Due Lire Vino & Cucina

Polpettine
Veal Ricotta Meatballs | Rustic Tomato Sauce | Pecorino
Cavatelli
Small Shell Pasta | Sautéed Rapini | Italian Sausage | Pecorino
I should just copy and paste the whole menu here because it is that good and impossible to miss an outstanding dish. My only regret is the portions werent slightly larger — sharing is rather difficult.

A friend & I dined here about a week ago. We thought the food was good and there was a great ambiance out on the patio. Our server, Hannah, was incredibly friendly and informative/​helpful!

We’ve been here a few times over the years, I don’t know why I’ve never left a review! But I know why we’ve only been here a few times over the years — it’s a tad expensive, and portions are a bit small. We each had an entrée and shared the involtini app, and still left a bit hungry. It’s probably because Due Lire doesn’t give you bread — I guess they’d rather their customers spend another $ 10 or so on their crostini apps?
I had the cavatelli, which was really good, but they needed to make the portion just a hair bigger. DH had the pesce — Lake Superior whitefish, in a brown butter sauce, and it was really good, but again, the portion was really small, as were the sides. I don’t need a portion so large that I wind up taking some home, but I expect to have a large enough portion to not go home and have a slice of my kids’ pizza.
The waitress was good, save for one thing, which I hate: after you open the wine and pour us each a glass, leave the bottle alone! I hate it when restaurants do this, because it always seems to me that they’re trying to do one of two things: either a) hurry you up to turn the table, or b) get you to order another bottle of wine. We moved the bottle to the far end of the table (2 top) against the wall — I would think that would be enough of a sign to not have her reach between us for the bottle to pour us more (and our glasses weren’t empty, either) but no, she still did it. Annoying and very intrusive, especially when your conversation is completely interrupted. Look up Christopher Hitchens’ rant about the same — not a deal breaker, but given the choice of a place that leaves my bottle alone or a place where my bottle of wine is at the mercy of a (possibly) pushy server, I’ll take the former any time.

Food was very good. Very intimate atmosphere. Great for a date. However my only issue was our server was hitting on my husband the entire time and making what my husband described as «sexy eyes» at him behind my back. We will not be going back for this reason alone.

This place is great. The food is authentic and very tasty. Probably some of best Italian food I’ve had in Chicago. The service was also prompt and very friendly.
It’s small though, so make a reservation to make sure that you don’t have to wait too long.

A nice quaint and intimate place. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating.
The food, however, is what sets this place apart. I’m sad to say that I’ve stopped going to italian places as of late because I feel like I’m getting the same old thing over and over again… but not here!
The food was inventive and tasted great. We started with the fried calamari and the spices and sacue that complemted it, along with the fried shrimp, artichokes and a medley of other good things made the dish anything but ordinary.
I can highly recommend the short-​rib ravioli.

After thinking about how I’d summarize my experiences at Due Lire, i’m left with the following summary:
Although the menu might not be as extensive as you might see at a huge italian restaurant, the clear attention to detail for every included offering shines through in a wonderful dining experience.
My fiancée and I went to Due Lire on a weeknight (Wednesday) this month and we were both SHOCKED to see how few people were in the restaurant. This is probably one of the most underrated authentic Italian places in the city. Do yourself a favor and if you’ve not visited, hit open-​table and get a spot at this Lincoln Square GEM!
When busy, the service is very good. When the restaurant is less busy, it’s truly some of the best service that I’ve ever had in Chicago. Generally speaking, our servers at the restaurant have always been able to provide a great wine recommendation, but Justin’s off-​menu Pinot Noir recommendation was simply phenomenal. Justin was incredibly attentive, but not overbearing for our whole menu and guided us to perfect choices for wine, appetizer, salad, and entrée.
My fiancée had the pillowy gnocchi bolognese which she craves (but we’ve both recently forgotten about for some reason). The gnocchi at Due Lire is simply some of the best that I’ve ever tasted (I have to admit, I finished what she didn’t, and would have licked the plate if there weren’t other people in the restaurant) with the bolognese providing a savory backup to the amazing texture.
I’m a seafood fan, so when I heard about the seafood risotto, my mind was made up. The risotto was PERFECTLY cooked, a little firm and amazingly creamy. The included shrimp, clams and mussels were each perfectly prepared. Our entrees clearly were picked up the second that they were plated and served, with everything being very warm perfectly seasoned (no waiting under a heat lamp for these dishes). Afterall risotto and gnocchi can easily become lumps of concrete if they aren’t served promptly (details… that Due Lire clearly understands and simply executes on)
A first time guest to this dinner was a seasonal beet salad, accompanied with a wonderful garlic/​shallot vinaigrette that had a notable bit of heat which balanced the icy beets included with the arugula in the salad perfectly. I’m not normally one for a beet salad, but the details (once again, it’s all in the details) made this a dish that I will order again.
If you’re a resident of Roscoe Village/​Lincoln Square/​North Center don’t miss the chance to eat here. The food is superb and the service is phenomenal. Get your reservation now!
Thank you Justin and Due Lire team for the consistently amazing meals.

