Wine and Spirits Travel

I’ve loved living in the Midwest because I can get to so many different states within a few hours. One of the (very) few things I don’t love about Champaign, though, is the lack of good Italian food.  Coming from Long Island, you could find a pizzeria with great Italian on every corner. I have yet to find one place within two hours of Champaign that I can compare to those. On a recent trip to Dubuque, Iowa , I was happy to discover a new city and a restaurant that makes pasta like my aunts used to. I felt comfortable as soon as I walked into Vinny Vanucchi’s in downtown Dubuque.  The checkered tablecloths and family photos were very welcoming and I knew instantly it was a great family place.  That was what I was looking for as I had brought along my friend Amy, her two kids, and a third child. Amy was driving, but I tried one of their martinis from the cocktail menu. The Chuck Berry was simple and perfect, with vodka and raspberry liqueur. We got a pi