Best Seasonal Restaurants in Belmont Central / Cragin

There were a few things that didn’t go well for the price tag. 1) We were 3 people dining. 2 of us received their main course and we had to wait more than 5 min for the 3rd person to receive their main course . Unacceptable. 2) When I ordered coffee along with the desert order- we received our coffees while before our desert arrived while my lemonchello arrived while after our desert. No consistency 3) My experience with truffle season.. Usually the places that offer truffles - they offer a special dish.. truffle pasta or truffle rissotto.. here it was- add to one of the dishes..so, I picked the most delicate/simple- pasta limone which is also not perfect as the flavor loses to catch the taste of the truffle - especially if you charge $59 fur the truffle shaving (black.. not white truffle )..

Due to a glut of options, there are few places in Chicago that spark the “when are we coming back?” conversation before the main course is finished. This is one of those places. The dishes were comfortable yet complex, making you realize, there’s a talent-level in the kitchen that makes them impossible to replicate. Each bite from first course through dessert was exceptional, which is a feat considering we were last seating on a Tuesday night. What made the experience was the service. Lauren S. was welcoming and informative without being pushy. She deftly answered all of our questions that felt like she was guiding us through the menu based on her expertise not her opinion. This included steering us away from certain dishes when she understood our flavor profiles, and explaining things without ruining the surprise. Her attention to little things without feeling crowded made us realize what front of house talent does to heighten the experience. The only knock was the nitty-picky things on the space. The bathroom was a bit disheveled, there was a crud on the handle of a fork (nothing on the tongs, I checked before using it). Extremely minor unless you’re judging for Micheline stars. Simply put, where it matters everything is well thought out from concept to execution. If you can get in, it’s an absolute no-brainer.

We had the tasting menu. Food was delicious. The wines of the reserve wine pairing were very special. Service was excellent. Ambience was good.

Pizza Portofino is one of my favorite spots in the city. The garlic bread and truffle pizza (request hot honey, trust me) are GAME CHANGER. I went with a few friends and we all agreed that they both redefined garlic bread and pizza (at least in Illinois) respectively. Great service and great vibes!