La Fontanella, Chicago

Featured on WTTW's Check, Please!, Ignotz Ristorante takes taste buds on a nostalgic trip to Old-World Italy, stopping along the way to sample thin-crust pizzas, succulent veal dishes, and spaghetti smothered in rich meat sauce. Located in the pulsing Heart of Italy, this speakeasy-style neighborhood fixture hosts a stream of regulars who come to share meals beside the casual dining room's exposed-brick walls, large murals, and photos of kinfolk. Owner Roger Wrbolewski often mingles with patrons as they eat, fashioning lassos from strands of fettuccine and pulling them in for quick embraces. Hearty portions leave little room for the fresh-baked breads that adorn each table, but allow for copious leftovers.