My husband and myself came here for our fifth anniversary which the restaurant had no idea. We enjoyed out meal but felt like we had to eat quick, and leVe. i would come here again for drinks and cocktails, but maybe 30 mins earlier you!

The food was great… I heard the chicken was amazing, and it did not disappoint. The service, however, is the reason for the three-​star review (it’s really more like 2.5 stars).
The «highlights:»
*Waiter was rude (see examples below).
*Waiter forgot to put in order of calamari for the table and did not do anything to make it right.
*Waiter forgot to bring the bottle of wine we ordered with dinner, tried to blame one of the member
of our party for his error, then came back to the table with an entirely different bottle because the
one we ordered (and discussed at length with him) was no longer available.
*Waiter removed my husbands cocktail that was not empty… when told what he had done, he said
he would bring a new one — never did.
*Waiter could not be found when we received our meals (we were wondering where the calamari
and wine were), when he returned he smelled like cigarette smoke.
We had a reservation for a party of four on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The restaurant was not crowded, and we were immediately seated at a lovely table. Our water walked up to us and said, «How are you freaks doing tonight?» I’m an adult, about to spend a decent amount of money on a nice dinner and wine… if I wanted to be talked to that way, I would have gone to Ed Debevick’s. He complained about customers and how all people are freaks. We all found this odd, but he seemed harmless enough. We all ordered cocktails/​wine and fizzy water, and were told about the specials. He raved about the calamari, so we decided to get one for the table. We each ordered our appetizers and main course, and picked out a bottle of wine for the table to arrive with dinner. We had some questions about the wine, and the waiter assured us it was an excellent choice.
Our appetizers arrived, and no attention was given to our empty water glasses. One member of our party asked for a glass of water, so the waiter brought him, and only him, a glass of water. I then asked for a glass of water, as well, and the waiter said, «Does anybody else want one or are you each going to wait until I come back with the next glass?» Waters all around, please!
When our main course arrived and we still did not receive the calamari, or the bottle of wine we ordered, we looked for our waiter, who could not be found (this is when he decided to take his smoke break, I guess). He said he forgot to put the calamari in — okay, we all make mistakes, but he did not offer to make it right, and I was visibly disappointed. When we asked him about the wine, he told us that when we asked for water, he thoughts that’s all we wanted. I said, «We discussed the wine with you at length.» He then remembered, and went off to get the bottle, only to come back with a different wine because they no longer had the bottle we ordered. We were nearly finished with our meal by the time he poured the wine.
I told him that I was not very happy with the service and was getting upset. He just looked at me and said, «I can see that.» No apologies, no accountability, no attempt to make it right. I then said, «Well you are quite astute.» To which he replied, «Well, I DO have my GED.» Then he took my husband’s cocktail and walked away. Upon realizing that the cocktail was missing, my husband walked up to him at the bar and calmly told him what happened, and that we are trying to have a nice dinner — we realize that mistakes happen, but he needs to be accountable. He told my husband not to tip him (that’s not really the point, here). He continued to give us attitude, but said he would bring him another cocktail… that never happened.
We did not order coffee or dessert (our wine ended up being dessert). The bill came, and we split it two-​ways. When the waiter brought back the receipts for us to sign, he said that the bottle of wine was on him. Nice, but a bit too late.
The food was really good, but overshadowed by the rude, forgetful server. Will I return? I’m not sure, as there are so many great places in Lincoln Square and Andersonville where the food and service are outstanding.

You gals and guys know I like to keep my reviews short and sweet and this will be just that. The service was great! The food was great. The ambiance was great as well, save for the couple of cute babies that were crying but hey, this was excusable 1) because it’s mothers day and 2) babies are just cute. No problem.
The only problem I had were the portions for the price. I don’t think they need to put a ton more food on the plate. Maybe just a tad bit more. Notice how I’m saying lower the prices. I feel they could be lower considering this is a neighborhood gem far outside of the «high rent» district but hey… just put a little more food on the plate. Serve complimentary bread with olive oil or butter. It was good, but with some minor changes I think they’ll have even better reviews.

Was looking for a new place in the neighborhood to try, not sure how this place was overlooked being right on Lincoln in the heart of North Center/​Lincoln Square, but at any rate.
The good:
— The service was great.
— The food was even better.
The not so good that knocked off 2 stars:
— On a Friday night, close to capacity, it was very loud. Not to sound like a grumpy prick, but it seems like a few acoustical panels on the ceiling would really do the trick.
— Even though the food was what it was, it was a bit over-​priced.

Delicious! But first, the negatives. It was LOUD. Small space with tables crammed together and did I say, loud? Plus, we made an Open Table reservation and still had to wait, standing with others on the same boat, right in the way of servers. That said, it was a Saturday night – and people must know how yummy it is.
Now, the positives – which overtake the negs by far. Calamari app – lightly breaded with slices of lemon, sage leaves and caper berries – perfect! I had the pappardelle with boar ragout and my sister had the short rib ravioli – both excellent. Then we shared the dessert special – a simple but perfect whipped ricotta topped with cherries that were soaked in limoncello and prosecco. Wish we’d both ordered our own!

The whole experience was wonderful. Charming restaurant with super yummy yummy food. Excellent accommodating wait staff and a superb wine list made for a great evening with my husband. Will go back as soon as possible!

I love this place. Wild boar paperadelli was awesome. Service was excellent. We will definitely be coming back. Had some nice gluten free pasta for those who are glutenly challenged. Nice wine list too.

Always fabulous, perhaps the best Italian restaurant on the north side. Our family loves the relaxed and friendly atmosphere and a truly gracious and professional staff.

