Italian Homemade Company Review

Rebeca Branco

Italian Homemade Company is a casual Italian spot located in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. During Sunday lunch, Andrea is on the floor, and Alberto is the cook. If quality service, great food, and a consistently incredible lunch experience had an award, they would get it. Everyone I’ve brought to the restaurant has been greeted with the same enthusiasm from the two and served one of the best pasta plates in Chicago. The ambiance is welcoming and relaxed, and usually filled with a mix of Italian music or a subtle European piece. I genuinely can’t recommend the Italian Homemade Company enough—it’s the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit.

Starters

I always start with the focaccia; it’s served warm and comes out quickly, with a savory tomato sauce, while you browse their mocktail, cocktail, and wine selections. Their non-alcoholic Hugo is spectacular, second only to their non-alcoholic mule. Both are large drinks and will actually last you through the whole lunch. They’re both sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and impressively fresh.

Mains

This is where this restaurant truly shines. It’s a pasta bar, meaning you can pick from around 10 different pasta types and pair them with any of the 6 sauces, all combinations averaging about $15. The portions are generous, and every combination I’ve tried has delivered. What stands out most is how intentional each dish feels. The pasta is always cooked perfectly al dente, and the sauces are balanced and never too heavy, allowing the flavor of every ingredient to shine through clearly.

I usually avoid cacio e pepe, but I took Andrea up on his recommendation when it was the special of the day, and it completely altered my perspective. It’s now my favorite dish there. The sauce is incredibly creamy and rich, with a smooth, velvety texture that coats the pasta without feeling excessive. The pepper adds depth and warmth rather than heat. I’ve found that their specials, in general, are always worth trying.

The seafood pasta is another standout: extremely fresh, featuring a light, almost delicate oil-based sauce that enhances rather than masks the flavor of each seafood ingredient. I’ve also had their lasagna, which carries the same level of care and balance. It’s layered, structured, and rich without being overly dense. Their meat-based sauces, like the pasticciata, are especially well done, being deeply flavored, properly spiced, and smooth even with the meat, rather than heavy or clumpy, which is a common miss. Even the tomato bases are lighter than expected—fresh and slightly sweet without feeling overly acidic or overwhelming.

Dessert

The panna cotta paired with a cappuccino is probably my favorite combination to end the meal. Again, this is another dish that I normally wouldn’t order. In most restaurants, panna cotta tends to be too sweet or heavy, but here it’s airy and lightly sweet, with a fruit jam that adds a fresh, natural strawberry flavor.

I’ve also recently tried their crème brûlée, which is equally impressive, with a creamy base and a thin, perfectly caramelized sugar crust.

Conclusion

Italian Homemade Company delivers consistency. It’s the kind of place you can take friends to without hesitation. Whether it’s the tomatoes in the focaccia sauce, the seafood in the pasta, or the pasta itself, everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully prepared. Their service never disappoints in consistency, attention to detail, and importantly, kindness.