Restaurant Review – Pasta Al Gusto

This week took me to the most charming lunch spot, Pasta Al Gusto. Located at 3737 N Southport Avenue, this gem is tucked right next to the popular Music Box Theatre. We came in at about 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. They have an awesome lunch special- just $8.99 for your choice of a salad, panini, or pasta dish. After perusing the menu, I decided to go with the Italian Meatball Panini lunch special: three giant homemade meatballs with sweet green peppers and fontina cheese on a fresh Italian roll, served with a side of tomato marinara sauce. This was fantastic! The roll was marvelous, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. They weren’t kidding when they said the meatballs were gigantic! The sandwich was absolutely huge, I definitely could have split with another person. The flavor of the meatballs was delicious and I loved the combination of the hot, melted cheese and sweet green peppers. My best friend ordered the Maccaroni al Formaggio: macaroni and cheese made with asparagus, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes, garnished with toasted bread crumbs. This was wonderful as well! It was so cheesy, but the fresh vegetables gave it more crunch and body. My other friend ordered the Rotini al Gusto: rotini pasta with grilled chicken, sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, and pecorino cheese topped with a cream sauce. It’s hard to choose, but this may have been my favorite dish I tried! I loved the grilled chicken and the cream sauce was fantastic. I will definitely be back to try more things here!

Pasta Al Gusto is closed on Mondays. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 am to 11 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 10 pm. They deliver and provide catering services. For more information, check out their website.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO