Only One Illinois Restaurant Has Been Featured on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ in the Past Three Years
You'd think with the robust amount of diners, drive-ins, and dives in Illinois, the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives would be here more often.
Maybe producers of the show or the host himself, Guy Fieri believes he's been here enough.
After all, counting the most recent feature a couple of months ago, Fieri's much-loved show has showcased 40 different Illinois eateries according to TV Food Maps.
I get it, the pandemic has definitely made doing the show a bit more of a challenge, but there was a good year and a half with no mention of an Illinois restaurant before everything went downhill.
Either way, I guess I'm just grateful the greatest food state in the US got a little more shine recently as Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured La Scarola.
Located in Chicago at 721 West Grand Avenue, La Scarola is an Italian restaurant that, according to their website, is "celebrating 23 years."
For a restaurant to be around that long in Chicago, one of the most competitive Italian food landscapes in the United States, tells me they're definitely doing something right.
Rated a four out of five on Yelp, La Scarola's most mentioned dishes are the Penne Alla Vodka, Grilled Octopus, Chicken Vesuvio, Fried Calamari, and the Shrimp Armani.
Yelp reviewer Anu K. says La Scarola is "the best Italian food and the best atmosphere and staff" and Jessie M. calls it the "best-kept secret in Chicago."
However, Jeremiah F.'s review mentions "I'll never go again. They rush you out of there the entire meal."
If that's true, restaurants that do that are one of my biggest eating-out pet peeves.
Have you made the trek to Chicago to try La Scarola? Tell us what you think.