Nello's

Culled from: Drury, John. Dining in Chicago, New York: The John Day Company, 1931, pp. 122-123.

Note: The Newberry Library holds the personal papers of author John Drury.

NELLO'S, 2423 South Oakley Avenue

Like the Maulella Restaurant, Nello's is another Italian eating parlor, far from the downtown Rialto, but patron- ized by not a few of those whose names are printed large before theatre doors.

It was Grover ("Red") Gallagher, that jovial Irish stage manager of the Harris Theatre, who first brought the green room folks to Nello Giovannini's board. Nello's hearty Neapolitan personality and his musical renditions on the mandolin, together with Mama Giovannini's skill in the cooking of Italian fried chicken, made an instant hit with the f ootlight people and they have been patronizing the place ever since. Lately, the newspaper boys have followed suit, led by Maurice Roddy, the police reporter and cartoonist.

Nello's is open as long as there are guests at the tables, the food is of the finest quality, the telephone number is Roosevelt 4587, and you reach the place best by taxicab.

Maitre d'hotel: Nello Giovannini