Featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, walk into this hole-in-the-wall restaurant and find the walls covered in photos of famous people, friends, and family alike who have sat down for a meal, or many. My family has been coming this hidden gem, Tufano’s, since the 70’s, and it has remained a family favorite!
An excellent description comes from
Tufanoās Vernon Park Tap.
Tucked away on the outskirts of Little Italy, Tufanoās sets the mark for classic red-sauce Italian joints. With no sign on the door and a solid stream of regulars, you may wonder if youāve walked into a restaurant or accidentally crashed someoneās family reunion. Well, youāve done both.
Owner Joey DiBuonoās family started Tufanoās in 1930. His sister waits tables, his daughter helps him run the business, and the rest have been eating there since the Capone era. Literally. Not much has changed since then, and the people are still pouring in. Maybe itās the laid-back atmosphere, but most likely, itās the food.
If youāre struggling with what to wear, donāt. Youāll see families coming straight from soccer practice, or friends on their way to a Hawks game. We once saw an Italian nonna eating pasta in her long nightgown and sidearm holster, and barely gave it a sideways glance. Chill, she was unarmed, and probably thought it was still 1929. But if that isnāt a testament to the Tufanoās time warp, then we donāt know what is.
Are they reinventing the wheel? Absolutely not. This is classic, no B.S. Italian-American fare. It just so happens that the prices are good, and the atmosphere feels like home. Whether you live in Chicago or are just visiting, you donāt really get what old-school means until you come here.
Just remember, CASH ONLY.
TUFANO’S:
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Bushwick Tarantella by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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Bushwick Tarentella – Thatched Villagers by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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