9 Illinois Italian Chains Serving Sad Pasta & 9 That Deliver Big Flavor
Italian food lovers across Illinois know not all pasta is created equal. Some restaurant chains serve up dishes that leave your taste buds wondering what went wrong, while others deliver authentic flavors that transport you straight to Italy.
Whether you’re craving comfort food or celebrating a special occasion, knowing where to find the best pasta can make all the difference in your dining experience.
1. Olive Garden – Quantity Over Quality
Mass-produced pasta swimming in generic sauces defines the Olive Garden experience. The endless breadsticks might keep you coming back, but the pasta itself lacks personality and regional authenticity.
Many locations across Illinois offer consistent mediocrity, making it reliable but uninspiring. When your pasta priorities center on bottomless bowls rather than memorable flavors, this national chain delivers exactly what you’d expect.
2. Sbarro – Mall Food Court Mediocrity
Hidden beneath heat lamps in food courts across Illinois, Sbarro’s pasta sits waiting for hungry shoppers. The baked ziti and lasagna squares have likely spent hours under warming lights, resulting in dried-out edges and mushy middles.
I once grabbed their fettuccine during a desperate mall lunch break and found myself wondering if the noodles had been cooked yesterday.
The convenience factor remains its only redeeming quality – perfect when shopping hunger strikes and standards plummet.
3. Romano’s Macaroni Grill at O’Hare – Terminal Disappointment
Airport dining already sets a low bar, and the O’Hare outpost of this chain doesn’t aim much higher. Rushed preparation meets captive audience pricing, creating a perfect storm of pasta disappointment.
The limited menu offers watered-down versions of their regular restaurant offerings. Pasta often arrives either undercooked or mushy, with sauces that taste noticeably less fresh than their non-airport locations.
It is likely a result of supply chain challenges unique to airport operations.
4. Buca di Beppo – Quantity Disguised as Quality
Family-style portions create the illusion of value, but Buca’s pasta quality fails to match its enormous serving sizes.
The Lombard location serves up mountains of pasta swimming in heavy, one-dimensional sauces that lack the nuance of authentic Italian cooking. The kitsch-filled dining rooms with celebrity photos and Pope tables might entertain first-timers.
However, the pasta itself, often overcooked and drowning in sauce, reveals the truth behind the facade: this is Italian-American food designed for Instagram, not discerning palates.
5. Sarpino’s Pizzeria – Pizza First, Pasta Last
This delivery-focused chain treats pasta as an afterthought to their pizza business. The pasta dishes arrive in aluminum containers, often congealed from delivery transit time and lacking distinctive flavor profiles.
I ordered their fettuccine alfredo during a rainy Chicago evening, only to discover a gummy texture and sauce that tasted suspiciously like it came from a powdered mix.
Each franchise location seems to approach pasta differently, creating inconsistent experiences across their Chicago-area stores.
6. Marco’s Pizza – Pasta Playing Second Fiddle
Known primarily for their pizza bowls, Marco’s pasta offerings (available at select locations) suffer from identity confusion. The limited pasta selection feels like menu filler rather than thoughtfully crafted dishes.
The sauce-to-pasta ratio typically skews heavily toward excess sauce, often masking the texture issues of overcooked noodles.
While their locations across Illinois offer consistent pizza experiences, the pasta dishes vary wildly in quality and execution, suggesting that kitchen staff prioritize pizza skills over pasta technique.
7. Villa Italian Kitchen – Food Court Failures
The Aurora outlet mall location exemplifies everything wrong with steam-table pasta. Noodles sit for hours under heat lamps, continuing to cook past any reasonable texture while sauces reduce to intensified, often salty versions of their original selves.
Shopping hunger might convince you it’s acceptable in the moment. The reality hits with each gummy bite – this is convenience food designed for speed, not satisfaction.
Their baked ziti typically fares better than spaghetti options, but that’s hardly high praise.
8. Uno Pizzeria & Grill – Deep Dish Dreams, Pasta Nightmares
Chicago’s deep-dish legend should stick to what it does best, and that is pizza. Their pasta dishes feel like obligatory menu additions rather than items of pride.
The fettuccine alfredo typically arrives with sauce that separates quickly, while the spaghetti and meatballs feature dense, bread-heavy meatballs that overwhelm the pasta.
When I visited their downtown Chicago location with out-of-town relatives, everyone at our table who ordered pasta regretted not choosing pizza instead.
9. Gino’s East – Stick to the Signature Pie
Another deep-dish institution that should leave pasta to the specialists. Their limited pasta menu reads like an obligation rather than a passion, with basic offerings that lack the character of their famous pizza.
The Caprese pasta, their most promoted option, arrives with underripe tomatoes and bland mozzarella cubes that fail to elevate the dish.
While their Chicago and Wheaton locations maintain the legendary pizza quality that made them famous, the pasta dishes feel like they were added to the menu simply to appease non-pizza eaters.
