Love This Spot! Perhaps one of the best sandwich shops in the City.... possible the US. Its really that good! Grab a coffee as well... totally underrated and delicious. read more

Compared to the other location, this one loses a star because it has no restroom for customers. Seriously? The location by the John Hancock building has one and they have much more people/vagrants to worry about. It really sucked to find this out after drinking two espressos, a water, and a medium coffee. Wah wah. Everything else is pretty similar. Pizza = drool. Also. Check out the Italian cookies, specifically the bacio ones. Out of this world fantastic. read more

Go there and get the La Bamba!!! Best sandwich I've ever had. It's HUGE. The size of my head. Cute authentic place. Very chill atmosphere. You must check it out!! read more

L'Appetito - La Bamba!!! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my favorite small non-jewish deli. I love it so so so so so much! There is also one below the Hancock Building, but I prefer this location. I find it absolutely charming and think that the food is a little bit better here. I think less volume contributes to slightly better quality and I think the smaller size makes it feel more special. The only thing better about the other location is the larger gelato section, but there is a small outdoor seating area in the summer at this one, which I love. L'Appetito has everything from pizza (oh my god, yum!!!!!), to panini, to arancini, to my favorite tuna salad in the entire world (the regular, not the mediterranean). Seriously, I tell EVERYONE about this tuna salad and even my friends who are not super into tuna/don't even like tuna at all have always REALLY liked it! I have converted them to tuna lovers (or at least likers) with the help of this place. I feel like this is the kind of place that would have been featured in Amelie. Maybe that is why It makes me happy every time I go. read more

Amazing little deli tucked in the back making fresh sandwiches with top shelf ingredients. My sandwich was more than enough for one person, the pre-made salad was good but the cheesy pasta already made and boxed should be avoided unless you like massive amounts of cheese. Staff was friendly and would definitely recommend this place. Thanks! read more

L'Appetito - Sandwich salad and the incredibly cheesy pasta - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A great place for a lunch-break gelato! They usually have around 6-8 different flavors rotating--my favorites are pistacchio and pumpkin (usually in the fall). I've only had a sandwich once. Was delicious, but a little overpriced for what it was...But I guess that's par for the course in the area. Lots of pre-packed italian foods for sale too. Good selection. They actually sell the 6-in-1 sauce me and my man use for a base in our homemade stuffed pizzas! read more

I love this place so much and it helps that I live so close (too close!) to it. I stop here most mornings to get a cappuccino and a croissant if I am feeling extra nice to myself. The ladies in here are great and are always smiling no matter the hour. If I'm feeling lazy I go down and get some nice meats and cheeses for dinner paired with wine from Trader Joe's down the street. I love the pastries and homemade sweets here, the are beautiful and delicious. I am also a fan of their banana nut muffin, it's actually really hearty and not too sweet and cake-like. All in all L'Appetito is everything you want in a neighborhood deli/coffee shop/gourmet grocer. Love it all! read more

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My wife, daughter and I stopped in for a lunch sandwich. We got the full "Tony's Bomba" for the 3 of us and it was enough!! The sandwich was great. When I was growing up, we used to get authentic Italian sandwiches (70's) and I felt like this was like it was back then. We had the sandwich made as they normally do with "sweet" peppers. They added a lot of flavor. If it was just for me I'd have had the hot peppers. We had the Caprese Salad too, it was great. I highly recommend it. We were there at 1:15ish on a Thursday afternoon and there was a line of a few people. That tells me the food is good and people are willing to wait. Someone behind me would not wait and left, he/she lost. Because the place was busy, I could see how those who started to question / ask about everything would irritate the counter people and the customers in line too. People were eating at the tables in the "store"; They looked happy. I don't blame them; I was happy when I ate the food too. read more

The coffee is tasteful and of italian quality. It is strangely even better than the Appetito below Hancock tower. The big downside is the staff, unfriendly, rude and with a frown so big it is scary. Is have been here every day for a month now, as it is easy for me to grab a coffee before going to work down the block. Not a single day I got a smile, a good morning, or even a thank you. read more

One of my favorite spots in the Gold Coast for many reasons. This is truly a place for locals. Tucked a couple blocks from the frenzy of Michigan Ave, it is so cozy and adorable, loaded with Italian imported foods and a deli with fresh Sicilian pizza slices, paninis , pasta, meatballs and the best arancini I've ever had! The cookie bar is equally impressive and the gelato is not to be missed. It's an Italian dream basically. read more

