Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio

Name: Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Address: 1020 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607, Chicago, IL, 60607.0, US
Telephone: +1 312-888-3041
Price range: $$$
Rating: 4.7

Essential

Italian

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About

Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio — one of West Loop's strongest italian spots. Loud in the best way, with real pulse to the room. Expect something different from the standard lineup. "The shrimp was tender, and the crispy potatoes with it were so crunchy, i wish the dish had more" — Rye

Experience Breakdown

🍴Food

5.0

👥Service

5.0

✨Ambiance

5.0

💬Sentiment

4.9

Ryan Wantland

243 reviews

Highlights

RomanticLivelyCozyOld SchoolFamily FriendlyQuick Bite

Must Try

Time

What Diners Are Saying

Diners loved

Knowledgeable staffFresh, quality ingredientsGreat for date nightFun, lively atmosphereCreative/unique menuWarm, welcoming staff

Some noted

Specialties

time

Location

1020 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607

What 2,648+ diners say about Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio

Amazing restaurant! Have heard about it for a long time then finally went for restaurant week lunch. The appetizer sizes were delicious though very small, that’s probably the biggest complaint. Seemed like it was not meant for sharing since you only get one piece of arancino (can’t even say arancini as it wasn’t plural), and one small shooter. Since it was part of $30 menu, that’s reasonable but lamentable given they were delicious so you’ll want more. However, the entrees we got were excellent and exceeded expectations. The beef cheek was tender and melts apart in your mouth, and the chili tomato oil from the shrimp scampi excellently elevated the dish. They made the potatoes so delish that it was almost better than the shrimp. I was disappointed that cookies were the only RW dessert option so we added a tiramisu. Just standard delicious there The waiter was polite the entire time and we did not feel rushed even though it was a busy saturday noon. Overall great experience

“Finally made it to Monteverde after trying to get a reservation for well over a year.”

Finally made it to Monteverde after trying to get a reservation for well over a year! Love their dinner options and how they have a completely separate gluten free menu - this should be more common at other Chicago restaurants. Killer ambiance at night. Dark and classy without being too pretentious or moody. Almost everything we ate was fantastic although the Burrata E Ham was a little underwhelming. The Winter Citrus Salad was perhaps the best dish of the night! Loved the Cacio Whey Pepe with a meatball on the side! We shared the Butterscotch Budino for dessert and it didn’t disappoint. Service was good but not great. Our server forgot to add a requested item with the Burrata and my drank sat empty for at least 30 minutes. Granted it was a busy Saturday night. Excited to come back (when I can snag another res) to try more of their menu!

Ryan Wantland

Jan 2026

“Brett was incredibly helpful in guiding our wine choices and making sure we didn’t under/over-order.”

Brett was incredibly helpful in guiding our wine choices and making sure we didn’t under/over-order. Such a lovely time we had, thank you SO much Brett!!

Shoshana Rubin

Jan 2026

“Came here for lunch on a Saturday with reservations and sat at the bar, which was a great call.”

Came here for lunch on a Saturday with reservations and sat at the bar, which was a great call. Fun energy, great people-watching, and genuinely cool, attentive bar staff. Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but the food and service made it worth it. The gnochetti was rich and filling, and I appreciated the advice not to mix it all together, it let me enjoy the distinct layers of ricotta, basil, pine nuts, and pecorino instead of turning it into one blur. Dessert was completely unnecessary and therefore mandatory. The affogato was the perfect finish, strong espresso, creamy gelato, and just indulgent enough. I was so full afterward that I walked home purely to convince myself I had earned the meal.

Jill M

Dec 2025

“Monteverde is as close to perfection as I've ever experienced in the Italian food arena.”

Monteverde is as close to perfection as I've ever experienced in the Italian food arena. My party of two arrived 30 minutes prior to our reservation, and we were still seated immediately. The staff members were all very friendly and helpful. The food was out of this world. The Cacio Whey Pepe is the best pasta dish I've ever tasted. The sauce was absolutely flawless and the pasta was cooked to perfection. I only want to eat that for the rest of my life. Sara's Spuntino was very unique. Every element was delightful with a special mention for the cheese and balsamic. The balsamic was just... WOW! And who doesn't love some Parm Reggiano? The final highlight was the Butterscotch Budino. BEST dessert I've ever had. If I could marry a dessert, I would get hitched to that Butterscotch Budino. I wanted to lick the bowl and if that was socially acceptable I would have. Monteverde is truly a special place with a sweet vibe and the most superb food. If I could give more stars, I would. Bravo, Monteverde and Chef Bailey, BRA-VO! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Update: My second trip to Monteverde was lovely. The Butterscotch Budino is still an 11 outta 10. The cacio whey pepe is *chef's kiss*. Can't wait to go back!

