On Tortello
A photo essay!
Welcome to the Tuesday post for all subscribers, another photo essay. On Friday, paid subscribers will receive a recipe for bakery style strawberry muffins, one of my all-time favorite bakes. As always, hop over to my website to learn more about the work I do and how to hire me for your food photography project!
By now, you know my obsession with all things Italy. You know by now that I fell in love with the food, the light, the coffee. You know by now that I am craving, at all times, a shot of espresso served in a tiny cup on a saucer with a miniature spoon and a plate of handmade pasta. What you didn’t know is that there is a place in Chicago where this yearning can, for a few minutes at least, be sated. That place is Tortello (1746 W Division St).
Part of my Chicago restaurant rotation since they opened nearly five years ago, Tortello is a place where the food is distinctly Italian as opposed to Italian American. Owners Dario Monni and Jill Gray are making something magical at Tortello: the ingredients are only the highest quality that can be imported. The menu is peppered with family recipes and seasonal flavors. All of that is bound together with the warm hospitality that goes above and beyond every time you step in the door.
I spent a day at Tortello this week capturing their menu and their space. Enjoy these photos, then go eat some pasta with the kindest people I know!
See you back here on Friday for strawberry muffins! Thanks as always for reading—you’re making my writer dreams come true.