Tortello

Ordering at a counter and taking a number is normal for chai lattes and bagels. But when it comes to a $20 bowl of pasta, this type of setup means the food should be fantastic. And luckily that’s the case at Tortello.

This brightly lit, counter-service restaurant in Wicker Park specializes in delicious handmade pasta. You can get things like burrata-filled tortelli, cacio e pepe, or squid ink bucatini. Whichever pasta you choose, make sure to order some of their focaccia with ricotta and honey to go with it.

While the inside is sparse, there’s still some charm happening at Tortello - you’ll see someone in the front window shaping fresh pasta, and a blue Vespa hanging from the ceiling. While the dining room is small, they do have a cute sidewalk patio if you want to eat your pasta outside. Plus, they have meal kits and sell all their fresh pasta to-go if you’d prefer to make it yourself.

Food Rundown

Focaccia

Nice and crispy on the outside without being too dry inside. Get this, but get it with ricotta and honey. Otherwise, it’s not worth it.

Broccoletti

A solid appetizer with crispy florets, tender stalks, and a nice mix of salty and spicy from the neonata (a Calabrian chili-fish paste) mixed in.

Tortelli

These are big, stuffed with burrata, and covered lightly in butter, sage, and toasted hazelnuts. We’re into them because more burrata should come encased in dough.

Bucatini

A perfectly fine tubular pasta with lobster. We like it, but wish the tomato sauce packed more of a punch.

Chiusoni

Doughy little bites of pasta with sausage and cream sauce, and our favorite thing at Tortello by far.

Agnolotti

Pasta stuffed with sweet potato and mozzarella, and then served with prosciutto and orange. It’s sweet, salty, and a good choice.