Chicago Italian Cuisine — Topo Gigio 🐭🍝

Visited on a weekday to check this place out. Their cute mouse logo really caught my eye — reminded me of Ratatouille and set a fun, lively vibe right away! The owner is an older Italian gentleman — quite serious and seemed a bit stern. We were seated, given menus and water, and ordered the dishes you see in the photos: classic fried calamari, cheese and prosciutto with bread, two signature pastas, and finished with a classic Italian dessert 🍮. 🦑 Calamari Best eaten hot! The batter was thin and light, mostly fried just right though a few pieces were slightly overdone. My friend — a calamari fanatic — thought the squid wasn’t plump enough, but I enjoyed it with their special tomato sauce. Solid but not outstanding. 🧀 Prosciutto & Cheese with Baguette (Forgot the name 😅) This one was a winner! Slightly melted cheese with basil and tomato slices, served on olive oil–brushed baguette. One bite = a flavor party in your mouth! 🎉 🍝 Spaghetti Ai Frutti Di Mare A light, refreshing seafood pasta that I really liked. The clams were small but fresh, seasoning was decent, and the pasta was slightly al dente — which my friend said is authentically Italian. Overall clean and not heavy. 🍝 Conchiglie Alla Sardat A red sauce pasta highly recommended for those who love bold flavors and cheese. The shell-shaped pasta soaks up the sauce beautifully — rich, basil-forward, and very traditional. Definitely worth trying! 🍰 Tiramisu Biggest plus: not too sweet. Thick cream layer, but the coffee flavor was subtle and the liqueur taste was light. Personally, I prefer a stronger coffee and boozier version with a firmer biscuit base, but dessert lovers might still enjoy it. Final thoughts: Would come back to try other pastas, and definitely order the cheese and prosciutto again! The rest were just okay. I’ve had another Italian spot in Lincoln Park that I personally prefer — will share that next time! #ChicagoLife #WeekendEats #PastaLover #ChicagoEats #ItalianFood #TopoGigio #FoodReview