I have fond memories from my college days when I lived at 30 E. Huron. Taking bong rips in the condo and riding the elevator down where I would stroll into this tiny deli in the building. Enamored by all the wonderful Italian imports I would make my way through the aisles to the back. Lunch for me regularly consisted of a pastrami and cheese sandwich. Extra mustard please. If I had an spare cash I would pick up a cookie before I retreated back upstairs to write my paper.
Review Source:Adorable little Italian deli that you could just pass right by and not even notice. But please notice it! They have every kind of imported snack you can think of, and two seating areas, one within the store secluded by the shelves and one in the outer corridor. And the sandwich counter in the back makes AWESOME giant sandwiches the must be enjoyed with their side salads. You have to go check this place out.
Review Source:L"Appetito is a great Deli/Bakery..
And.. I was really excited to come here today
after having pizza at Pizzeria Due..
I have wanted to come here and get some of the
best Italian Cookies ever since I stole some from my
Aunt's House when she was out of town..
Okay.. yes.. I am guilty of being a cookie thief..
And.. these cookies are beyond good..
So.. today my Aunt bought me some cookies of my own..
And they were just melt in your mouth goodness!
And.. I have been crabby lately and these cookies sure did
put a smile on my face!
So.. just thought I'd share how excited I was about visiting
this place, and the next time I visit I will have to try
something from the deli.. or maybe I'll just get more cookies!
I like this place..
Even though they can get a little crowded and crowds irritate me!
But good cookies sure dont..
L'Appetito you have a new fan in me..:)
Good little spot in an area with very few cheap options for lunch/dinner. Â This is basically a little NY deli with deli prices. Â Picked up some pasta and a pastry for under $10 which seems unheard of in this area. Â If I were working in the area, I'd definitely be visiting everyday for lunch. Â I'd rate them 3.5 stars overall, but will give the bump up to four since it's the only game of it's kind in the area.
Review Source:The coffee is tasteful and of italian quality. It is strangely even better than the Appetito below Hancock tower.
The big downside is the staff, unfriendly, rude and with a frown so big it is scary.
Is have been here every day for a month now, as it is easy for me to grab a coffee before going to work down the block. Not a single day I got a smile, a good morning, or even a thank you.
Love. I have been coming to this, the original location, for more than a decade. Even though now it is often more convenient for me to go to the Hancock location, this one is the one that started my obsession. Both locations offer my very favorite Italian sandwiches in the U.S. and as a bonus, they offer several meatless selections. Everything is so fresh and simple and delicious. The service is prompt and there are lots of other goodies to choose from, including bread, imported cookies and...some of the best gelato in the whole city!
Review Source:We ended up going to this adorable little cafe almost everyday of our trip. The best part about it was the encased sweet treats. I would get a tea and something different everyday. Although the sprinkled butter cookie... or the chocolate croissant (warmed up.. mm) wasn't the BEST i've ever had, the location is great. Right underneath the John Hancock building with plenty of people watching opportunities. The inside of the cafe was pretty cute, a deli corner (but I stuck with the sweets corner), a little dining area inside, and a mini grocery store filled with imported goods from italy. I thought that was pretty charming.
The reason I gave it 3 stars and not 4 was because of the service. The last time we went there, I asked for an earl grey tea with steamed soy milk (I can't drink milk). When it was ready, the girl said it was an earl grey tea with milk. I asked her, "wait, is this SOY milk, or just milk?" She said, "It's milk. You said milk." (I didn't say milk. I never say MILK!!) I told her I didn't order it with milk, I can't drink milk, and she was trying to convince me I was wrong.
Now, I've worked in a resturant before, and if someone says they didn't order whatever you are giving them, without question, you take it back and FIX it. She gave me attitude and, with difficulty, they remade it, but made me pay the extra $0.40 for soy milk. Â I'm not cheap, I am happy to pay extra for my stupid soy milk, but to make me bust out my dollar for them to break while they are helping another person at the register is just tacky. It put a bad taste in my mouth and I swore we werent going back there for the rest of our trip!!! (It was the second to last day haha)
Whatever. The people are lame if they get it wrong, maybe I caught the girl on a bad day, but it bugged me because it put me in a bad mood on my vacation. Lame.
