Vinny Vanucchi's
If you ask a Galena local to recommend an Italian restaurant, chances are you'll hear her sing praise for Vinny Vannuchi's. Whether it's the checkered table cloths, the Italian signs and decor or the fifth-generation family recipes, Vinny Vannuchi's knows how to turn first-time guests into repeat customers. The restaurant is elegant, yet welcomes the casual diner stepping inside from an afternoon of window shopping on Galena's Main Street. Visit the restaurant's website for updated deals, including weekend retreat packages that pair a meal at Vinny's with a stay at the Irish Cottage Boutique Hotel.
Vinny Vanucchi's
201 S. Main St.
Galena, Illinois 61036
815-777-8100
http://www.vinnysgalena.com/
Fried Green Tomatoes
Where guests now enjoy gourmet Italian food, Ulysses Grant once worked in his father's leather shop. The exposed brick walls provide a welcoming link to Galena's past and a warm atmosphere in which to enjoy a bottle of wine and appetizers ranging from fried green tomatoes to escargots. For dinner, consider the chicken primavera alfredo or the renowned lasagna.
Fried Green Tomatoes
213 North Main St.
Galena, Illinois 61036
815-777-3938
http://www.friedgreen.com/
Generals' in the Historic DeSoto House
A visit to the DeSoto House places you in the company of legends, including guests such as Abraham Lincoln and William Jennings Bryan. Ulysses Grant even used the brick hotel as his presidential campaign headquarters. The DeSoto House hosts three restaurants: the Courtyard, Green Street Tavern and Restaurant, and Generals'. For casual dining and a range of entrees, visit Generals', which is named in honor of the nine Civil War generals who called Galena home. The paintings that decorate the restaurant's exposed brick walls serve as a tour through Galena's history. For those seeking an excellent Italian dish, try the Pasta DeSoto.
DeSoto House
230 South Main
Galena, Illinois 61036
815-777-0090
http://www.desotohouse.com/
