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I nominate Pasticceria Natalina for a Great Neighborhood Restaurant award. Although they don't just make "desserts," I think they have richly earned a GNR award, their just deserts.

I hearken to the immortal words of Saint David of Hammond in describing the aim of these awards: "Chicago is a city of great neighborhoods, made distinctive by history, ethnic mix, and vibrant street life and culture. The Great Neighborhood Restaurant awards honor restaurants all over the Chicagoland area which contribute to their neighborhoods' and the city's character by offering outstanding food, an authentic experience of their ethnic culture, and/or a welcoming (or in some cases, belovedly cranky) atmosphere for guests."

PN unquestionably qualifies by offering "outstanding food, an authentic experience of their ethnic culture, and...a welcoming...atmosphere." It falls short only in that it may not be considered a "restaurant." Here, however, my dictionary comes to the rescue for it defines a restaurant as "a place where meals are served to the public." Conveniently, it defines a meal as "food served and eaten in one sitting." Well, hot diggity and God bless <i>The American Heritage Dictionary</i>. We got us a restaurant!

(Sticklers come and sticklers go but quality remains. For those who are so fastidious in their definitions that they don't find the above convincing, I say, let's give Pasticceria Natalina a Great Neighborhood Pasticceria Award!)

Pasticceria Natalina's owners, Natalie and Nick Zarzour, exemplify what these awards prize: visitors walk away overwhelmed. Exquisite ingredients, exotic (to many of us) discoveries, and mind-boggling labor produce some of the best <i>dolci</i> to be found in Chicago. From early morning to late weekend nights, this young couple has introduced their Andersonville neighbors—and connoisseurs for miles—to superb Sicilian sweets. The display may change (or run out) and your most recent favorite may be gone the next time, but there's always something new. Most things are made from scratch and there are days I'd swear Natalie and Nick have been harvesting the wheat for their own flour. Eating at Pasticceria Natalina has been an education: <i>cannoli</i>, <i>cuccidatti</i>, <i>sfogliatelle</i>, <i>zeppole</i>, <i>fazzoletti</i>, <i>cassatine</i>, <i>pignolate</i>.... Best of all, Natalie and Nick have reminded us all of just what a labor of love can accomplish, because there isn't a thing you can buy that doesn't ooze that love in every bite.

Pasticceria Natalina
5406 N. Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
773-989-0662

Great nomination. This place is a gem.

A reminder from the program guidelines:
"In your nomination, please link to previous discussions of the place on LTHForum."

Pasticceria Natalina--Andersonville's new Sicilian bakery!

Best,
Michael

Thanks, Michael. In my haste and enthusiasm, I neglected to do so. I heartily commend that thread to one and all and invite further comment.

A great nomination I fully support. I don't know which is better, the food or the cute couple serving it up.

Jonah

This to me is such a no-brainer. I just wish I could afford to share all of their treats with my office -- In the meantime, I'll keep spoiling myself!

I totally support this nomination. This place is one of the treasures of the north side.

s

As the last person to nominate a bakery, yes, bakeries are okay!

I also support this nomination. I'm happy that I played a small role in the "discovery" of this wonderful bake... I mean, pastry shop. (You'll notice a post of mine was mentioned in the first post in that long topic about it.) Pasticceria Natalina deserves the award, not so much because the owners are so nice - they are, indeed - but because (a) it's different, and (b) it's wonderful, and (c) it's very definitely a part of the Anderson neighborhood, no matter how widespread its notices may be. With all the food shops in Chicago, it's not easy to open something that's unique, but this one really is. Natalie and Nick bring their overseas experience to Chicago in a way that nobody else has done, nor can. The offerings of Sicilian pastry are just way different from what anyone else is doing. And yes, the various pastries are just wonderful, absolutely delicious. This little bit of Sicilian heaven should get the GNR this year!

This restaurant is currently up for GNR renewal. Please post your comments below.

Thanks,

=R=
for the GNRs

I am glad PN is up for renewal because it affords me the chance to extol its virtues (again). PN is not inexpensive. PN runs out of things from time to time. But when I can see that the price is due in part to ingredients that are expensive themselves, to long hours, and to loving care, I count my pennies a bit less closely. And when I pause to reflect that they run out of things because the extremely high quality of their products means that others value PN as much as I do, I just remind myself to get there early, rather than risk disappointment.

I know from talking to Natalie and Nick about their trip to Sicily last fall that it was a real busman's holiday for Natalie: the carefully scheduled visits, the emphasis on trying new things, on finding new recipes, on meeting people who could teach her still more--the fact that it was, in fact, not a typical vacation at all.

I won't proclaim PN to be the best bakery in Chicago. There are simply too many small neighborhood places that I've never visited and probably never will. PN happens to be in my neighborhood. I can walk there in ten minutes and frequently do. I love to visit, though I rarely leave without something--even if it's just an espresso (though, truth be told, it's often far more). In fact, I visit from time to time just to pop in and say hi and spend not a dime. And I am greeted like family whether I spend $50 or spend nothing.

Natalie and Nick are doing something they love. They are a sweet couple, both of whom are working very hard. Best of all, they produce a wide range of things--some new to me, some not--that are consistently made at a very high level of craftsmanship. (Not to mention, their stuff just tastes damn good.) What's not to like?

I strongly urge renewal of this gem.

Someone posted somewhere a concern that this place wasn't getting many posts. This is probably because everyone assumes this one is a no brainer. In any event, this place fully deserves renewal. I live on the North Shore, but if I'm in the City, all I have to do to make my sweet-loving wife happy is call her and say: "Should I swing by Pasticceria Natalina?"

Jonah

PN is most definitely deserving of a renewal. As others have posted, it's an epitomatic GNR, a genuine destination and an example of what a bakery should be (and renders so many other bakeries useless). This place spoils us and makes us proud that it's here. A true gem!

=R=

If this place isn't worthy of renewal I don't know what is. I love it and wholeheartedly endorse it.

After having my first tiramisu from PN tonight, I am happy to recommend it for a renewal. I know that this is probably a no brainer, but how can you not be happy about a place that stays open after posted hours because they are working on the Easter display and have a few more pastries that they can sell. I know that others have complained about irregular hours, but I find the personal touch that goes into everything there to be the key to elevating it to the status that it has. Natalie and Nick's insistence on using the best ingredients and providing only the best possible pastries to everyone who walks in the door cements it as a GNR in my book.

Now I just have to go and sing my praises for Sunshine Cafe. Sunshine and PN have to be one of the best 1-2 punches in the city.

LTH,

Thumbs up for GNR renewal from this Pasticceria Natalina admirer, both of the baked goods and friendly owners.

Enjoy,
Gary

Perusing the list of renewals and need to throw my 2 cents in. Big Yes. Big Love.

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