What a great little place this is. You can grab a cup of Illy coffee in the morning. My only gripe is that I wished that they opened before 7:30am.
Very friendly staff! Great sandwiches at pretty reasonable prices. I just had the Spicy Diavolo and it was Delicioso! I only ate half and am looking forward to the other half this evening. Tab soda in a can to boot! This fantastic little gem of a place is located about 25 Â paces from the front door of my building. Too cool!
Treat yourself to this great little place.
Awesome deli! Â I was hoping that I would find a great, authentic Italian deli during my Windy City trip, and L'Appetito definitely fit the bill. Â Sandwiches and paninis are fresh, and there is a wide array of cheeses, pastas, and other Italian goodies that are both picnic and cooking essentials. Â You can't go wrong with their sweets, especially the armerittis, but I only wished that I tried some of their gelato- it looked fabulous! Â Oh well, there is always next time...
Review Source:Their bread is a bit chewy, but the meats and cheese they use are great. Our hungry hero tried their Il Parma and Italiano sandwiches. Â These things are large and they left our hungry hungry hero satisfied. Â Basil and fresh cheese on the Il Parma? Â Yes, sir!
The deli side of the business is pretty small and a bit overpriced. Â Also, two cashiers here seem a bit overkill, but who am I to argue?
PROS:
- Outdoor and indoor seating available.
- It's better than Subway.
- The sandwiches have solid Italian ingredients and the meats used are freshly sliced.
CONS:
- The hot sandwiches are all pre-made.
- Lackluster bread.
I wanted to wait a little bit to review as I bought a whole bunch of stuff.
I was in the area and had to stop in. L'Appetito isn't really all that big. Not a big deal at all as great things can come in smaller packages, and this was the case here. They have a deli counter in the back and a variety of italian products to buy in between.
I had to get myself a sub from here. The price wasn't that bad as it was around $7, so I wasn't expecting a full sub. But, to my surprise they did hook me up with a full sub (a deal in the near north side, I are a shocked keith). It was packed with a ton of meat and veggies. I also had to get myself a medium chicken pasta salad and a arancini ball. The arancini was great and a big bruiser itself. The pasta salad was really good too, but maybe a bit too much cream for what I was wanting at the time.
I also made sure to buy myself some pasta and gnocchi. The dried pasta was one that I haven't had before and was very good. It wasn't cheap, and neither was the gnocchi. Both were very good, but I can get those in other places for a bit less money.
L'Appetito is great for sandwiches and deli stuff. They were nice and got my food fast. The prices aren't cheap for the grocery stuff, but it is the near north side so paying a bit more just comes with the territory
Um, morale of the story is I am absolutely obsessed with this place. Hands down best chicken salad, caprese salad and rice balls in the city. It's my little gem and to be completely honest I am a little hesitant to share how amazing this place is with the general public ... but at the same time I'm hoping if enough people start going there Mr. L'Appetito will see this & thank me by building a location in South Loop :) Ahem ...hint hint.
Here's to hoping!
Here's how much I love this place...I couldn't eat yeast or wheat products for 3 months, my first meal back on the prowl was here.
If I were a sandwich looking for love, I'd skip <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmatch.com&s=5a7ad17eb3943c81dac85ae79b9c0c050694769f0de09ef7d94e7ed56fd99c4f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://match.com</a> and head right over to L'Appetito. First of all, they have a comma in their name...fancy. Second of all, they make the most amazing sandwiches. These aren't gourmet eats, these are good, old-fashioned Italian deli sandwiches.
They even sort of remind me of Italian delis back home in NY. Fresh bread, quality meats, good cheeses, excellent dressings. They have good macaroni salad and a great selection of drinks.
They even have fresh baked Italian cookies. Are you kidding? Tri-colored cookies are my Mom's favorite so I'm partial to those but they have probably 20 varieties.
If you're thinking about going to Subway or Quisnos for lunch, thing again. Pay around the same amount, maybe less, and get yourself a delicious, quality sandwich.
