Cafe L’Appetito

Nice and cozy lunch spot located in lakeview. Most recently I’ve gotten the meatball submarine and it’s easily one of the best I’ve ever had. Their desserts are tasty and the ambiance will keep you coming back. I also recommend the tostinos which is their version of a panini. If you’re hungry order more than you usually would. The portions are medium sized.

Nice little neighborhood spot for grabbing coffee (since this place opened I said bye-​bye to the Starbucks!!) and cookies or having a delicious rice ball. They have spinach and meat aranchini, which is the Italian name for stuffed rice ball. Their sandwiches are quite good too, my personal favorite one with basil and Italian prosciutto. If you are fan of Italian gelato you are at the right place as well! Stuff is friendly and welcoming.

I’ve been wanting to try this extremely charming Italian café ever since it opened, and finally made it here to try some soup and a couple of sandwiches. The soup was not particularly Italian (chicken gumbo) but reasonably tasty. The sandwiches were quite Italian, but not really up our alley. The loaves of bread were massive, bland and slightly sweet, and the fillings were nothing worth writing home about.
I feel bad saying that — there was something honest and well-​meaning about the food, the staff was lovely and the space is charming. If my dad were alive, I would take him here for an espresso in a heartbeat. Even so, I’ll probably pop in on occasion, wishing it were better.

Love this restaurant. The breakfast ham and egg panini is fantastic. Desserts are out of this world. Reminds me of café you would find in Europe. You can sit outside and sip on your coffee while watching the world pass by.

Great food and tons of it. The Italian cookies are to die for. Warning!!! The sandwiches are huge, enough for two or more. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was because the inside sitting space is very sparse.

I just want to preface this review by saying that I don’t generally write reviews on Unilocal,but L’Appetito was worth going through the «forgot password» process. It’s that good.
I’ve been to Italy more than a few times, and it’s hard – if not impossible – to replicate the sandwiches you can get from any corner store there in this country. The bread doesn’t taste as fresh. The prosciutto is gamey. The mozzarella doesn’t have that slight sliminess that lubricates the bread. The tomatoes don’t have that crispy bite that perfectly compliments the softer ingredients. If we’re being completely honest, that’s the basis for almost all of the great Italian sandwiches. (Do one thing really well, right?) You don’t screw with the classics, so I ordered the Il Parma sandwich.
All of the individual ingredients, from the basil that seemed to have come out of the garden after I ordered, to the bread that – outside of the temperature – tasted like it just came out of the oven, come together to create a sandwich that you experience in multiple perfect bites as opposed to a collection of ingredients. You can taste the fact that the prosciutto didn’t come out of a factory package from one of the five grocery stores within the same amount of blocks, but that’s only when you rip off tiny individual pieces so you have a basis for comparison to the memory of something you had thousands of miles away. It’s a delicious sandwich any way you slice it (diagonally, for the record), but it’s even better if you’ve been longing for the comfort food of a foreign land.
I also paid for a Jo Jo’s Special sandwich (same as the above, on focaccia bread with artichokes) that I didn’t get the opportunity to try. Two pieces of the pizza-​sized sandwich (seriously) were devoured immediately, and the other two were devoured for dinner. It looked and smelled delicious if that’s any consolation.
Illy coffee is the name of the game here, which is also pretty standard when it comes to Italian fare. I got one con ghiaccio (on ice for those of you that have never tried ordering a cocktail in Italian) and it was perfectly sweetened and prepared. I’d never even consider doing that outside this country, but I’m glad I did this time because the ice perfectly cuts the acidity of the coffee.
TL;DR — This place is amazing. The prices are higher than your average sandwich shop, but it’s well worth it. The portions are huge, and you can absolutely taste the freshness.

Just discovered this place. Best Mediterranean tuna ever! Can’t wait to try their other dishes.

L’Appetito where have you been so long! This is the place we have been needing for a long time in Lakeview. As a resident of over 30 years I can’t say enough of how wonderful L’Appetito is and how much it adds to the neighborhood experience. This is one of the few places that I enjoy taking a walk to in the evening to pick up food and bring home. I have been going since they first opened and have enjoyed the espresso, cold salads, pizza, the meatball sandwich and now finally they have pasta! Today I had the puttanesca sauce with farfalle and it was simply amazing! They are very friendly, the prices are right and the food is fresh and tasty.

This café offers the best baked goodies I’ve found in years here in Lakeview. All staff are genuinely friendly. Any questions i’ve had regarding ingredients have always been answered, nut allergy wise, etc. The deli food, both cold & hot, is worth waiting for. The ingredients are fresh & high quality. If you love cookies with your coffee, your going to fall in love with Café L’appetito.

I’m there pretty much everyday for a medium red eye. Everyone there is very friendly and welcoming. Even when I don’t go there, my 7 year old son HAS to go inside to say hello. (And get a cookie) Great neighborhood version of the downtown location. The pizza is great too! I recommend adding a little more marinara sauce… just the Chicago in me! Great coffee… great vibe!

Love this little gem on Broadway, especially the buttercream cookies.

New place in the Lakeview neighborhood but a real treat. The deli sandwiches are excellent, especially the muffaletta sandwich.
Well worth a look for fresh food!

We really want to like this place. As long time residents of the neighborhood, we thought it a welcome addition to add some Italian flavor. Unfortunately, the two times we have visited were both terribly disappointing. On our first visit we ordered coffee. My double espresso was super weak — they clearly didn’t use the correct amount of ground coffee when pulling the shots. Not good for an Italian place that says it specializes in espresso drinks. The second visit was to try the gelato. Even by American standards it was bad — texture was not creamy and more like hard pack ice cream; the flavors tasted artificial and had after-​tastes that were just not good.
For a place that advertises its ability to provide Italian treats, it has failed miserably. I doubt we will return.

Great breakfast sandwiches, pastries and Illy coffee on a Sunday morning. I saw this place opened recently in my neighborhood and it has so many fun options we will definitely be back for lunch and gelato soon. The staff was super friends and helpful. They whipped up our order quick and have 2 nice patio areas. We had our dog with us and he enjoyed the patio as well :)

One of my new local favorites for an indulgence. Breakfast deli sandwiches are fast, very tasty and right for the price.
The Italian baked goods are also a wonderful treat — must try the amaretti cookies… they probably should be a DEA controlled substance.

Enjoyed the tostino and gelato. Great service and food. I saw they serve breakfast as well and will have to make it my next trip.