3358 N Paulina St
(773) 248-5222
One Word: Staple – This wonderfully decorated, vibrant space is in a great location, serves good/great food, has outdoor seating when the weather agrees, and the service is friendly and unpretentious.
While Wood Fired (I Think) Specialty Pizza’s are the specialty, there are also a variety of Oven Baked Pasta and Meat dishes to choose from, though I must admit I have not tried any of them. Having been there three times in the last two months, I have been most attracted to the “Sushi Menu” style “Farmer’s Table Menu” which offers an assortment of Italian Cheeses, Meats, and Bruschetta, followed by one of the Pizza’s.
If you are ordering for two, I definitely recommend sharing an appetizer or the “Farmers Table”, 4 item option followed by one of the specialty pies. This last visit I tried designing my own pizza, and it just didn’t work out. The crust for the pizza is a predominant reason for its success. It isn’t cracker thin, but comes out nice an crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, just the way I like it. My favorite pizzas I have tried so far are the Capone and Rustica. I didn’t care for the Prosciutto Pizza. We have been eating a ton of Arugula lately, but it just didn’t work on this pie.
The environment is very well designed and diners can feel comfortable showing up dressed anywhere from casual to semi dressy. It is truly and great “Neighborhood” place and appears to cater well to families and the kidless. It didn’t appear to be a great single’s place, not that I know what one would look like, but I was out of there before 10pm on all three visits.
The wine list is well done, featuring mostly Italian wines, which may cause some people to need a little guidance from the server. The prices on the list seem to be very reasonable. All in, for dinner and a bottle of wine, a couple can expect to get out for around $80 to $100 in most cases.
The Neighborhood: Roscoe Village, part of the larger North Center, is still one of my favorite neighborhoods. There are a lot of Single Family Homes and Intimate Condo Buildings that provide for that “Neighborhood” feel. Lincoln and Roscoe offer a ton of great Retail and Dining options, along with easy access to Lakeview and Lincoln Square. Prices have remained steady with some gradual appreciation over the last few years, allowing it to outperform some of its neighboring hoods.
Single Family Homes – 152 on the market ranging from $250k – $2.7M. $750k – $1M being the avg. range.
Condos – 242 on the market ranging from $80k – $880k. $350k – $450k being the avg. range.
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