• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Great Eight Friends
  • Gr8 Food ∞
    • Appetizers
      • Dips and Spreads
    • Beverages
      • Adult Beverages
      • Non-Alcoholic Drinks
    • Bread
      • Quick Bread
      • Yeast Bread
    • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Egg Dishes
    • Desserts and Snacks
      • Cakes and Cupcakes
      • Candy and Confections
      • Cookies
      • Fruit
      • Pies and Tarts
      • Snacks
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • 130+ Main Courses
      • Beef
      • Fish
      • Lamb
      • Meatless
      • Pork
      • Poultry
    • Salads and Dressings
    • Sauces Salsas Marinades
    • Side Dishes
      • Pasta
      • Potatoes
      • Rice and Grains
      • Vegetables
    • Soup
  • Gr8 Friends ∞
    • Gr8 Dinners
    • Gr8 Holiday Ideas
    • Other Occasion Parties
  • Gr8 Fun ∞
    • Debbie's Craft Corner
    • Gr8 Trips
      • Field Trips
      • Vacations
    • Other Gr8 Stuff
      • Our Favorite Kitchen Tools
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Who We Are
    • GR8 Party Outlines
    • Become a Gr8 Friend!
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Become a Gr8 Friend!
  • Main Courses
  • Appetizers
  • Beverages
  • Bread
  • Breakfast and Brunch
  • Desserts and Snacks
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Salads and Dressings
  • Sauces Salsas Marinades
  • Side Dishes
  • Soup
  • Gr8 Friends
  • Gr8 Dinners
  • Gr8 Fun
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Little Italy Chicago Theme Dinner Party

    August 29, 2020 by Jurga 6 Comments

    Take a fun trip by hosting a Chicago Little Italy dinner party! Check out the invitation, decorations, menu and all the fun of an Italian dinner party you can have at home!

    Mama Streit's Pizzeria sign on a mantle with decorative green and red grapes with lights.

    Tim and I visited Chicago last year and needed to make a stop in Little Italy on Taylor Street for some authentic and delicious Italian-American food.

    Al’s Italian Beef, Fontano’s, Mario’s Italian Lemonade, and Rosebud, just to name a few, were my favorite places to visit when I lived and worked in the city. 

    We couldn’t agree where we wanted to eat because we wanted it all! “Let’s get pizza! How about Al’s Beef? The Chicken Vesuvio at Rosebud is amazing! Let’s go there!” 

    We finally agreed on a place and over dinner we discussed how fun it would be to create a Chicago Little Italy dinner party for our next Gr8 dinner!

    Taste of Chicago's Little Italy Invitation

    The main part of the invitation was the pizza in the pizza box. I was able to find the boxes, pans and checkered paper all on Amazon.

    The invitation and menu were printed on a photo of a pepperoni pizza that we found online. We cut it to fit a 9” round metal pizza pan and glued it on. We placed it inside the box on top of a red and white checkered deli square piece of paper.

    Included with the invitation was a real pizza cutter!

    Little Italy Chicago dinner party invitation printed on paper photo of pizza laying in a pizza box with red and white checked paper.

    Instead of leaving the invitation by each couple's front door (which is typically the tradition), Tim delivered it in person dressed as a pizza delivery guy.  He wore a red polo shirt and red visor with the logos of Mama Streit’s Pizzeria.

    A man at a front door delivering pizza from a pizza bag.

    As he pulled the pizza box from an insulated delivery bag, he said, “Pizza delivery from Mama Streit’s Pizzeria.” He even received a tip from Joel and Kyle!

    Little Italy Party Decorations and Table Setting

    Our good friend Lisa, from Entertaining Events, lent us an assortment of wonderful items that we used for the accent tables and the centerpieces. 

    Lighted grape and ivy garland draped the buffet while small string lights hung over the dining table.

    Table setting with a Chicago's Little Italy theme using red and white checked linen and flowers, chianti bottles, plastic grapes and candles.

    We filled wooden wine boxes with green and burgundy plastic grapes, empty Chianti bottles and candles. 

    Placed in between were jars filled with breadsticks, artichokes, and 6” potted rosemary plants. 

    Table set for an Italian dinner with a chandelier over the table.

    The boxes were placed on top of a white butcher paper table runner.   I used our large red and white checkered napkins for placemats. 

