Sarah Grueneberg's modern Italian in the West Loop with a glass-walled pasta lab.
🛡️ Independent — no pay-to-rank🔎 Graded for who you are✓ Verified 2026-06-17How we grade →
The verdict
Worth the table for…
Great for
If you've only got a day
Couples
Solo travellers
Foodies
Depends
Travellers on a budget
Families with kids
Romantics
Photographers
The genuinely curious
Not for
—
Worth it for if you've only got a day, couples and solo travellers.
What to order
The plates that decide it
Cacio whey pepe — the now-legendary fusilloni riff on cacio e pepe with pecorino and lemon-ricotta whey — the dish the room is built on
Tortellini en brodo — hand-folded prosciutto-and-duck tortellini in broth; a year-round staple
Skipping the pasta course — the pasta lab is the whole point — don't fill up first
Why we say this
Insider secrets & local vibes
Grueneberg's Top Chef finalist credentials show in the pasta program — the tortellini en brodo and the cacio whey pasta are standouts that draw a steady crowd.
Not independently verified — estimated
It books up fast and the dining room can get loud at peak — reserve ahead and don't expect a hushed evening.
Not independently verified — estimated
What it feels like
Reading the room, traveller by traveller
Couples
A confident date-night pick — polished but not precious, and the pasta is the draw.
With friends
Order several pastas to share so everyone gets a taste of the lab's range.
Good to know
Before you go
Cost
$$$ — mid-to-upper, pasta-forward
Time
1.5–2 hours
Last verified
2026-06-17
Best time
Earlier weeknight seatings are calmer
Booking
Reservations strongly recommended
Accessibility
Counter seats face the pasta lab; veg pastas available
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