Pompei on Taylor Street Takes Little Italy to the Suburbs — and the Neighborhood Has Every Reason to Cheer

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/University Village Little Italy · July 1, 2026

University Village Little Italy has long been the launching pad for Chicago's most beloved Italian-American food institutions — and one of Taylor Street's most iconic names is making headlines again in summer 2026. Pompei, the legendary fast-casual Italian dining staple at 1531 W. Taylor St. that the Davino family first established in 1909, has expanded beyond the city with a brand-new location now open in Elmwood Park, IL, at 22 W. Conti Parkway in 'The Circle.' For a restaurant with over 115 years of roots on Taylor Street, it's a remarkable new chapter — and a testament to just how far the flavors of Little Italy can travel.

The Elmwood Park outpost promises the same made-from-scratch recipes, fresh ingredients, and family-friendly atmosphere that generations of Near West Side neighbors have loved on Taylor Street, now available to Chicago's western suburbs. Back on the original block, Pompei Taylor remains open daily for lunch and dinner, anchoring the corridor with the kind of unpretentious, community-driven hospitality that has defined it for more than a century. And with the Feast of Our Lady of Pompeii — one of Little Italy's cherished July traditions featuring parades and food stalls — just around the corner, the neighborhood's Italian-American spirit is alive, expanding, and very much on the move this summer.

Have you tried the new Elmwood Park Pompei, or are you a Taylor Street loyalist through and through? Share your Pompei memories and tag @SocialhoodChicago with #LittleItalyChicago — let's celebrate a neighborhood institution that keeps on growing!

Sources:
1. https://www.pompeiusa.com/
2. https://chicagodowntown.org/neighborhoods/university-village-little-italy/