I happened to be around the area, asked a local for a nice place to have a sandwich and was directed to L'Appetito. He even warned me that it just looks like a market but there was a deli in the back. The sandwich I had was fresh and delicious! Maybe it was the bread or the cheese but I absolutely loved it. Next time I'm around the area, I am definitely going back! read more

This is one of my favorite lunch spots. I am a big fan of the three-cheese tostino and the cheese pizza, which is one of the best thin-crust pizzas out there. Pastas are good, but some of them have upset my stomach in the past, so I tend to steer clear of them. The bakery is AMAZING...try the butter cookies or the raspberry mousse bomb! Overall, a great place that is pretty affordable when you consider the location. read more

Picked up breakfast and lunch along with a M&M cookie for my kids today, they loved it! Was $14 for all of it.My only complaint is the woman at the Checkout had zero customer service. The chef @ the food counter was very informative and made the lunch sandwiches within 5 mins. read more

L'appetito is a great alternative if you want to have breakfast but had enough of eggs. Italian style breakfast with very good panini, pastries and coffee. They also sell Italian deli, and the prices are shockingly great at least for me coming from South Florida. This location is smaller than the other one on Michigan, so lines are shorter. They offer the same stuff as the larger store, which is good. Good quality, great prices and a good coffee. Who needs Starbucks? read more

I hate to leave a bad review but I don't think the breakfast sandwich leaves much to be desired. I got the original one with ham and bf got one with bacon. We also ordered two cookies and iced coffee. The bread was a little too much for me. Dense, a little too dry for me. I felt so bloated after, bc it was salty. The ice coffee came with a free Quaker breakfast bar which was nice but the sandwich is not worth the trip. Not special. read more

All of those hard to find Italian imports? They have them at L'Appetito! For lunch I love to grab the arancino (Sicillian rice balls with peas, meat and cheese that are fried in bread crumbs) or a panino and sip on a Yoga peach juice (love those minis in a 6-pack). They have a great little bakery section too - mixed butter cookies make for a wonderful hostess gift (though they are a bit pricey). Seating is minimal. Love that they offer an enclosed outdoor patio space in the summer. read more

I studied abroad in Rome during college and I have been absolutely obsessed with the city and the culture ever since. Anything that takes me back to Rome, if only for a minute, makes me very, very happy. L'Appetito takes me back. This is a GREAT lunch option if you're looking for something like a simple sandwich or a small pizza... The panini's are fantastic and made and served just as they are in Italy. You place your order based on a selection of sandwiches from under a glass case, not thinking that these would be the sandwiches you would be served, but they are. Don't be afraid. They're delicious! If you're looking for those special grocery or confectionary treats that you loved while in Rome, you can likely find them here as well. Check it out! read more

The Loop Lunch Saga Takes a Trip North... to eat sandwiches as big as my head! I ordered La Bomba. This sandwich single-handedly filled my calorie quota for the day. And it was delicious. They have smaller, more healthful selections available for those of you who don't subscribe the a gluttonous life philosophy, but if you want to go all out, get one of these bad boys. All of their meat and cheese was fantastic and the bread was fresh. You can also get fabulous cookies and cafe beverages and do a little light grocery shopping while you're here. I love multitasking! read more

Went here the day after my initial review, and had the Diavlo(?) and it was perfect. Spicy fresh peppers, the meats were thick and obviously cut recently, and the cheeses were full of creamy texture. Good stuff! Foolishly got one of there imported sodas, thinking it wouldnt actually be spicy, but it was! And good! read more

L'Appetito is one of the best Italian delis in Chicago. Their sandwiches are so good. I also enjoy their gelato.

