What You'll Get
Italians not only invented philosophy and putting tomatoes in cuisine, but they were also the first people to take photographs of themselves pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Delight in their inventiveness with today's Groupon: for $10, you get $20 worth of Italian fare and drinks at Rocco Ranalli's Cafe & Pizzeria in Lincoln Park.
For more than 30 years, Ranalli's has slathered tongues with marinara sauce, cheese, noodles, and other classic Italian and American tastes while bathing them in wines and international brews. Start your journey down the menu with a pesto-drizzled bruschetta topped with fresh garlic, tomato, basil, balsamic, and shaved parmigiano ($5.95), or go straight for a half-pound Rocco burger, made with Angus beef ($9.95). Ranalli's specialty thin-crust pizzas are ample portions of cheesy real estate that you can rent to 38 edible inhabitants ($10.95 and up).
During the sunny season, diners can slice pizzas and untangle noodle knots on an outdoor patio, which has umbrellas to shield them from spontaneously petrified hummingbirds. The rest of the year, the dining room's earthy bare-brick walls and lively bar make for casually convivial meals.
Reviews
TripAdvisors give Rocco Ranalli’s Cafe & Pizzeria an average of 3.5 owl eyes, and four Citysearchers give it an average of 4.6 stars. More than 100 Yelpers give the restaurant an average of 2.5 stars.
- The draft beer was very cold and just what a Saturday lunch in Chicago called for. – ceruleandrew, Citysearch
- They have a big menu and a great selection: pizza, salads, fried chicken, sandwiches, calzones... – gladys c., Yelp
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires May 13, 2011. Amount paid never expires. Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per table. Dine-in only. Valid only at Lincoln Park location. No cash back. Tax and gratuity not included. Not valid with other offers. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Rocco Ranalli’s
For the restauranteurs behind Rocco Ranalli's Cafe and Pizzeria, keeping Chicago well fed is a family affair. Run by the Ranalli clan since the 1970s, this neighborhood joint at the heart of Lincoln Park still serves the pizza, sandwiches, and brews that made it a Lincoln Avenue insitution to begin with. In the kitchen, chefs wrangle the ingredients necessary to master their own huge menu, which includes everything from barbecue pork sandwiches to chicken parmesan and beer-battered fish ‘n’ chips. Their pizzas pair standby flavors such as the Meat Lover's italian sausage, pepperoni, and bacon with unorthodox favorites such as the Mexicano's taco-style ground beef, salsa, and refried beans. A menu of eight Ranalli specialty sandwiches also honors the neighborhood itself, with names like The Redline, The Lincoln Park, and The Blue Demon working in conjunction with gourmet ingredients including fried eggs, sauteed mushrooms, smoked gouda, and balsamic glaze. At the bar, barkeeps serve brews from the restaurant's extensive craft beer list, which includes more than 50 labels. In the warmer months, mealtime revelries also unfold on Rocco Ranalli's gargantuan patio, where diners can soak up mid-meal sun amid Lincoln Park's bustling din and rustling leaves.