RPM Italian Chicago

Sometimes, you want a cozy hole-in-the-wall to snuggle up to a pizza, solo. Other times, you want RPM Italian. I’ll admit, I dragged my feet visiting RPM, originally - so many downtown Chicago restaurants are all style, no substance. Meaningless glamour with thoughtless food and a massive bill for a forgettable evening. RPM Italian’s glamour is all substance, though, and it’s become a personal favorite when I’m looking for a glitzy night on the town or a celebration.

The food is a unique combination of gorgeously elegant and purely Italian - a difficult balance to achieve with a cuisine whose value is often found best in its “unfussiness”. Handmade pastas, direct-import ingredients from specific producers, and some of the best seafood in the city make this a dream location for fine dining.

The wine list is even more impressive - a veritable encyclopedia of Italian mastery, curated with such precision that it’s saved from being overwhelming. The list is rounded out with a few generous helpings of California and Champagne (it is downtown Chicago, after all…), but the expertise in the program’s design makes the additions feel like decoration, not equivocation.

Definitely a special occasion spot for any Italophile - and RPM Italian excels at making it a very special occasion indeed.