LA DOLCE VITA… POSTO DA FAVOLA!
Dinner at Due Lire Vino & Cucina is la dolce vita and quite unlike any other Italian experience in the City in that it is not a typical Italian restaurant. For example, you will not find chicken parmigiana, osso bucco, chicken vesuvio or lasagna here. Friends have been telling me about Due Lire Vino & Cucina for a while now, saying we’d be the «Perfect Match.» Unfortunately, stalking Due Lire on the internet can only get me so far. ;D I was jealous of the others who have had their way with Due Lire and bragged about it on Unilocal!Now, it is my turn to brag about DLV&C. The food is very creative, the quality is exceptional, and the pasta is made fresh daily. Among the cavalcade of items recited by our very ebullient server, standouts abound which include Amish chicken, maiale (a pork tenderloin paired with roasted root vegetables and au jus) and tonno (grilled tuna loin infused with champagne vinaigrette) and paired with eggplant caponata.
We started with the Polpettine appetizer ($ 10) which is veal ricotta meatballs paired with pine nuts and sweet onions in a flavorful clear and light broth. This dish only contained two meatballs (not huge), so it is not intended for sharing with a large group. The Polpettine receives 5-​stars. Composed appetizers and entrees echoed the rustic charms of the restaurant’s design, including a roasted Amish chicken perfumed with garlic thyme sauce and herbed potato wedges. This also deserves 5-​stars. We tried the cavetelli pasta, which we thoroughly enjoyed. My husband was very satisfied with his selection of the cavetelli, which is small twisted pasta the size of penne pasta. The amalgamation of the spicy Italian sausage, chili, parmigiano, rapini and chili in the cavetelli were delectable. This pasta dish does not contain any red sauce. However, the flavor was exceptional. We both agreed that this dish deserves 5-​stars. Bread is not placed at the table, like other Italian restaurants, so if you desire Italian bread you’ll have to order the bread ($ 4). There were four triangular grilled pieces of rustic bread paired with a mashed cherry tomato spread (which was ridiculously delectable) and hard, cold butter. The bread’s exterior was crispy with beautiful grilled markings. It was perfection with a crunchy bite. The interior was soft and fluffy. We were enjoying la dolce vita!
Based on the Unilocal reviews, I decided to order the ravioli which was stuffed with short rib, porcini mushrooms and parmigiana. I rate this entrée with 4-​stars, because parts of it were cold, other parts were lukewarm, but the center was hot. The distribution of heat was inconsistent. I am not sure why. Also, the sauce was very, very salty, so I scraped most of the dark brown sauce off the ravioli. I am a small eater, but this was not enough for me, so I filled up on the bread. We ordered one dessert. It was a ricotta, strawberry paired with a small thin wafer cookie. They placed a lit candle on it since we were celebrating my Birthday. It was a very nice touch. My niece and husband shared the dessert, but it came in a very, very tiny container. It was not really meant for sharing. My niece mentioned that the strawberries were frozen. Wow, frozen and not fresh? Not cool; 3 stars. Our Server recommended the wine. We ordered two glasses of Verdicchio wine made from Garganega grapes. It is a fruity white wine with a lemony zesty smooth taste. Although their wine list is somewhat limited, the wine I had was exceptional (5-​stars). For three entrées (Amish chicken, cavetelli and ravioli), bread, one appetizer, one dessert and two glasses of wine our final total was $ 100 and change (excluding tip). Over all, we had a fain and positive experience at this posto da favola (amazing place)!
I can be considered one-​half of the «Underground Gourmet Italians» who grew up wallowing in the weekly feast known to Italian-​Americans as «Sunday Dinner» which consisted of over 7 courses! Yes, it can be categorized as that all-​you-​can-​eat orgy and sadomasochistic opportunity for the wooden-​spoon-​wielding Matriarch (in this case, my Grandmother) to show their love and try to kill you at the same time — as we gluttonously ate so much of my Grandmother’s made from scratch pasta and gravy (we don’t say «sauce»), breads and desserts. Unlike my Grandmother’s Sunday dinners, I didn’t find myself drifting off into a dyspeptic slumber on a plastic-​covered sofa.
Service was effusive (our Server was wonderful, with a great sense of humor & dithyrambic), 5 stars. TIPS — PARKING — «Pay to Park» neighborhood; free parking on Sundays only. There is a public parking lot across the street (east side) which is FREE everyday! They have a lovely outdoor garden with 10 tables. We plan to return and dine al fresco. The outdoor patio is first-​come, first-​serve. Reservations are not accepted for the outdoor garden patio. Reservations are strongly recommended/​accepted for indoor dining (11 tables & small bar)

The Purple Grandma took me here for a birthday dinner last Saturday, and oh my Lord, did we have a good meal.
This is not a large restaurant. We probably were lucky to get a table, considering it was Restaurant Week (a fact we conveniently forgot), but we arrived at 5:00pm, so we were able to sit right away. The host did ask us, in a roundabout way, not to stay too long, because they had reservations later. If you are a sensitive sort of person, this might annoy you. As someone who worked for more than 20 years in restaurants and catering, I understand business needs, and I was not insulted. Purple Grandma was fine with that, too. Besides, you may guess from my 20-​year reference, and the fact that I call my friend Grandma, that we are not young hipsters. We don’t sit and drink for hours and hours at restaurants anymore.
We started with a glass of wine each. Due Lire has a long, complete wine list. That seems appropriate, since the place lists itself as Vino before Cucina. Purple Grandma had a pinot grigio, and I had a Spanish tempranillo. Both were excellent. I especially loved the tempranillo. If you’re a red wine drinker confronted with a long wine list, you’re likely to enjoy the Spanish garnachas or tempranillos.
We were offered the regular menus and also a fixed price menu. While the second looked good, it also looked like about 3 times the amount of food we would eat, so we concentrated on the regular menu.
My friend ordered calamari for herself (I don’t eat snails), and she loved them. She said they were prepared perfectly. I ordered the misto antipasti, and it was 100% delicious.
There was a crostini on special that night that had zucchini and a special kind of cheese. Sorry, but I don’t remember exactly what, since I was getting my second glass of wine just then. The crostini was terrific.
We decided to split a beet salad. I regret this. Not because the salad was bad, but because it was so good, I didn’t want to share.
We did not order pasta or a meat course. We were perfectly fine, happy and full with what we had.
Our server was a woman with a blonde ponytail. I’m sorry to tell you that I did not get her name. I will say that she was completely professional, and that enhanced our dining experience.
We’d go back to Due Lire in a heartbeat. In fact, I still have some birthday dinner offers to collect on, since my birthday was in the midst of the January cold and snow cycle. Except, if we were to go on a Saturday night, it would probably be wise to make a reservation.

