Last week my friend Jennifer was in Chicago. More on that later, but for now, I want to talk about Paciugo, an Italian cafe and gelato shop in Giddings Plaza in Lincoln Square. It’s the perfect place to grab a light dessert and catch a concert in the warmer months, and right now it’s a good place to check out when you want to take a little break.
The inside is decorated in light, bright colors, lending a nice airy feeling to it. The tables and the overhead lighting have the same kind of pastel or crayon looking theme, which is cute without being saccharin. It’s a fun decor. If you look a little more, you’ll see that the sticks are actually little spoons.
Don’t forget to check this out:
Paciugo has a very good assortment of gelato, including soy and dairy based gelatos. Jennifer opted for non dairy gelato.
You get 3 scoops with your order (mine was a small), so I chose mango, a deep dark chocolate, and coconut. They were all creamy, light, not too terribly sweet and despite the quantity, I didn’t feel stuffed. I would definitely return.
The man behind the counter is Erick, who is outgoing and friendly, and eager to share information about the products. He gave me a sample of both their violet and a rum based gelato. I am not normally a fan of either flavor, but the violet was ever so fascinating. If I were to want something as an unusual accompaniment for dinner, I would consider doing the violet. It reminded me of the green tea mochi ice cream balls available at Trader Joe’s: an unusual, but intriguing flavor. The rum was good, what can I say?
Thanks Erick for your enthusiasm and great shares about the gelato selection!
Paciugo
2324 W. Giddings
773 / 989-1926
