Petterino's

This busy Italian spot in the Loop is most useful when grabbing a meal before or after seeing some theater. Petterino's is less than a block away from the Nederlander and the Goodman, and with playbills and autographed photos of local actors decorating the walls, it's fully aware of its main audience. The menu has red sauce classics like chicken parm and spaghetti and meatballs, along with specials such as sweet corn arancini—you won't feel compelled to monologue about the food, but it's all pretty good. If you're sitting at the bar, make sure to show your ticket for a discount.