"Second time here was even better than the first! Via Roma is a lovely, quaint Italian restaurant along Northwest Highway with indoor and outdoor seating, an expansive yet well tailored menu of classic dishes, and a great atmosphere. Perfect for a date night or meal with a few friends/family. Visited on a Tuesday night with my mom. There wasn't a wait and we were seated immediately in their nice outdoor area along the side of the restaurant (on weekends it does get busy and reservations are not accepted, so get there early or late to avoid a wait! . Our sever was the best I've had in awhile at any restaurant; very courteous, professional, and attentive. We were brought bread, olive oil, and grated parmesan along with waters. Via Roma does not serve liquor, but does encourage to bring your own and will provide glasses and corkage for FREE (unlike some other Italian restaurants of a similar size and style . Their menu is not vast, but has all of the essential pasta, risotto, and antipasto dishes one could want. They also have a rotating specials menu that contains some interesting takes and combinations of the basic noodles, sauces, and meats. This is where we both drew our dinner selections from. I had a pesto gnocchi with chicken and sundried tomatoes. This was easily one of the best pasta dishes I have ever had. I've had gnocchi both times I've been here and would be happy to get it every-time in the future; They are fluffy, light, and delicious. Equally good was the pesto cream sauce, which was ample with great flavor. My mom had a calamari linguine in a simple garlic butter sauce. The pasta was tender, and while the sauce could have used a bit more character, the calamari was beautifully tender and the best she's had. We rounded off the meal with a large cannoli, coffee, and tea. The cannoli had a good, hard crust with plentiful pistachios on the ends, and was filled with velvety smooth filling. I was especially happy with the tea, as I was presented a wooden box containing ten varieties of bagged tea packets for me to choose between, a rare but simple touch that went a long way. Via Roma is a excellent Italian restaurant that I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone. It atmosphere inside is lively, albeit a bit loud on occasion, while their side patio utilizes its narrow space and only two rows of tables along the walls to make you forget you are in suburban Chicago (at least until the Metra goes by . I cannot wait to come back here and try more of the creative Italian dishes on the menu, or just indulge in more of the same pesto gnocchi; It's really that good."