We ended up going to this adorable little cafe almost everyday of our trip. The best part about it was the encased sweet treats. I would get a tea and something different everyday. Although the sprinkled butter cookie... or the chocolate croissant (warmed up.. mm) wasn't the BEST i've ever had, the location is great. Right underneath the John Hancock building with plenty of people watching opportunities. The inside of the cafe was pretty cute, a deli corner (but I stuck with the sweets corner), a little dining area inside, and a mini grocery store filled with imported goods from italy. I thought that was pretty charming. The reason I gave it 3 stars and not 4 was because of the service. The last time we went there, I asked for an earl grey tea with steamed soy milk (I can't drink milk). When it was ready, the girl said it was an earl grey tea with milk. I asked her, "wait, is this SOY milk, or just milk?" She said, "It's milk. You said milk." (I didn't say milk. I never say MILK!!) I told her I didn't order it with milk, I can't drink milk, and she was trying to convince me I was wrong. Now, I've worked in a resturant before, and if someone says they didn't order whatever you are giving them, without question, you take it back and FIX it. She gave me attitude and, with difficulty, they remade it, but made me pay the extra $0.40 for soy milk. I'm not cheap, I am happy to pay extra for my stupid soy milk, but to make me bust out my dollar for them to break while they are helping another person at the register is just tacky. It put a bad taste in my mouth and I swore we werent going back there for the rest of our trip!!! (It was the second to last day haha) Whatever. The people are lame if they get it wrong, maybe I caught the girl on a bad day, but it bugged me because it put me in a bad mood on my vacation. Lame. read more

One of my favorite deli to go to. Delicious sandwiches and great sides. I've tried almost everything and here are some of my favorites: - Pesto pasta salad: pasta is al dente and pesto isn't overwhelming like most pesto pasta salads I've had. Perfect amount of pesto - yum! - Chicken pasta salad: Bowtie pasta with bits of chicken in some sort of creamy sauce. Again, the sauce is not overwhelming so it's a great side dish. - Napoletano: My favorite sandwich. slices of pancetta, mozarella and spices in panini bread. So good and satisfying. The sandwich tends to be on the saltier side so if you don't like that, you might not like this. - Turkey pesto sandwich: SO CREAMY, SO GOOD. This is a close second. Huge portion too. - Il Parma sandwich: very refreshing sandwich. Prosciutto, mozarella, basil - such a perfect combination. This is a cold sandwich but you can have it toasted if you'd like. They also have a wide assortment of cookies and pastries that are delicious. Definitely my go-to Italian Deli. read more

Adore this place and we are lucky enough that it is right down the street! We've tried quite a few things and have yet to be let down. All of the sandwiches are excellent thanks to fresh meats, cheeses and produce, not to mention the yummy rolls. Their salads are great too! The seafood and olive are my personal favorites. I can't leave without grabbing a dozen or so cookies as well. read more

Love L'Appetito! Great sandwiches and fast service. The to-go selection of salads is interesting as well, I particularly like the Mediterranean tuna salad which is made with olive oil instead of mayonnaise. My only "complaint" is that they're closed on Sundays. read more

The sandwiches are delicious and the service is really good. I have had most of the sandwiches there and the italiano is probably my favorite. This is a great place for a quick, cheap lunch and a great place to stop for your morning coffee as they serve illy! read more

IL PARMAAAAAAAAAAA only found out about this place a month ago and immediately added it to my regular lunch rotation. i'll have to update this review if i ever try another, but i'm completely devoted to the il parma (proscuitto, mozzarella, tomato, basil, oil) and probably won't be able to order another sandwich. some yelpers are griping the prices are a little high, but i think the quality of the meats and cheeses is worth it, and to compensate, the sides are cheap (and also tasty). UPDATE-still love the parma. I also recommend the pesto tortellini, potato salad, and tuscan bean salad. top-ranking espresso drinks too. this place rules. read more

Um, morale of the story is I am absolutely obsessed with this place. Hands down best chicken salad, caprese salad and rice balls in the city. It's my little gem and to be completely honest I am a little hesitant to share how amazing this place is with the general public ... but at the same time I'm hoping if enough people start going there Mr. L'Appetito will see this & thank me by building a location in South Loop :) Ahem ...hint hint. Here's to hoping! read more

Amazing Sandwiches. HUGE portion. Great location and amazing value given the location. This is now my go-to place if I don't want to spend a lot for a good lunch when I'm around Michigan Avenue. read more

Food is reasonably priced but so greasy to the point I can't eat it. Not even a good grease. Like soggy and disgusting. Tastes like eating a stick of butter. Worst food I've had since I can remember. Definitely won't be returning. Can't even finish the food I ordered read more

