Location: Champaign
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Champaign-Urbana, Illinois Food Guide: 10 Italian food Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Champaign
Discover Restaurants offering the best Italian food in Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Champaign (English: /ˌʃæmˈpeɪn/) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The city is 135 miles (217 km) south of Chicago, 124 miles (200 km) west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 mi (286 km) northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The United States Census Bureau estimates the city was home to 84,513 people as of July 1, 2014. Champaign is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois, and the state's fourth-most populous city outside the Chicago metropolitan area. It is included in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area.
Things to do in Champaign
10. Manzellas Italian Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By sandra n
Returned to Manzella's this time to try their Pizza. We simply loved their Lasagna last trip down to Champaigne. This time someone suggested the pizza, so we tried that. It was good, but just not as good as some of the favorite Chicago places that everyone knows Chicago has some of the best Pizza in the Country. Server was sweet and friendly and efficient. Still like this place, but next time we go back to the Lasagna, thee best ever!
9. Vinny's East Coast Pizzeria
Overall Ratings
4 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By karylj2000
If you are searching for authentic New York style pizza this is your place. The thin crust is perfection. Their selection of toppings is extensive and the highest quality, such as portobello mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. The sauce is flavorful and just the right amount to set off your toppings. All of this comes at a price, but worth every penny. I wish they could serve beer or wine with their pizza, but sadly not now. A more upscale dining area would also be a plus, but hopefully this will come in the future. If chain quality pizza works,for you, go to one of those. But if you want the real deal, give Vinny's a try. You will not regret it.
8. Papa Del's Pizza
Overall Ratings
3 based on 132 reviews
Reviewed By Oldman193
Stay away!!! Visited on a Sunday afternoon. Walked in at 4:45, received food 5:58. There were two other tables occupied. Three tables were dirty. After an hour, three same tables still dirty. Food was average at best, and overpriced. This environment reeks of ânot my job Iâm going to ignore it.â Host tried jamming twelve people into a table that would normally seat eight. As soon as the people arrived, the customers themselves added another table to have enough room to sit. Laziness at its best. Stay away. When we left at 6:15, same tables STILL DIRTY!! Iâll be surprised if this place stays open if this type of behavior etc continues.
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7. Monical's Pizza
Overall Ratings
4 based on 29 reviews
Reviewed By 784sheryld
Monical's was a last dinner stop. The staff was nice and got seated right away. We got our food right away. Wasn't to impressed w our meal but it wasn't terrible. The food could have used a little more flavor
6. Olive Garden
Overall Ratings
4 based on 100 reviews
Reviewed By TLV007
As usual: great service, great meal, and reasonable price. Were seated quickly and had a great server. Obviously great Italian alternatives.
Where to eat Pub food in Champaign: The Best Restaurants and Bars
5. Old Chicago
Overall Ratings
4 based on 112 reviews
Reviewed By Rick H
While traveling, which we do a lot, we will always go to Old Chicago if possible. As usual this one did not disappoint. Had jalapeño pretzels and thick crust pizza both very good.We keep going back because itâs always good. Simple.Thanks for the kind review, Rick! We hope you'll stop by again next time you're in town!
Where to eat Pizza food in Champaign: The Best Restaurants and Bars
4. Timpone's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 103 reviews
Reviewed By Taylor B
Ray Timpone was a well-known in Champaign-Urbana as Ray Eliot and Pete Elliott and Dick Butkus and Jim Grabowski and Dave Downey in his hey day. When I lived and worked in the twin cities from 1958 to 1966, Timpone was the pioneering restauranteur who operated Timpone's on 6th Street, the Thunderbird on Daniel Street across from Kam's and the Jolly Roger on Water Street in downtown Urbana. Ray died in 2012 at age 92. His restaurants are gone, too. But his son and daughter-in-law, who met and married in 1962 while working at the Jolly Roger, opened Timpone's restaurant at 710 South Goodwin in Urbana in 1986. It's a tribute to Ray, who made thin crust pizza and Italian beef sandwiches like no other. He'd be proud of this Timpone's. For appetizers, my wife and I had tomato bisque with mozzarella and basil, a quarter loaf of fresh baked bread, Caesar salad and grilled Gulf shrimp For entrees, we chose a 12-ounce grilled primed ribeye steak with bacon-scallion mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus and pan roasted Rhode Island black bass with rock shrimp, asiago polenta and Littleneck clams. For dessert, we shared a big helping of vanilla bean creme brulee with fresh berries, which was the creation of the late Ginger Timpone, the co-owner who died in 2018. In Champaign-Urbana, the Timpone tradition continues.
3. Pizzeria Antica
Overall Ratings
4 based on 58 reviews
Antica practices the 130 year old art of traditional Neapolitan pizza made in accordance to the rules and regulations of master pizza mak- ers of Naples, Italy through their Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). We start with the world's best flour
Reviewed By X9342XYrichardr
We attempted to visit Black Dog (Downtown) but was not willing to wait 90 minutes for a table (granted it was a Saturday night). We walked instead to Pizzeria Antica.Their website indicates they were founded in 2015. It shows. Our hostess was new - who then was our server, then not. It's a funky payment process - as you pay for your meal at the hostess stand.We started with a shared Italiano (large) salad ($10). Then the pizza came - Melanzana - described as Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Eggplant, Sun Kissed Tomato, Chevre ($16).Both items were very tasty.Last - we had the gelato - very reasonable @ $3 for about a 4 oz. portion.Overall - a pleasant experience - but on the pricey side.
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2. Nando
Overall Ratings
4 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By 415luanns
So good, we went back a second night during our 4 day stay in Champaign. Jenny was a superb waiter. She knew everything in minute detail. The dish I enjoyed most ...meatballs on the appetizer menu. Youâre thinking...a meatball? These little gems were infused with mushrooms and so moist, they melted on my tongue. Arrabiata sauce... hurt me.
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1. Biaggi's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 330 reviews
Biaggiâs is a casual, Italian restaurant offering large portions of affordably-priced pastas, soups & salads, pizza, seafood, steaks and desserts in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Interested in placing an order for carry-out? Ask about our curbsid
Reviewed By Taylor B
Biaggi's is a chain of Italian restaurants that isn't well known in Chicago. Maybe that's because there are no locations within the city limits, only three in faraway suburbs. There also are locations in eight other states. My wife and I discovered Biaggi's in Bloomington, Illinois, a few months ago. So we were eager to sample the location at 2235 South Neil Street in Champaign. The lunch/dinner menu is huge--and that doesn't include the chef's monthly specials. There are plenty of steaks, chops, seafood and pasta to choose from. We started with bruschetta with plum tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil, sherry tomato soup, vegetable minestrone and Caesar salad. It was hard to pass up the August specials--Sicilian meatballs, potato parmesan crusted tilapia and key lime pie--but we were delighted with our entrees, grilled eight-ounce filet mignon with sauteed mushrooms, asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes and tomato cream sauce and crab-stuffed cod, wild caught North Atlantic cod fillet with lump crab meat stuffing, sauteed vegetables and lemon butter sauce. For dessert, also passed up traditional tiramisu, creme brulee and white chocolate pudding in favor of new delicious creations, mini chocolate pot de creme with bittersweet and milk chocolate custard and vanilla bean mousse and a mini turtle sundae with vanilla bean gelato, warm Columbian chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, roasted walnuts, vanilla bean mousse and an amorena cherry.
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