Chicago residents hardly ever refer to Little Italy and University Village as separate neighborhoods. If you’re looking for a distinction between the two, University Village is the area closer to the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, while Little Italy is further west. Together, the two neighborhoods are a neat square bounded by I-290, I-90, 16th Street, and Ashland Avenue. The college campus might make you think the area is only populated by students, but Little Italy/University Village is no more a complete college town than Lincoln Park, home the DePaul University campus. Besides students and academics, the area is also populated with professionals and families. The combined neighborhoods have plenty of compelling reasons to attract eager homebuyers.

The Selection of Homes and Price Points

There's a home for every buyer in University Village and Little Italy

The compact UIC campus takes up a relatively small portion of the neighborhood. So there are certainly some dorm rooms in the neighborhood, but Little Italy/University Village has a wide selection of homes available to buyers. If you’re looking for something smaller, the area has plenty of condo buildings. You’ll also be able to find two-flats, single-family homes, and a mix of new construction and older homes. When it comes to price, the neighborhoods also have a pretty wide range. Current prices start at $180,000 and go north of $1 million. According to Neighborhoods.com data, the median sale price in the neighborhood is $327,000, which makes the area more reasonably priced than neighboring Greektown (a median sale price of $412,250) and Pilsen (median sale price of $360,000). 

Easy Commuting

There are two blue line stops within these neighborhoods / Photo by zol87 / CC BY-SA

Little Italy/University Village is a highly walkable area. You can easily grab brunch, stop at the library (the neighborhood’s Roosevelt branch), and get your shopping done for the day on foot. Walk Score ranks the neighborhoods’ walkability as 85 out of 100, and the area does even better on bikeability (92 out of 100). Little Italy/University Village is packed with Divvy stations, and there are plenty of bike lanes for two-wheeled commuters. Additionally, residents have access to plenty of public transportation options. If you need to get downtown, just hop on the CTA Blue Line at the Racine or UIC-Halsted stops. 

Owning a car is not a necessity for getting around the neighborhood and out to the rest of the city, but if you’re reverse commuting to the suburbs, you’re in the ideal spot. Little Italy/University Village is located right alongside I-90 and I-290, making it easy to drive north, south, and west out of the city.

Restaurants to Write Home About

These neighborhoods have no shortage of outdoor dining options

The neighborhood’s name makes it obvious that food is going to be one of the major perks of living here. Named for the convergence of Italian immigrants that populated the area in the early 1900s, Little Italy (and by extension University Village) pay homage to their roots with some of the best Italian food in city. Just ask Tom Hanks: The beloved actor stopped by the area’s Rosebud restaurant and declared his meal the best baked ziti he’d ever had. During the summer months, you can grab Italian ice at the wildly popular Mario’s Italian Lemonade—a small counter service-only spot on Taylor Street.

Though Italian is a popular choice for eating out here, you can find plenty of other cuisine in the neighborhood. Try French food at Chez Joel Bistro, or sushi from Volcano Sushi Cafe.  When you’re craving brunch, try Stax Cafe or Sweet Maple Cafe for decadent dishes. These restaurants, as well as a whole bunch more, make Taylor Street a popular spot for the foodies in the neighborhood.

If you’re hungry for something outside of the Little Italy/University Village stomping grounds, Greektown and its myriad of restaurants are within walking distance.

The Shopping

Spend the weekend meandering throughout the neighborhood shops

Little Italy/University Village has a collection of smaller shops that can quickly become favorite haunts. Comic book fans can browse the stacks of First Aid Comics for the latest releases and more arcane back issues. Residents looking to get groceries can pick up fresh pasta and specialty olive oil at Conte Di Savoia, a gourmet Italian shop.

Living by the UIC campus comes with a major perk for shoppers. The campus has an Amazon Prime pickup location located right in a student center building. Prime members can pick up packages (often same-day) and make returns at the neighborhood’s Amazon location.