Bar Sienna & Bombo Bar
If you are looking for an Instagramable foodie spot, Bar Sienna is your pick. Located on restaurant row in the West Loop, Bar Sienna is my go-to Italian ristorante. Bar Sienna is a casual yet trendy Italian joint on Randolph Street . It’s a lively place focused on small plates, which makes it a great place to come in small or large groups when you want to go somewhere fun. The pizza alone justifies Bar Sienna's existence. Owner Fabio Viviani was a competitor on Top Chef. After his TV debut was over, he chose to bring his talents to Chicago and open up Bar Sienna.
Bar Sienna has some of the best wood-fired pizza in Chicago. The crust is so fluffy and flaky. There are so many options when it comes to pizza, there's even breakfast pizza! Not to toot my on horn but I have been to Italy and I must say this pizza transports you to Sienna with every bite. The flavors are so intense and delicious, I think Fabio did a fantastic job bringing a little taste of Sienna to Chicago.
Bar Sienna's environment is very loud, after all, it is a sports bar . The lower level of the restaurant has a large bar with a massive tree in the middle of it! The tree grows up to the second level and is covered in lights from bottom to top.
I must recommend the cocktails at Bar Sienna. They are simply out of this world. Make sure you order the BIG 21 cocktail on the menu. This drink can be served both in a glass or in a massive rose gold bowl. This cocktail is the perfect drink for sharing. I recommend sharing this bad boy with a couple of friends. It serves 4-6 people!
There is this cute little walk-up window on the side of Bar Sienna called Bombo Bar. It specializes in a delicious treat called a bombolini. Bombo Bar also has house-made gelato. The cream-filled, hole-less Italian donuts comes in flavors ranging from vanilla bean custard, salted caramel to peanut butter and jelly and nutella cream! Luckily, they're served in portions of three, so you don't have to choose just one bombolini. As a chocolate lover I always go for the s'mores bombolini. I also recommend a waffle cone filled with two scoops of gelato, but then again, there are gelato cookie sandwiches and they are also insanely good!
My absolute favorite pick off the menu would have to be the s'mores hot chocolate. You get a biscotti, marshmallow whipped cream, hershey's chocolate, a donut, chocolate syrup and gramcracker crumble on top! It is pure deliciousness! In the summer they also have a frozen hot chocolate. I would go for the funfetti in the summer! The frozen hot chocolate has a matcha base with vegan pink whipped cream with a bombolini on top. You are bound to leave with a sugar high after visiting Bombo Bar.
