Without pasta, marinara would be nothing but flattened tomatoes and macaroni portraits would be studies in extreme minimalism. Savor this succulent staple with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of Italian fare and drinks at Cucina Bella in Algonquin.

Cucina Bella delights taste buds and their owners with menus brimming with Italian dishes and a warm, friendly setting. Satiation-seekers can stop in for decadent dinner options. Evening eaters may sup on starters or move straight to a mouthwatering main course. Creative types can concoct their own platters with seven noodle options and a dozen freshly made sauces, crafting a more delicious construction than a tootsie roll log cabin ($12+). Carve into rich dishes such as the pasta-pillowed shrimp dejonge with garlic, white wine, butter, and italian herbs to please a pescetarian companion ($22.95).

Quench appetites and thirsts amid Cucina Bella's welcoming eatery, tastily trimmed with brick archways and stained glass windows. Snag a seat to watch clever cookery in the open kitchen, or raise a celebratory glass at the polished wood bar. Whatever the occasion, the restaurant's white-linen tables and homestyle cuisine make it an ideal locale for an evening date or romantic flatware-arranging lesson.

Explore more ​​Chicago ​Italian restaurants.