Handmade spaghetti coated in silky brown butter with creamy burrata torn over the top and finished with fried sage and breadcrumbs. The pasta is rolled by hand and takes three to four times longer to make than machine-produced versions. Multiple reviews highlight this as the dish that justifies Tortello's reputation.
Tips from diners
Order this first — it's the signature pasta and showcases Monni's obsession with ingredient quality and traditional technique.
No reservations are taken — arrive before 7 PM on weekends to avoid a lengthy wait, or come for a late-night dinner after 9 PM.
Four fresh tortelli filled with luscious burrata and finished with brown butter, toasted hazelnuts, and crispy sage. The balance between the rich cheese filling and the nutty sauce is what makes this dish memorable.
Tips from diners
The tortelli are slightly heavier than the spaghetti — pair this with a light salad or appetizer rather than ordering multiple pasta courses.
Warm focaccia served at the start of your meal with excellent olive oil for dipping. This is the appetizer that sets the tone for understanding Tortello's ingredient obsession.
Tips from diners
Don't skip the focaccia — it arrives before your pasta and sets expectations for the quality of everything that follows.
Fresh chiusoni pasta filled with fennel-studded sausage, finished with saffron-kissed cream. The combination of spice from the fennel and earthiness of the saffron creates a complex flavor profile that rewards close attention.
Tips from diners
Save room for dessert — the tiramisu is house-made and a fitting finish to the savory courses.
Hand-rolled bucatini tossed simply with Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper — a Roman classic executed with Tortello's attention to pasta texture. The pasta water and cheese emulsify into a silky sauce that coats each strand.
Tips from diners
This is the perfect single-serving pasta — simple, satisfying, and lets you taste the quality of the handmade noodles.
Tortello opened in Wicker Park as a pastificio and chef-driven restaurant run by husband-and-wife team Dario Monni (a Venice native) and Jill Gray. Monni brought Italian pasta makers to Chicago to train his team in traditional techniques, and sources ingredients obsessively — the eggs come from Yuppie Hill Farms in Wisconsin, specially fed marigold and paprika to achieve the bright yolks Monni wanted. The restaurant has been featured on FX's 'The Bear' and won Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition multiple years.
Walk-ins only — no reservations are accepted. The line moves quickly, but come early on Friday and Saturday evenings to minimize wait time.
Fresh pasta is available by the pound from the pastificio counter — buy some to cook at home and experience the quality between the restaurant and the shop.
The wine list is Italian-focused with excellent bottles at fair markups — ask the staff for recommendations to pair with your pasta choice.
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