10. Maggiano’s Little Italy – Family-Style Done Right
Handmade pasta elevates this chain above its competitors. Their signature rigatoni “D” with chicken and mushrooms in marsala cream sauce has converted countless pasta skeptics with its balanced flavors and perfect texture.
The Oak Brook and Schaumburg locations maintain consistent quality across busy weekend rushes.
My family celebrates every major milestone here – their pasta tastes like someone’s Italian grandmother is in the kitchen, creating each dish with pride and tradition rather than following corporate recipes.
11. Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano – Seasonal Freshness Champion
Biaggi’s seasonal approach to pasta keeps their menu exciting year-round. Their Bloomington location creates butternut squash ravioli in the fall that rivals anything from standalone restaurants, while summer brings fresh herb-infused linguine with local vegetables.
The pasta itself has that perfect al dente bite that chain restaurants rarely achieve. Each sauce shows restraint and balance, complementing rather than drowning the noodles.
Their commitment to regional Italian cooking techniques elevates everyday pasta dishes into memorable dining experiences.
12. Francesca’s Restaurants – Neighborhood Italian Excellence
Each Francesca’s location across Chicagoland maintains its own personality while delivering consistently excellent pasta. Their hand-rolled gnocchi achieves that elusive perfect texture – light yet substantial, never gummy or dense.
The Northbrook location became my Thursday night tradition during graduate school. Their pasta primavera with seasonal vegetables converted me from a confirmed carnivore into someone who occasionally chooses vegetarian options.
The rustic presentation and balanced flavors make even simple dishes memorable.
13. Rosebud Restaurants – Old School Italian-American Mastery
The Rosebud empire across Chicago specializes in Italian-American classics executed with precision. Their signature square noodles with vodka sauce achieve the perfect balance of creaminess and acidity, while the pasta itself maintains ideal texture.
Rosebud on Rush remains packed decades after opening because they refuse to cut corners.
My grandfather, a notoriously picky eater, declared their linguine with clam sauce “better than anything in the old country” during his 90th birthday dinner.
It is high praise from someone who rarely compliments restaurant food.
14. RPM Italian – Modern Elegance Meets Traditional Technique
Celebrity owners Bill and Giuliana Rancic ensure their River North hotspot maintains impeccable standards. The handmade pasta program creates daily specialties that balance innovation with respect for tradition.
Their spicy king crab pasta delivers unexpected heat that complements rather than overwhelms the delicate seafood.
The short rib pappardelle achieves that elusive melt-in-your-mouth quality where meat and pasta seem to become one luxurious bite.
Despite its trendy atmosphere, RPM prioritizes substance over style when it comes to pasta execution.
15. Eataly Chicago – Italian Market Authenticity
This massive Italian food emporium houses multiple pasta-focused concepts under one roof. The fresh pasta counter creates regional specialties with imported Italian flours and local eggs, resulting in noodles with exceptional texture and flavor.
The Roman-style cacio e pepe achieves that magical balance where simple ingredients transform into something extraordinary. Beyond restaurant dining, their retail section lets pasta enthusiasts take home specialty shapes and sauces.
My cooking skills improved dramatically after taking their pasta-making class – now I understand why proper dough hydration matters so much.
16. Lou Malnati’s – Surprising Pasta Prowess
Chicago’s deep dish dynasty harbors a secret – their pasta dishes deserve attention too. While pizza remains their claim to fame, Lou’s pasta offerings show surprising finesse and attention to detail.
Their Penne ala Malnati achieves that perfect balance of crispy edges and tender centers. The marinara sauce tastes like it simmered all day, with brightness that cuts through the richness of cheese.
During Chicago winters, nothing satisfies quite like their minestrone soup, a hearty Italian vegetable soup that warms from the inside out.
17. Giordano’s – Beyond Stuffed Pizza Excellence
This stuffed pizza institution quietly serves exceptional pasta alongside their famous pies. Their chicken parmesan pasta combines perfectly cooked noodles with crispy chicken and that signature tomato sauce that made their pizza legendary.
The Naperville location maintains consistent quality across both pizza and pasta offerings. When my sister visited from Italy (where she studies cooking), she reluctantly admitted their fettuccine Alfredo achieved an authenticity she didn’t expect from a pizza chain.
The cream-based sauce had that silky quality that marks proper technique.
18. Aurelio’s Pizza – Old-School Pasta Charm
This south suburban institution has served comforting pasta alongside thin-crust pizza since 1959. The Homewood flagship location’s mostaccioli maintains that perfect balance between sauce and pasta, with edges that crisp slightly under the broiler.
Their marinara sauce recipe remains unchanged for decades – slightly sweet, deeply savory, and clearly made from scratch.
Family gatherings in my childhood always included their baked mostaccioli, arriving in those distinctive aluminum pans that kept everything hot during the drive home.