05/24/2026
Where Italian tradition meets Chicago elegance! Welcome to Acanto , located in the heart of the city on Michigan Avenue, across from Millennium Park!
Every year, my best friend from Southern California visits and we always go out for Italian. We typically dine at the classic old school joints, but this year I decided to take our dinner up a notch and I’m really glad I did!
Acanto, would be perfect for a date night. Every table comes complete with a tall lit candlestick. I was really impressed. Most restaurants typically use a small votive candle. They are serious here. I also loved how cozy the restaurant was. There’s even an enclosed patio. I didn’t see many dates happening, but I did see several business dinners.
Our go to drink has always been a Johnnie Walker black with a single ice cube. This goes back to the time when we use to work together on the road. It’s fun to have traditions with long time friends. This was the perfect start to our evening.
For a starter, we enjoyed the fried calamari. I love how the dish was elevated. It came with fried Castelvetrano olives, cherry peppers, lemon and a Calabrian chili aioli. I enjoyed the combination of flavor and texture. The salty crunch of the breading along with the spicy peppers and savory olives worked perfectly by delivering delicious complex bites.
I was really excited to try their housemade pastas. There were many to choose from. I was intrigued with the squid ink fusilli with lobster, scallops, shrimp, San Marzano tomatoes, Calabrian chili and crispy garlic. I’ve never had squid ink pasta that wasn’t linguine. I appreciated all of the distinct textures of the seafood. The sauce was a fun mixture of sweet tomatoes with the sharp heat of the chilies. The crispy garlic on top added a great aromatic finish.
My buddy ordered the lobster cappelletti filled with mascarpone tossed in a lemon lobster cream sauce. This dish was pure indulgence with every bite.
Acanto brings together authentic flavors along with the coziest vibes in the city. I highly recommend this fabulous restaurant from Gage Hospitality Group . They also operate The Dawson & The Gage . Cheers!
