Ascione Bistro

This Italian restaurant is a good choice for a small group dinner in Hyde Park. Ascione is always busy, the service is friendly, and the menu is filled with handmade pastas and appetizers (like burrata and meatballs) that are ideal for sharing. While the food isn't going to blow your mind (sometimes the pasta is undercooked, and the sauces aren't always packed with flavor) it's a solid option in the neighborhood. The restaurant is nice enough where you can get dressed up to celebrate your friend’s successful dissertation defense, but you can also come here with your parents who insist on wearing their Badgers gear whenever they’re in Chicago.