Quick Shot
Because we rarely pass this part of Hubbard Street that runs alongside the Metra tracks here in West Town, we didn’t know Mart Anthony’s existed until recently. We then didn’t know what to make of it with its tavern-like appearence at the base of what looks like a wooden house, though the sidewalk café looked pleasant. As you step inside, you’ll find an elegant wooden bar, about a dozen low-slung wooden tables, and numerous photos of the Rat Pack and other Italian memorabilia hanging on the walls. For your meal, the veal parmigiana is very good and the whitefish vesuvio is superb. We avoided the “steak house” portion of the menu as the filet mignon was $35, though it is a hefty 14 ounces (for a filet). Mart Anthony’s offers about a dozen beers by the bottle (no taps) with the obligatory Moretti (only lager, no La Rossa) and Peroni mixed in with a handful of mass market domestics and imports. Cub fans take note: the bar tends to favor Sox games, so sit outside in the sidewalk café if the weather is coorperating. If you like Mart Anthony’s you might also want to check out nearby La Scarola in River West, Club Lago in River North and Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap in Little Italy. For more information, check out the Mart Anthony’s website.
