Restaurant

Campagnola

Name: Campagnola
Address: 815 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL, 60202, US
Telephone: (847) 475-6100
Price range: value

Italian•Evanston•value

Campagnola is one of the best italian restaurants in Chicago for dinner, especially if you want a strong option in Evanston.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

Campagnola occupies a specific and useful lane in the Evanston dining scene — a global menu at an accessible price point in a suburb that defaults pretty reliably toward safe Italian-American and faculty-dinner comfort. The global framing isn't a gimmick; by most accounts the kitchen isn't trying to impress anyone from the city, and the regulars seem to prefer it that way. This is reportedly the kind of room that fills with couples who finally got the babysitter and Evanston lifers who already know where to park. The price level stays low without the menu reading like it's compensating somewhere you'd notice. The dishes people keep coming back to are specific enough to be useful. The octopus has a reputation for the kind of char-and-tenderness balance that only comes from a kitchen doing it consistently, not occasionally. The diver scallops are described as properly seared — caramelized exterior, barely-set center — which is a straightforward technical benchmark that separates kitchens that take proteins seriously from ones that don't. On the pasta side, the pappardelle bolognese is widely cited as the anchor of the menu: wide, eggy ribbons reportedly holding a slow-braised meat sauce with enough depth that diners frequently make it their main rather than a lead-in. The braised short ribs bring the same low-and-slow patience the bolognese signals from across the menu. The practical play here: the octopus as a starter, the pappardelle bolognese as your main even if you're tempted by the short ribs, and the chocolate panna cotta to close — it's the dessert diners consistently say they almost skipped and didn't. Book ahead rather than walking in on a weekend; Evanston foot traffic is real, and a reservation lets you ask for a table away from the main corridor so the room doesn't swallow the conversation.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

Cheap Eatsneighborhooddinnerlocal

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Taste ID

Rate this restaurant

Start with one score. Add details or a review when you want to help other diners.

Taste Score 8.2/10

Rating (Google) 9.4

375 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

8.2/10

Taste Score

Google 9.4 from 375 reviews

Best for

dinner and Cheap Eats

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

Evanston | 815 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60202, USA

Price

Good value

Taste Score

8.2/10

Phone

(847) 475-6100

Watch

Campagnola on video

Video: Dining-OUT (third-party feature) · plays on YouTube

Menu and ordering

Campagnola menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. Campagnola is listed in the Good value price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Octopus

gigante beans, tomato, celery, thyme, honey

Pappardelle Bolognese

veal and pork ragu, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Diver Scallops

roasted corn puree, fava beans, bacon, smoked paprika

Braised Short Ribs

mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe, gremolata bread crumbs

Chocolate Panna Cotta

Check the current menu

Why go

What makes Campagnola worth the move

Campagnola is a strong italian option in Evanston in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Diver Scallops and Octopus also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 375 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.4 from 375 Google reviews

Best for

dinner and Cheap Eats

Style

Italian in Evanston

Spend

Good value

Best for

Cheap Eats neighborhood dinner local

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.4 from 375 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: Diver Scallops, Octopus, Bruschetta

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for Campagnola

Be the first TastyPals diner to reviewFirst-hand reviews are moderated before appearing publicly.

Google snapshot

9.4 from 375 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

No diner notes for Campagnola yet.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Menu Directions

Address: 815 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60202, USA
Phone: (847) 475-6100
Price: value
TastyPals score: 8.2/10
Google rating: 9.4 (375 reviews)
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Evanston

Read guide

Restaurants in Evanston

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Campagnola serve?

Campagnola is a Italian restaurant located in Evanston, Chicago. Campagnola occupies a specific and useful lane in the Evanston dining scene — a global menu at an accessible price point in a suburb that defaults pretty reliably toward safe Italian-American and faculty-dinner comfort.

What is Campagnola best for?

Campagnola is best for cheap eats, neighborhood, dinner, local. Campagnola is a strong italian option in Evanston in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Diver Scallops and Octopus also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 375 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at Campagnola?

Campagnola is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.4 from 375 reviews

What should I order at Campagnola?

Start with Octopus, Pappardelle Bolognese, Diver Scallops and Braised Short Ribs. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is Campagnola worth visiting?

Campagnola holds a 9.4 Google rating from 375 reviews. Campagnola is a strong italian option in Evanston in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Diver Scallops and Octopus also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.4 rating across 375 Google reviews.