Although Italians originally invented pasta as a fastener to keep Sicily from floating away, they abandoned it for less-delicious moorings after locals on both sides kept snacking their way toward separation. Tether your taste buds to today's Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of Italian cuisine and drinks at Rosie's Italian Grille.

Rosie's furnishes a fine, Italian-style dining experience in a cozy, Tuscan-themed venue filled with low-level lighting, head chef Eric Kish's creative culinary works, and a list of delicious wines. Lunchtime patrons can browse a selection of sandwiches, paninis, and Italian wraps, such as the stacked snapper wrapper—a fish-of-the-day dish that's sautéed with capers, scallions, tomato, and asiago cheese, then hidden from nearby fishermen with a balsamic glaze ($11.50). Offerings of baby lamb chops ($25) and Chicago stockyard steaks ($25–$26) satisfy meat cravers, while vegetarians can turn to a gourmet margherita pizza and solicit an herbivorous hug ($11). Pastas include traditional favorites such as lasagna ($12), baked rigatoni ($11), and handmade ravioli ($15), as well as other specialty dishes such as the mushroom pasta with shitake and oyster mushrooms in a light sherry sauce ($14).

Reviews

Eight Citysearchers give Rosie's Italian Grille an average of 4.5 stars. Yelpers give it 3.5 stars, and TripAdvisors give it 3.5 owl eyes.

• The service is getting better but you cannot beat their chicken parmesean [sic]...amazing. Their homemade gelato is great too! – muamanda, TripAdvisor
• My personal favorite is the grouper sandwich though. It comes on their hot mama bread, and it's fabulous.We mostly get carryout, but the times we've eaten in the restaurant, the staff has been very courteous and service good. – Buckeyed girlie, Citysearch