Breakfast is damn good too. Also make fresh coffee drinks all day. I don't know what they don't have.
You know what...if you're gonna go...mind picking me up an Italiano? Thanks.
Why have I not been here earlier?!?!?!?!
I guess after walking by this place EVERY time I go home, it seemed like a good idea to finally stop and in and see what it was all about. Â
It's about delicious Italian goods from cheeses, meats, olives to bakery items.
I ordered the Italiano sub and I was almost drooling eating it. It was so fresh with the perfect compliment of meats, cheeses, olive oil, vinegar and giardiniera. Â What's more awesome...it was $6. Â WHAT?!?!? So freaking cheap and it could easily feed 2 people. Â
This is a great place to come and get a sandwich, order homemade salads, and even pick up great apps for a party. Â
I am soooo happy I came here.
Viva Italia!
Sorry, but I have tried the place 3xs, and think I can write a review. Â First of all, the sandwiches are skimpy when it comes to the meat, really skimpy. The Italian sub and the Muffuletta. They use these huge buns and give only one slice of meat per type of meat, which could only be two different types on a particular sandwich.
cookies are good or stale depending on when they got them in!
If you are near Michigan Ave around lunchtime...go here! Â Might be packed, but the service is fairly quick. Â I went in for lunch, not really knowing what to order. Â I was told by a fellow patron, to take a number. Â The guys at the deli call out numbers, and you bark out what you want. Â I got the tuna salad sandwich - HUGE, DELISH, and about $6. Â Totally worth it. Â It's more than one person can eat. Â But...that didn't stop me from also getting the arancini (it's a big ball of fried risotto with filling in the middle). Â And, at the counter..I had to buy a cookie.
Prices were very reasonable and for the amount of food you get...good luck finishing it all. Â A perfect place to pair up. Â
I'll definitely go back and try a diff sandwich and maybe some gelato!
This is my favorite small non-jewish deli. Â I love it so so so so so much! Â There is also one below the Hancock Building, but I prefer this location. Â I find it absolutely charming and think that the food is a little bit better here. Â
I think less volume contributes to slightly better quality and I think the smaller size makes it feel more special. Â The only thing better about the other location is the larger gelato section, but there is a small outdoor seating area in the summer at this one, which I love.
L'Appetito has everything from pizza (oh my god, yum!!!!!), to panini, to arancini, to my favorite tuna salad in the entire world (the regular, not the mediterranean). Â Seriously, I tell EVERYONE about this tuna salad and even my friends who are not super into tuna/don't even like tuna at all have always REALLY liked it! Â I have converted them to tuna lovers (or at least likers) with the help of this place.
I feel like this is the kind of place that would have been featured in Amelie. Â Maybe that is why It makes me happy every time I go.
Great little deli. Stopped in here for lunch when I was in town and had the Italian sub. It came with the usual Italian meats, Provolone, lettuce, tomato (hold for me), olive oil and your choice of hot or mild peppers. The hot peppers are no joke - tread lightly if you order them. The bread was pretty good, not too soft and not too chewy, either. Everything was fresh and tasty. Overall, a great sandwich.
The small store also has a decent selection of Italian groceries. I even noticed some frozen pastas, raviolis, etc. If I lived in Chicago, I would definitely try those out. They also had a pretty good selection of cookies and pastries at the checkout counter. The service was fast and the staff was very friendly. If you live or work near the place, I don't think you can go wrong.
Being raised by hobos has had a great influence on my choice of foods. Â When I can't find the ingredients for a good Mulligan Stew or if Block Scrapings aren't coming my way, I resort to a sandwich from L'Appeitito.
The L'Italiano is my standby, as it's big, meaty and filling, just like a good portion of Bossy in a Bowl. Â The tostinos, pre-made salads and pizza are perfect for a light lunch, if you're into that. Â
But when your tapeworm is working over time, the real gut buster is La Bomba--which translates to "The Bomba". Â This beast is a hulking portion of sandwich that could feed a small family--or me alone when I'm hung over and am plum sick of scrapple. Â Come on down; you'll L'ove L'Appetito!
I love this place. Â I've probably been to L'Appetito over 20 times now, and I plan to keep going back.