Me loves L'Appetito! It's the best little Italian eatery ever. I'm prone to going to the one on Huron. Grumpy because I don't work nearby anymore, but when I'm in the area, it's what's for lunch. Can't rave enough about the village salad. It's a must-have everytime I go there. Don't think leafy salad, though. Think fresh, big tomato chunks, feta, cucumbers, onions, olives in the perfect Italian dressing. Also love the Italian sub, chili and tostinos. For dessert, check out the case up by the cashier for goodies or have some gelato. I haven't tried any of the coffee items yet. I'm a sucker for the toffee chocolate chip cookies. I've not had a bad anything there yet. Today, I got a half Italian sub, a juice and a small garden salad for a little over $8. So it's a cheap eat for the area. Can't say much for the customer service of the ladies up front. (Hence, only four stars). Can't have it all, right? It's pretty much a blank face with a possible grunt of thank you and your on your way. The guys who run the deli in the back, however, are a little bit more pleasant. There is a small area of tables indoor, but they have also have some in between the door area when the weather is nice. They also have a lot of Italian imports for purchase. I'm not gung-ho Italian much, but when I start jonesin', this is the place to hit. And be forewarned, there's too much yumminess up in there to not indulge. I wouldn't recommend it as a place to count calories (as if...). read more

A reasonable deli, L'Appetito really stands out for their arancini and polpette. The arancini are always well done--crisply fried outside with a supple ball of rice stuffed with meat and peas. Order one and wash it down with a bottle of aranciata. If you're up for something a bit saliter, try the polpette. L'Appetito's version of this Italian classic makes up for their small size with their beautifully cooked sauce. I suspect the recipe is something of a trade secret--you'll want to buy an extra roll to sop up the leftover sauce. L'Appetito also carries a variety of simple but scrumptious cookies displayed by the front register. Not the city's best Italian sweets but they provide a fitting end to any one of my lunches here. read more

Inexpensive and convenient, L'Appetito offers a bevy of wonderful sandwiches, deli items, and side dishes. I tried the Napoletano sandwich which was very good, and the mushroom pizza was super-duper fun. Great place to stop if you're on the run, after work. read more

I really like the food here. The sandwiches are always great.. The ingredients are super fresh... The cheese for sale is awesomely priced. (WAY more affordable than it's over priced down the street neighbor, Whole Foods - and they have Fontinella which I can never find anywhere and my boyfriend loves.) The arancini is delicious and the tiramisu is pretty good as well. The guys behind the deli counter are super nice and fast! More than anything else though, I think for the freshness and quality of the ingredients, you can't really beat the price. read more

So far, everything I've tried has been better than sexy time. I love Italian food and this place has everything from the specialty imported snacks and products to freshly made pastries and even a deli to pick up lunch before heading in to work. I would eat breakfast and lunch here everyday if I could. The meatballs were hefty and totally worth their $3 price tag. I grabbed a bunch of pastries to go and while they were all good, I can't recall which items were the best in my batch. Limited seating is available, mostly outside the market. The countdown begins until my next breakfast here. read more

I've been several times for lunch, and figured that I should finally write a review. Everything I've had has been tasty, and the portions are large. You could definitely eat half for lunch and half for dinner, or share with a friend. The Rosina toasted sandwich is delicious, and so is the Il Parma- I didn't love the Melanzana, as I found it to be soggy and a little bland. There are so many options, so lots to try. Affordable prices, as well! Definitely recommend. They also have italian grocery items, so if you're in need of some pasta or special olive oil, this is a good place to go. Highly recommend! read more

I went here for lunch and ordered a La Bamba.. The thing was as massive and delicious as advertised, so that was good. The service was not overly friendly or helpful. They were kind of just going through the motions. Also, there was no real ambience and the eating areas were small, cramped, messy, and lacked any real redeeming qualities. Overall, the food itself saved this place from getting a lower rating but I wasn't as impressed as I hoped to be based upon reading others' ratings. read more

I just enjoyed my first meal at their new Lakeview East location; got to meet Tony the owner. They're not quite all the way open and are still - literally - putting the menu up. I had a fantastic sandwich which featured meat hand carved in front of me, I couldn't resist getting some of the cookies that looked like they just came out of the oven either. Everyone was really nice and it was a fun experience, I will be back many times I suspect! read more

This place is my go to for a quick grab and go lunch. My favorites are the pasta with meat sauce and the meatball sub. I never liked meatball subs until I came to this place! The prices are decent and it's a good variety. Would reccomend if you're looking for an easy grab and go lunch. read more

Every time I'm in Chicago, I go to L'Appetito! The best italian sandwiches.

The man that was waiting on me had a mean look on his face like he didn't want to be bothered and didn't say, thank you which was rude! The sandwich was just ok, nothing great. read more