Dinner was wonderful. I brought several clients in and we enjoyed everything from wine to dessert. Unfortunetly, I was embarrassed when the waitress declined to take my corporate Discover card for payment, citing the owner had a problem with his personal card and banned it from the business.
To the owner: I’m sorry you had a personal problem and I’m sorry it wasn’t rectified. I’ve had issues as well with credit card companies, but have always found Discover to be fair and accommodating. It’s unfortunate that you would deny your customers the choice of how they choose to pay their bills. I won’t be coming back to Due Lire.

Four diners, we sampled each other’s choices.
Overall, meh. Rather forgettable, with one exception:
I had the beef tenderloin. Perhaps one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Ever.

This place was a real hidden gem of a discovery for me — my boyfriend and I were trying to decide on a place to eat on a Sunday night, initially planning to just grab takeout somewhere but ended up coming in to Due Lire instead. So glad we did! The restaurant is very warm and cozy (and it was a freezing night, so this was much appreciated) and the atmosphere is humming and lively but not noisy in the slightest.
He had the soup of the day, which was a butternut squash variety — very unique and had a lot of nice spices in it that I wouldn’t have expected. We ordered the salsiccia crostoni (grilled bread topped with sausage, gorgonzola, and mushrooms) as a starter and our entrees were the pappardelle (with wild boar ragú) and the short rib ravioli (touted by fellow Unilocalers as being a must-​try). Everything was delicious — I’m glad we didn’t hold back on the amount of food we ordered, since portion sizes were on the small side, but also because we got to try such a wide variety of dishes. Service was also helpful and the owner himself was walking around bussing tables and filling water glasses periodically.
Overall a really wonderful experience, and I’m sure I’ll be back.

I’ve been here for a couple special occasions, since the food and service are great and the atmosphere is warm.
The crostini are delicious and fresh. The ravioli sauce is perfect. But my favorite thing I’ve had here is the croccantino – the most fresh delicious espresso poured over perfectly-​flavored pistachio gelato. Simply amazing. We both were sucking up every last drop with desperation.

The most delicious gnocchi I had in my life. Everything we ordered was delicious but the gnocchi was the most delicious, light no extra heavy and salty. I am definitely having them again. Very cute place. Very good service. Nice ambiance.

Small space, great service and great atmosphere. The food is just knockout good. I had a pasta special which had a great Italian name but who can remember that stuff?
For starters we ordered their olives. These olives were not swimming in olive oil and they had varieties I have never seen, One looked like a small red pepper. It was not hot but it was an outstanding never had before olive. We also ordered some bread that came out like toast. Kind of liked it served that way.
I ordered pasta with the long noodle that was supposed to be hollow but really looked like plain old spaghetti noodles. The sauce was a spicy pork ragu. Outstanding. I would not hesitate to come back and eat here again. Fine dining, good service and really was a leisurely meal.