    Red checked placemat with a white plate on it with a black paper place card on top.

    The place cards were almond nougat candies wrapped in a decorative translucent bag with the guest name written on top.

    Italian Dinner Party Menu

    We had to have Chicago pizza and Italian beef sandwiches on the menu. So we decided to serve the pizza as an appetizer.

    Four women eating each eating a piece of pizza standing in a dining room with a table set for an Italian meal.

    I cut the Italian beef into small sandwiches and we enjoyed them before we sat down to dinner.  

    Two men and a woman posing for the camera while eating Italian beef sandwiches.

    Anna assembled a beautiful and flavorful Italian Chopped Salad!

    All the ingredients in an Italian salad in a mixing bowl.

    Oooh, that unforgettable aroma of Chicken Vesuvio filled our kitchen!

    Chicken in saute pan with mushrooms, garlic and peas.

    Debbie and Kyle were in charge of dessert (yes, we had 2 because it’s my party!) and they did not disappoint!

    White plate with a slice of pound cake and a small bowl of blackberry ice with fresh blackberries on a stick on the edge of the bowl.

    We wanted something light after a big meal and Debbie’s Blackberry Mint Italian Ice alongside Kyle’s refreshing Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake was the perfect combination! 

    Occasionally, we love to wear something befitting the theme, so Joel and Kyle arrived in the true Chicago spirit by wearing their Chicago Cubs gear! 

    Photo of a couple wearing Chicago Cubs t-shirts.

    Hope you enjoyed this visit to Chicago’s Little Italy as much as we did! We’d love to hear from our Gr8 friends!

    Other Italian Recipes

    Try some of our other delicious Italian recipes. We love Italian food here at Great 8 Friends!

    « Refreshing Blackberry Mint Italian Ice
    Easy Homemade Ricotta Cheese in less than an hour! »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think! Cancel reply

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Jurga

      August 30, 2020 at 8:26 am

      Thank you Kathleen! Please let us know how your dinner party turns out! We love hearing from our Gr8 friends!

    2. Kathleen Adams

      August 30, 2020 at 6:30 am

      this looks AMAZING and brings my hometown of Chicago into CA. Can't wait to give this a try! My whole family will love it.

    3. Jurga

      August 29, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      Thank you Peg! We appreciate you as a follower! Thank you for being a Gr8 friend!

    4. Peg Chapleau

      August 29, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      What fun!!! I love following your GR8 blog.

    5. Jurga

      August 29, 2020 at 10:35 am

      Thank you Melissa! We really enjoyed putting this dinner together. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was Gr8! Thank you for being a Gr8 friend!

    6. Melissa

      August 29, 2020 at 9:40 am

      Your party looks amazing! I loved the decorations- from the party invited to your beautiful table!! This makes me want to have a party and eat delicious yummy Italian food!! GR8 job ladies!!❤️❤️❤️

    Primary Sidebar

    Be a Gr8 Friend!

    Talk With Us!

    • Jackie Tuler on Ina Garten's Yummy Irish Soda Bread
    • D on Ina Garten's Yummy Irish Soda Bread
    • Tracie on Gr8 Eats Bountiful CALIFORNIA
    • Kyle on Ina Garten's Yummy Irish Soda Bread
    • mmoto on Ina Garten's Yummy Irish Soda Bread
    my foodgawker gallery

    Need More Servings?

    Our recipes will do the calculation for you. Just hover over the number of servings then move the slider to the number desired. (Please be aware: this will not change pan or bowl sizes, so you may have to adjust for that.)

    It's Grilling Season!

    ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4

    Popular Recipes

    • A mock up of the old TV Guide cover with Green Acres, Lucy and Ricky, I Dream of Jeannie, and Bewitched.
      '60s Sitcoms TV Dinner Party
    • This Buttery Crusted Strawberry Rhubarb Tart is fresh and simple to make. Grab a skillet and some fruit and you will have a delicious dessert!
      Buttery Crusted Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
    • Mixed Field Greens with Arugula Oil and Lemon Vinaigrette
      Mixed Greens with Arugula Oil and Lemon Vinaigrette
    • Spring Pea and Arugula Soup
      Spring Pea and Arugula Soup Recipe

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Our Party Outline

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ©2022 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme