Mario's Italian Lemonade
4.5
- Neighborhood: Little Italy/University Village
- 1068 W. Taylor St.
- Chicago, IL 60607
- xxx-xxx-xxxx
Mario's Italian lemonade has the consistency of a Slurpee and is like store-bought Italian ices, ''only better,'' promises Dorothy DiPaolo, the current owner's mother. Mario's ices consist of chilled slushlike lemonade, fruit and syrups in various flavors including fruit cocktail, pina colada, chocolate and banana. Lemon is the No. 1 flavor. DiPaolo opened the business in the '50s with her late husband, Mario. The wooden stand is Italian green, white and red, sprouting from the front of a brick rowhouse next door to Jamoch's Caffe. DiPaolo says that when she and her husband opened their stand, there were many stands and pushcarts in the neighborhood. Over the years, most have disappeared. She says customers from many years ago who went to nearby St. Ignatius come back and bring their children. Mario's also sells snacks including snowballs, seeds and nuts, lupini beans, dried chickpeas and candy.
Getting There
- Cross Streets:
- Racine and Taylor.
- Parking:
- Street
- Public Transportation:
- CTA Bus: 37 Sedgwick, 60 Blue Island 26th. Blue Line Train: Racine stop.
- Wheelchair Access:
- Yes
The Basics
- Hours:
- 11 a.m.-midnight from early May to September 15th. In bad weather, when not many people are out, the stand sometimes closes early.
- Cuisine:
- Italian
- Meals Served:
- Dessert
- Price Range:
- $ (Under $9)
- Smoking:
- No
- Audience:
- Families
Features
- Carryout:
- Yes
- Features:
- Kids Menu and On-site Merchandise. No seating. Kid size portions. No buffet.
- Worth Noting:
- recommended
- Specialties:
- Italian lemonade.
- Payment Methods:
- Cash
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
Write a review
Rate Mario's Italian Lemo...
"mmmmmm....."
By chgo-lov from Countryside, June 22, 2008
Refreshing. This long time Chicago summer tradition is sure to please everyones taste buds. My parents as young kids enjoyed the refreshing taste o...
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"I grew up in the old neighborhood..."
By cookerlooker from Ingleside, IL, April 10, 2008
And we ALWAYS walked down to Mario's on hot summer nights! Where else can you get a Watermelon Italian Ice with the seeds in it?! How much fun is...
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"If it isn't already tradition, it should be"
By fiyazkhan from Commuter, February 13, 2008
I surprised with how few reviews are on here! Like someone else mentioned, I can fondly remember weren't many things better on hot city night in t...
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