Massa Cafe Italiano — Restaurant in Leyden Township

My cashier didn't know what she was doing. The FIRST I TOLD HER IS I WANTED A SANDWICH WITH AVACADO. SHE HAD A HEAVY ACCENT AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MEAN AND POINTED TO A SANDWICH ON MENU. ASVI READ IT HAD NO AVACADO. AGAIN I TELL HER I WANT A SANDWICH WITH ADVACADO SO SHE FINALLY POINTS TO 2 SIDE BY SIDE SO I TOLD HER ILL TAKE THE PRIMO. I ORDER 2. ONE FOR ME ONE FOR HUSBAND. WHY AM I HALF WAY EATING MY SANDWICH IM LIKE WHERES MY ADVACADO AND HUSBAND SAYING THE SAME. THERE IS NO ADVACADO SO I WALK MY HALF UP THERE WHICH SHOULDN'T BE NECESSARY BUT I DID. I ACTUALLY TOLD THE LADY. SHE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME NEITHER DID HER CO WORKER THEN THEY ASK ME TO OPEN IT WHICH I DID ...BUT I WAS DEFINITELY BOTHER. THEY THEN SEEN IT BUT THEY ACTED LIKE ITS MY FAULT THEY DIDN'T PUT IT THEN WANTED TO GIVE ME 2 OF THE WORLDS SMALLEST SLICES. IM LIKE BRUH... I NEED FOR MY OTHER HALF THEN YOU DONT HAVE ON MY HUSBANDS. IM SO BOTHERED AT THIS POINT CAUSE THEY HAVE MY BITTEN SANDWICH ALL OPEN ON THE LINE AS PEOPLE ARE PLACING THEIR ORDERS AND THEY WANT TO GIVE ME TINY PIECES OF AVACADOS. WE ALREADY HAVE BAD CUSTOMERS SERVICE... YOUR PRIMO COMES WITH AVACADO AND YOU FORGOT IT ON BOTH SANDWICHES AND YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BELIEVE ME THEN YOU GOT MY SANDWICH LITERALLY OPEN ON THE TOP COUNTER AS PEOPLE ARE THERE AND YOUR DIGGING THROUGH MY SANDWICH WITH YOUR FINGERS. BRUHHHH! UGHHH PLEASE OWNER... DONT TRY TO APOLOGIZE FOR REAL. I THINK NUMBER ONE WE NEED SOMEONE CASHIERING WHO UNDERSTANDS THE CUSTOMERS. ALSO IF SOMEONE IS MAKING THE SANDWICHES THEY MUST KNOW WHAT GOES ON THE SANDWICH. ALSO WHEN A CUSTOMER IS TELLING YPU THEY FORGOT THE ADVACADO... WHICH EVENTUALLY THEY SEEN WITH THERE OWN EYES... THEY SOMETIMES SHOULD BELIEVE BECAUSE GOING THROUGH MY SANDWICH THE WAY THEY DID ON THE COUNTER WAS NOT APPROPRIATE. THEN GOING TO GIVE ME 2 SLICES OF THE SMALLEST ADVACADO FOR ME 2 SANDWICHES... CMON... TRAIN PEOPLE BETTER... PLEASE... DONT SIT HERE AND GIVE ME AND EXCUSES......

We stopped by Massa Café Italiano in Elmwood Park on a Saturday afternoon, and it was every bit as good as I remembered from years ago. I used to go to their old location on Roosevelt and Halsted back when I was in college, and I loved their Primo sandwich back then — so of course, I had to order it again.

It did not disappoint. The Primo was absolutely delicious — that basil pesto mayo is incredible, and it’s exactly how I remembered it. Creamy, flavorful, and the perfect touch to the sandwich. I paired it with their soup, which was rich and comforting — you could really taste the heavy cream in it, which made it even better.

My grandmother went all out and got both the Italian sausage pizza and the pepperoni pizza, and she loved them. My mom ordered the eggplant parmesan and couldn’t stop talking about how thin and flavorful the eggplant was — she said it was one of the best she’s had. My daughter had the cheese pizza, which she really enjoyed, and my sister went with the choose two option.

My sister actually comes here at least once a month and is always raving about how consistently good everything is. After this visit, I completely understand why.

We all ended the meal with gelato, and everyone loved it. I didn’t get a picture, but the coconut gelato was especially amazing — creamy, refreshing, and full of flavor.

Overall, it was a wonderful meal and a really nice family afternoon. Great food, warm atmosphere, and a lot of nostalgia. I’ll definitely be coming...

After returning from a recent trip to Italy, I found myself longing for the authentic flavors I experienced overseas. That’s when I decided to visit Massa Café, hoping to satisfy my craving for genuine Italian cuisine. From the moment I walked in, the ambiance felt inviting, reminiscent of the cozy cafés I visited in Italy.

What caught my eye immediately was the gelato counter. I’ve tried many gelato spots since coming back, but Massa Café’s gelato truly stands out. The texture was creamy, and the flavors were vibrant and true to what I remember from Italy. In fact, it was so good that I’d say it even surpassed some of the gelato I had abroad.

For the main course, I opted for the pasta with meat sauce. I was pleasantly surprised by how authentic it tasted. The pasta was cooked to perfection—al dente, just like in Italy—and the sauce had that rich, homemade quality that you rarely find outside of a true Italian kitchen. Every bite transported me back to the meals I enjoyed during my trip.

I’ve explored numerous Italian eateries in Chicago, but Massa Café is in a league of its own. The authenticity of the food is remarkable; it’s like having a little slice of Italy right here in the city. Whether you’re in the mood for gelato or a hearty pasta dish, Massa Café delivers an experience that’s as close to dining in Italy as you can get. It’s officially my new favorite spot for Italian food and gelato in Chicago, and I can’t...