The Vesuvio (restaurant)

Culled from: Drury, John. Dining in Chicago, New York: The John Day Company, 1931, pp. 150-151.

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

THE VESUVIO, 15 East Wacker Drive

Although not on the Avenue, this Italian restaurant is in its immediate vicinity and occupies one of the most cosmopolitan sites in town. It lies between the Michigan Avenue bridgehead plaza and the grand sweeping plaza at Wacker Drive and North Wabash Avenue, with the waters and the steamers of Chicago at its feet. The decorations by the Italian artist, Gallano, are Pompeiian, in black, red, and gold. D. Price, a native of Torino, one of the proprietors, numbers among his friends Galli-Curci, Rosa Raisa, Tito Schipa, and other operatic notables. Rossi, the other proprietor, was formerly with the Drake and Blackstone Hotels and knows what Italian cooking is all about. Hence the reason why many bigwigs dine here frequently — Jack Dempsey and his wife, Estelle Taylor; Jackie Coogan, the kid movie actor; Edith Rockefeller McCormick, Chicago's social queen, and Count Charles de Fontnouvelle, the French consul. Businessmen's luncheons at 65 cents and table d'hote dinners at $1.25 and $1.50. There are a lot of Italian specialties served here — and appetizingly, too.

Maitre d'hotel: D. Price