Due Lire is in Lincoln Square. Nothing flashy from outside, inside it’s…an Italian restaurant. I mean, just like one of those warm, no frills restaurants you would find in Tuscany .
Something immediately told me I was going to eat well, and it was a feeling that quickly became reality.
The owner, Massimo from Napoli (Naples), Italy, is there, working, serving at the tables. Immediately we started to speak Italian, he made a comment on me being from Trieste (Italian? almost Yugoslavian, there at the border), I commented on he being from Naples, and like two good real Italians after a little trash talking with a smile on our faces we were friends.
I became even more friendly when I realized that I could order a bottle of Barolo wine without having to call Chase for a mortgage. Querciola Barolo, 2009: oh, yes! That was like seeing Inter Milan scoring a last minute goal to win the Champions League!
The menu is not as extensive as some American restaurants have, but who cares when it is that good? They make their pasta. So, after some bread and an order of mixed Italian olives, I ordered the Cavatelli with Ragu Napoletano, which means a ragu with braised beef, and I did a great thing! To raise the ante, my wife had the Pappardelle with wild boar ragu, also to die for.
Tiramisu, espresso, grappa… more conversation with Massimo, a great service by the waitress, very honest price for such quality food, you know how you spell happy in Italian? FELICE!
We’ll be back on our next trip to Chicago!

Definitely one of my new favorite Italian spots in Chicago. Great place for an intimate dinner — romantic or with a group. Very cozy spot in Lincoln Square.
My boyfriend and I found this spot by chance when we were in the neighborhood for an event, and were lucky enough to get squeezed in for a table. The service was attentive, fun and knowledgeble — including the host, server and the bartender.
Cocktails — we had a negroni and an old-​fashioned. Both were delicious and smooth. My boyfriend is very into particular whiskeys and often orders old-​fashioneds, and this is his new favorite place for an old fashioned. He ended up talking with and tipping the bartender in addition to our server, even though we never waited at the bar for our table!
First Course– for an appetizer we ordered the tomatto mozzarella bruschetta and it was delicious. Served on a large toasted crostini (probably 3 servings), with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil and just the right amount of pesto to soak into the bread but not too much to make it soggy.
Second Course– we had the butternut squash salad, with walnuts, cranberries and greens. It was flavorful — spicey, cinnamon and maybe nutmeg, with sweetness from the cranberries and a refreshing bite from the greens. Excellent seasonal salad that tasted like a autumn on a plate.
Main Course — I had seafood brodetto and my boyfriend had spaghetti with meat sauce (yes, just plain old spaghetti). I loved my seafood brodetto — shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari in a tomato based broth served with toasted bread. If I wasn’t in public I would have slurped every last drop of the broth! I don’t eat meat, but my boyfriend raved about house-​made spaghetti.
Portions were just right — not the oversized massive bowls of pasta you might get at some Italian places. You definitely want to order an appetizer, salad, and/​or a side or two to round out the meal.
Finally, we didn’t have dessert because we were full from dinner, but we saw some chocolate cake go by that looked delicious!
Overall, Due Lire is a great spot for a cozey, and comforting Italian dinner with a date, significant other or small group out. We will definitely be going back!

If you’re looking for a small, intimate Italian dinner in Lincoln Square then I would highly recommend checking out Due Lire. When taking into consideration other Italian offerings in the city, however, they fall a little short-I’d say 3.5 stars. Nice intimate atmosphere and good service, but some of the dishes were just lacking.
I visited Due Lire with 2 of my girlfriends and we started with a appetizer dish that was a special for the night-​Burrata, Prosciutto, Fig, and Parmesan Cookie. It sounds really good, right?! And I really love burrata, prosciutto, figs, and parmesan… but it just wasn’t a winner. The parmesan «cookie» was hard, dry and difficult to cut and took away from the rest of the dish.
For mains we ordered 3 pastas to share-​the short rib ravioli, the gnocchi with oxtail ragu, and the cappellacci with butternut squash and a brown butter sauce. These were all very good pastas-​homemade with tasty sauces, the gnocchi was our favorite. We were still a little hungry after this so we ordered the Rustico Crostini as a last course before dessert. For dessert we had a flourless chocolate cake that was also a special for the night and it was very, very good. We recommended they add this to their regular menu!
Overall good, but just not great. Small place, definitely recommend reservations on the weekend. Nice place for an intimate dinner in Lincoln Square.