Tuscany on Taylor Is Packing Tables This Summer — and Pre-Festa Reservations Are Already Flying

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/University Village Little Italy · July 29, 2026

With the Taylor Street Little Italy Festa now just over two weeks away and the United Center's summer concert calendar in full swing, Tuscany on Taylor Street is having one of its busiest seasons in recent memory — and neighbors are taking notice. The beloved trattoria at 1014 W. Taylor St., a neighborhood institution for more than 35 years, has been drawing packed houses nightly as concertgoers, UIC students wrapping summer sessions, and longtime regulars converge on the corridor for wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas, and signature Italian chicken dishes that have made it a Near West Side anchor since 1990.

What makes this summer feel different is the layered energy on Taylor Street right now. Tuscany isn't the only draw: just a few blocks away, Taylor's Tacos — the Black-queer, woman-owned taco shop at 1512 W. Taylor St. opened by Taylor and Maya Mason with more than $50,000 in community investment — continues to bring a fresh, vibrant presence to the corridor, proving that Little Italy's dining identity is as dynamic and community-rooted as ever. Together, these two spots represent the full range of what makes Taylor Street so worth returning to, season after season.

Heading to Tuscany for a pre-Festa dinner, or swinging by Taylor's Tacos for a midweek lunch? Tell us your summer Taylor Street routine and tag @SocialhoodChicago with #LittleItalyChicago — let's build the ultimate neighbor's guide to the corridor before August 13 arrives!

Sources:
1. https://www.tuscanychicago.com/taylor
2. https://www.opentable.com/tuscany-on-taylor
3. https://www.wbez.org/culture-the-arts/2023/05/23/taylors-tacos-opens-in-chicagos-little-italy-neighborhood