Atmosphere: It's a small place, but I think the space is maximized. Â Sometimes they get packed, but it's usually not a long wait for a table since it seems that most people go there for their lunch breaks. Â Tip - If there's a long line, make sure to ask the people in line if they took numbers so you don't get passed up. Â The line moves fast, because the guys in the deli are QUICK.
FOOD:  My favorites are the MUFFULETTA and IL PARMA.  The muffuletta sandwich is huge, easily big enough for two people to share  Get it pressed!  You'll be pleased.  Not only does getting it pressed toast the bread and partially melt the cheese, but it also smooshes the sandwich, so it's easier to eat (which was the original reason I wanted to get it pressed =P)  The IL PARMA is pretty amazing, too.  I forget what kind of bread their sandwich bread is, but the combination of the bread, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, tomatoes, and other ingredients tastes so damn good.  Another favorite of mine is the ARANCINI.  Both the original and the spinach are awesome.  It's a nice filling lunch when you're not too hungry.
Price: Â I think the price is a value, especially if you're smart and buy a drink somewhere else or split a big sandwich with someone. Â If you ask me, the two best values on the menu are the MUFFULETTA and the ARANCINI.
Go to L'Appetito and try the MUFFULETTA, IL PARMA, or ARANCINI, or all of the above if you have someone to split lunch with. Â You'll leave quite satisfied.
Walking in here is like stepping into a European time machine. It seems like a set up you would find at a small quaint European village.
L'Appetito features fresh sandwiches, meats, cheeses and a baker's delight full of pastries. The service is relatively quick and they understand the lunch needs of the urban slave.
This is a definite quick bite spot for those people along the mile not trying to pay mile prices.
And when i step outside I always expect to see the Ricola man blowing his horn in front of the French Alps...
A great place for a lunch-break gelato! They usually have around 6-8 different flavors rotating--my favorites are pistacchio and pumpkin (usually in the fall).
I've only had a sandwich once. Was delicious, but a little overpriced for what it was...But I guess that's par for the course in the area.
Lots of pre-packed italian foods for sale too. Good selection. They actually sell the 6-in-1 sauce me and my man use for a base in our homemade stuffed pizzas!
I am so happy I found this place on one of my random walks through downtown Chicago, looking for a place to eat dinner. Too bad they're not open past 6:30 pm because this would be a great place to just hang out.
L'Appetito is an Italian deli where you can buy delicious entrees, sandwiches, cookies, eclairs, frozen pasta, coffee, etc. They also serve gelato, which I have yet to try.
For a little over $7 (with tax) I tend to buy the eggplant tostino: roasted eggplant, cheese and pesto toasted panini sandwich, which is especially good if it's freshly made. Otherwise, don't be surprised if at 6 pm, you get a tostino from the deli that is cold yet somehow still crunchy (in a good way).
This is also a great place to buy gifts. For my friend who misses Italy, I bought her some Bacci candy and tiramisu wafers for $15. Not bad.
You should definitely check this place out!
This branch of THE Chicago Italian deli is a much better spot to grab lunch than the John Handcock spot -- same great food (and imported goodies), but smaller lines, and an enclosed place to sit. Â (If the al-fresco seating is taken, walk a block east and grab a spot at the gorgeos Mies Van Der Rohe-esque Episcopal Diocese of Chicago plaza.
They recently streamlined their menu, but all the good stuff is there still except the double-decker sub. Â I'd recommend the classic Cabrese (Motza, Basil, Tomato, Olive Oil, Ciabatta), or if you feeling less veggie-ish, the Il Parma is the same thing plus a generous helping of salty procuitto. Â Also, the Diavolo is piled high with peppery deli meat but not so spicy that you won't want to swallow the whole thing in one awesome bite.
Since I work off of Michigan Avenue I'm always looking for a lunch place to go that is affordable, not fast food and has the least amount of tourists. Â Well folks, L'Appetito is your answer. Â Since it is just a few blocks west of Mich Ave it keeps most of the tourists away, but yet is close enough for me to walk to and even eat my meal while sitting outside and enjoying the weather.
My favorite is the Roma tostano. Â It has mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese and spices on toasted bread. Â Yummy! Â I also like to pair it up with the antipasto salad. Â For about $8 you can get enough food to eat for 2 days.
Not quite as large as the one in the Hancock. Same menu.
Great pizza and sandwiches.
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/l-appetito-imported-italian-foods-chicago#hrid:4jys5Wn_GMBOLyOOXhIqMg">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
They made my nephew a pb&j. He's sold. He's only three, but picky.
Nice Italian grocery and deli.
You must try the Muffaletta! Â
A Muffaletta is salami, cappicola, mortadella, and provolone cheese with an olive spread on a Sun-dried Italian loaf bread. Â The one on Mich. Ave. Â uses a sesame Italian loaf. Â It is a huge sandwich for $6.50! Â I think I tried one of the Tostino's, but regretted it because nothing can compare to the Muffaletta. Â It's just not fair to the other sandwich's. Â One day I will stray and try something else there.
They have some great cheeses and pastas for home cooking.
Went to L'appetito for lunch today and ended up being really pleased to have found a lunch place that is tasty & inexpensive with cafe seating indoor and out. I had an Italian sub that was gigantic, so I had one half of it for lunch and the other half can be dinner.
My friends also had sandwiches and pasta that they thought equally yummy. The cafe is full of great Italian salamis, cheese, coffee, pastries and specialty European sodas and juices.
We happily ended our lunch by splitting Spumoni gelato which was really delicious. We all agreed that the Pistachio gelato was exceptionally great.
The cathedral district was a nice change of pace from lunch in the loop and made a nice stop for a peaceful Friday retreat from the office.
This is going to be a very brief review.
A very good place to get lunch. Â Sandwiches are, overall, very good. Â Coffee and coffee related drinks are good, and sold at a reasonable price.
My only complaint is that not every bottled drink has a price on it. Â As a result, it is very easy to grab something cold which can cost almost as much as your sandwich.
Yay new lunch spot!
The Roma tostino was unimpressive, I should have gone with something containing prosciutto or salami. Â The grocery part is intriguing so I'll stop in again for that.
The butter cookie with a fudge dollop, divine.
I'll come back to this review after I've tried the all important gelato.
+ there's a patio +
A true gem. Â Ive been told that they have been in this location for over 20 years. Â From the outside this place looks slightly better than your run of the mill c-store in the basement of a nameless 1980's skyscraper.
Once inside you'll see a deli in back with hot items as well. Â Everything from hot grilled pannin's to fresh caprese salad to hot ravioli. Â
Let me tell you, this is the best deal in the area for a sub-style sandwich, hands down. Â Meat quality knocks potbelly and JJ off the list, plus L'Appetito's sandwhiches are as big as both of the aforementioned combined.
The C-store itself holds it's own, giving you a variety of risotto options (something like 5 different brands)- Trader Joes does not carry risotto. Â
Lots of Italian waters, juices, and soda, etc.
1 star deduction- They DO NOT carry Magnum ice cream bars. Â I guess nestle mustn't distribute them to the states, but they are bomb and every hole in the wall in the boot of Italy has Magnums.
Yum. I love L'Appetito. I go here for lunch frequently, and I adore their hearty, fresh sandwiches that are freshly assembled in the deli. Â I love their tomato-basil-mozzarella on ciabitta. All of the ingredients, salt, textures, and seasoning are so spot on--definitely the best TBM sandwich I've had! Â Their sanwiches are really an excellent deal for the size of sandwich, quality of ingredients, and freshness that you receive in return! Â Tables are more plentiful then they seem to have been about a year ago--There are about eight tables inside with a nice outdoor section outside, as well.
The shop also is stocked full of authentic Italian foods, which is always fun to peruse, although prices can be a bit high.
Oh, and the gelato. Oooh the gelato. It's simply amazing, and very well priced ($1.35 for a good sized scoop?). I love the marscapone with caramel and what seems to be raisins and pistachios, as well as the hazelnut biscotti. Worth a trip over here for the gelato alone!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,607 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,307 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,905 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,983 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