Heather Li

Dec 2025

“Last night, the three of us visited this place for the first time, and it completely exceeded our expectations.”

Last night, the three of us visited this place for the first time, and it completely exceeded our expectations. We shared several dishes, and every single one was absolutely delightful — the pasta, the steak, the mozzarella shooters… everything was outstanding. Someone else mentioned in a review that this is the best pasta outside of Italy, and I couldn’t agree more — 100%. What truly set this experience apart, though, was the service. Our server, Paul, was exceptional and truly on top of his game. In many fine-dining restaurants, service can be professional and knowledgeable but often feels cold. Paul, along with the manager Caitlin, completely changed that. They made us feel genuinely welcomed and taken care of, even though the restaurant was incredibly busy. Hats off to the entire team. We can’t wait to come back.

Lenka jakimovska

Dec 2025

“Amazing food and ambiance.”

Amazing food and ambiance! Service was even better! Overall great experience! Read it was a go to and so glad I decided to stop in. I had the seasonal Tortellini in Brodo and it was amazing!! They even give you Lambrusco at the end to pour into the broth and it just takes the flavors up a notch. I also had the Wagyu Beef Skewer and it was amazing! will definitely go back!

LaLa C

Dec 2025

“Monteverde definitely lives up to the hype that surrounds it, not just a warm atmosphere, but food...”

Monteverde definitely lives up to the hype that surrounds it, not just a warm atmosphere, but food and service that goes above and beyond. Highly recommend the meatball, some of the best ever.

Scott Kaplan

Nov 2025

“My son brought me here to celebrate our Birthdays.”

My son brought me here to celebrate our Birthdays. Do yourself a favor when you order Burrata E Ham - get 4 instead of 2 because you will absolutely love it! And our amazing server Sophia came out with a big slice of Birthday cake for us that had the most delicious meringue frosting. My next visit to Chicago will include a trip to Monteverde!

Patricia Nagle

Nov 2025

“I chose this place as a bday gift for a friend.”

I chose this place as a bday gift for a friend. She enjoyed the meal and drinks. I loved my drinks and the food ! Was a good place. I think on a hot day the temp inside might be stifling but if there is a breeze and the large glass doors are open you might be okay. Truffle bread, pasta, all of it. Just superb. Try and get a more spacious table because if you like roominess you might be pressed here. It also struggles with some volume control. Acoustics might be hard with people who have sensitive ears or who have aids. The hosts were wonderful. From the time we walked in until we left and meandered the neighborhood. Finding a table is the hardest thing but once you are here you won’t complain.

M D

Nov 2025

“Wow! What an amazing experience! I came here for a work dinner and they were absolutely wonderful....”

Wow! What an amazing experience! I came here for a work dinner and they were absolutely wonderful. I am vegan, and the prepared an entire separate menu for me which is SO thoughtful! Everything tasted exquisite, ESPECIALLY the roasted brussels sprouts (which I forgot to take a picture of!) Brett was our server and he was fantastic. All of the waitstaff was so attentive and kind, making the evening that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend Monteverde to anyone looking for a delicious meal and a great atmosphere!

Erica Richter

Oct 2025

“Monteverde has my heart 💚 we came to celebrate our anniversary and were greeted with champagne.”

Monteverde has my heart 💚 we came to celebrate our anniversary and were greeted with champagne. What a start 😚 We were visiting from out of town and I camped this reservation the month before. Spots go fast so I would really be on it. We started with the famous burrata e ham, which made such fun little sammies. I could bathe in that prosciutto butter. The peach and tomato salad was EXQUISITE, beautiful textures, but I think a summer seasonal. Shrimp scampi was spicier than I expected but I’m a spice wimp, great flavours. The pastas were all pretty good, fave was the corn with truffle that was the Sept anniversary special. By dessert we were bursting, but we still got the tiramisu and do not regret it. Our server (brunette gentleman with great wavy hair) was knowledgeable, passionate about the menu and lots of fun. Wish we lived here so we could go back sooner. But had a meal to remember 🥰😍