Acanto
Acanto — well-regarded italian in Loop. Old-school in the best sense, with zero pretense. Cocktail menu runs deeper than expected. Joie Devoney: "The Chicken Piccata and the Arancini were truly the best we have ever had" [$$$, patio]
What 1,182 diners keep saying
What 1,182 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“The food was really great, and the service was above average. Thankfully, the hostess was able to accommodate our party of six on very short notice. She was extremely polite and immediately said, “Let me check on that before I give you an answer,” which I really appreciated. She was friendly, professional, and made the entire experience start off on a positive note.”
“Allison was great, food was good. I had the Fusilli, crispy Tuscan potatoes, calamari, and dessert Tortino al Cioccolato (chocolate lave cake)”
“I was truly impressed by the outstanding service we received from Austin. We were walking around Millennium Park during our family vacation and decided to stop nearby for lunch, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Everything exceeded our expectations. The atmosphere was wonderful, the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the food was absolutely amazing. Every detail made us feel comfortable and taken care of. Honestly, if the lunch experience was this good, I can only imagine how incredible dinner must be. We enjoyed it so much that we are already planning to come back for dinner before our trip ends. Highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Chicago. Great food, great service, and an unforgettable experience. Thank you, Austin, and the entire team for making our family lunch so special!”
“Acanto and The Gage are neighbors. Acanto features a more exclusive Italian vibe and culture. We sat at the bar and had very tasty cocktails. We visited around 6pm on a Tuesday. There was no wait. Bartender and staff were very friendly and welcoming.”
“I ate here for lunch and the pizza was delicious! Our server was attentive and very pleasant.”
“Visiting in Chicago for a couple of days. Did some research on great restaurants and decided on Acanto. We are so glad we did! Acanto is gorgeous — the candles were plentiful and cast beautiful reflections throughout the restaurant. Phillip, our server, was attentive and really seemed to care that we had a wonderful time. The food — absolutely incredible! We started with a couple of items from the happy hour menu — the star was the Aroncini! We have traveled the world and had it in many places from street food vendors to high end restaurants. This was absolutely the best! We then ordered and split the Apple Panzanella — another winner. For entrees I had the Pumpkin Agnolotti, the pasta was amazing and the pumpkin filling so yummy. My husband had the Fusilli which was loaded with seafood. I really enjoyed the Angnolotti and would definitely order it again. We shared dessert, the Torta Barozzi, a flourless chocolate cake, but with a twist — rum caramel! Oh my! It was a lovely way to end the evening. Pic’s of my favorite items are below. We’ll be back!”
“Wow, this restaurant made my trip! Lovely romantic, cozy vibe paired with phenomenal, high-quality, and delicious food. I originally came to try a dish from the Vegan menu and ended up ordering their Seafood Fusilli dish off the regular menu. This seafood pasta is truly an artisan plate. I'm looking forward to having it again! The waitress Jaclyn was also wonderful. The location can't be beat. I can't wait to visit here again.”
“Love this wine bar. Every dish was phenomenal and the glasses of wine were well chosen by staff. Beautiful atmosphere. This is such a great find.”
“Ate here a very long time ago but still had my photo . Had the best ever dessert here. Hope it’s still there. Would comeback to Chicago just for this.”
“Loved, loved, loved my dining experience at Acanto. We started with the arugula salad which was phenomenal! For a salad it was flavored packed. I had the rigatoni and it was so good, flavorful and hearty. Of course we had dessert which was these Italian like donuts which were oh so yummy. Drinks were good too, orange wine and margarita. The atmosphere was so cozy and romantic. All tables were candle lit (we dined in the evening). This is your next date night!”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Italian in Downtown & River North
See the ranking →
In the same lane · Italian, upscale
If it's packed, walk to…
More good rooms in Loop, minutes away.