An over-the-counter buffet-style restaurant owned by the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and located adjacent to the Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier, Capi's Italian Kitchen is a great place for family meals and quick bites. The menu selection consists of traditional Italian foods, including pasta dishes, subs, handmade pizzas and a range of entree salads. I recommend the penne with gorgonzola cream sauce, a white sauce pasta dinner served with grilled asparagus, caramelized onions and gorgonzola, or the lasagna with sausage, a homestyle baked lasagna topped with traditional marinara sauce; add $2 for Bolognese (entrees average around $10). Both are filling plates; anticipate a sleepy afternoon if you're headed back to the office.

On the lighter side, the restaurant has a handful of impressive salads to choose from, including a strawberry balsamico, salmon and shrimp caesar and a spicy buffalo chicken. Be warned if you order the last item hot, as it has a bit of a kick to it. Napolean stone oven pizzas can be ordered as individual pies; mediterranean, BBQ chicken and margherita are a few favorites to choose from.

A bambini menu for children under the age of 10 offers buttered pasta, spaghetti and small pizzas with two toppings. The children's plates are $4.95 and come with a special gelato dessert. Pizza party and birthday packages can also be arranged. Salad, pasta and sandwich catering is also available, with prices peaking at $59.95 for the larger sandwich platters.

Step in during the work week and you are bound to find a small crowd of diners, making it great for social or business lunches; on the weekends, expect crowds of tourists and families visiting the Pier.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Sondra Morin