Amy Bizzarri

I'm Amy Bizzarri, a Chicago-based freelance writer focused on food and travel.

My Great, Great Grandparents met the night the Chicago fire hit our city: Walter Daker, a volunteer firefighter, caught a glimpse of Catherine's long flowing red hair and, believing it was on fire, swooped her up in his arms to "save" her…and the rest is history! I'm the author of four Chicago history-focused books: Discovering Vintage Chicago (Rowman, 2015), Chicago's Iconic Dishes, Drinks, and Desserts (American Palate Series / History Press, 2016),111 Places Chicago (emons Verlag, 2017), 111 Places Chicago Kids (emons, 2019).

I'm a contributor to Women's Suffrage: The Complete Guide to the Nineteenth Amendment (ABC-CLIO, 2020).

I was awarded the 2019 Silver Lowell Award for Best Travel Guide by Society of American Travel Writers for my retro road trip guide, The Best Hits on Route 66 (Globe Pequot, 2018).

I lived in Rome for five years, working as an editor/proofreader for the Italian Ministry of Health. I'm a fluent Italian speaker with an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College (VT). My paternal grandfather is from Castelnuovo Ne'Monti (RE). There will always be a special place in my heart for il bel paese, and I’m an expert on Italian travel, food and wine — ask me anything!

My passion for wine led me to pursue WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification (currently Levels 1 and 2 certified/working on Level 3).

I'm also a teacher with 20+ years of experience and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on bilingual education. I'm Reading Apprenticeship, International Baccalaureate certified. In 2019 and 2021, I received teacher study grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

I've hosted television and radio segments,, and I've produced several smart walking tours with VoiceMap and eatlas.

My other interests include all things Walt Disney (check out my latest book, 111 Places in Walt Disney World That You Must Not Miss), Hollywood history and all things aquatic — I'm proud to be a mermaid: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/sc-trav-weeki-wachee-mermaid-camp-1218-story.html

Follow me at Instagram.com/amybizzarri to see where I am in the world today!