfully I never saw as many African-Americans walking around in the neighborhood, as in past years....

So "Little Italy" is even little-er than I first remember in 2009. And I'm from Milwaukee. I'm sure there are those that remember when the Italian area ran all the way west to Western Avenue!

And the same for Grand Avenue. Apparently it was very Italian all the way west to Western Avenue. Like Taylor, the Italian-ness on Grand ends at around Ashland.... However, Grand picks up on the Italian flare again, as you approach Harlem.

24th and Oakley, which was once blocks and blocks of Northern Italians is nowadays a few blocks.

I learned that the area near Ashland, between Southport and Clybourn used to be very Italian, but I'm guessing that was quite some time ago.

What WAS the same on Taylor that I always remember: 3 paesani sitting out on the sidewalk, right outside of Sheridan Park.

I wanted to get a drink at Rosebud but it wasn't opened yet.

Currently in Lincoln Square as I write this. Don't get me started on what happened with its German feel!!

Have a great Friday, and weekend!

[personone]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Good Friday! The first Italian neighborhood in Chicago I ever visited was the Taylor Street neighborhood; and that was in 2009. And the first restaurant I tried there was Francesca's, which I see is now an Indian restaurant.

Today I came down and brought my bicycle so I biked around the city. The Taylor Street library used to be on the 3rd floor of a building, near where the new library is. Truthfully, I felt the old library had a warmer feel to it. Obviously the new library is only 2 years old, but within its newness, it felt like it lacked the charm and warmth. Also, I noticed they had an all-Chinese section, which I don't recall the past library having..Maybe I'm wrong.

Also, Taylor Street has as many East Asian restaurants as Italian establishments. Maybe even more.

Also, and I'm JUST SAYING: Truthfully I never saw as many African-Americans walking around in the neighborhood, as in past years....

So "Little Italy" is even little-er than I first remember in 2009. And I'm from Milwaukee. I'm sure there are those that remember when the Italian area ran all the way west to Western Avenue!

And the same for Grand Avenue. Apparently it was very Italian all the way west to Western Avenue. Like Taylor, the Italian-ness on Grand ends at around Ashland.... However, Grand picks up on the Italian flare again, as you approach Harlem.

24th and Oakley, which was once blocks and blocks of Northern Italians is nowadays a few blocks.

I learned that the area near Ashland, between Southport and Clybourn used to be very Italian, but I'm guessing that was quite some time ago.

What WAS the same on Taylor that I always remember: 3 paesani sitting out on the sidewalk, right outside of Sheridan Park.

I wanted to get a drink at Rosebud but it wasn't opened yet.

Currently in Lincoln Square as I write this. Don't get me started on what happened with its German feel!!

Have a great Friday, and weekend!

This is extremely sad to hear. Granted, as you mentioned, Little Italy in the Tri-Taylor region was more in-name and historic at this point. But at least pre-pandemic, it still had some historic charm. It is sad to see old-time enclaves in legacy cities like Chicago start to fade away. Unfortunately, the pandemic will likely do this to many cities, as the true authentic places in city neighborhoods are mom and pop shops. Although, this phenomenon is happening all over. South Philly has lost a lot of it's historic blue collar Italian roots over the past decades and is being heavily gentrified and also new ethnic groups are taking over (which isn't a bad thing). It's just different. NYC's Little Italy in Manhattan is mostly Asian now, and is relegated to a couple of streets of restaurants. Just a different era.