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Zeppo’s Meatball Achievement
Tempesta Market
As good as the meatballs are, the real achievement here is the way the creamy pesto stands up to the muscular marinara. $12. 1372 W. Grand Ave., West Town
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Pesto gnocchi
RPM Italian
Ramps (used in early spring as the green base in the sauce) and aged goat cheese give the pesto for these sturdy yet light potato gnocchi a rich, oniony depth. $16. 52 W. Illinois St., Near North Side
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Herbed potatoes with arugula pesto
Anteprima
This beloved neighborhood restaurant swapped the traditional basil for arugula, lending the sauce a peppery bite. $4. 5316 N. Clark St., Andersonville
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Ode to Rubirosa
Pizzeria Bebu
Named for an NYC pizzeria famed for its vodka-sauce pies, this homage is dolloped with a vibrant nutless pesto that packs an extra-herbaceous punch. $20. 1521 N. Fremont St., Near North Side
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Tagliatelle with pesto and shrimp
Reno
Reno’s version is particularly delicate — with an almost puréed consistency — and yet it holds its own against the rustic, hearty housemade pasta. $12. 2607 N. Milwaukee Ave., Logan Square