Amici-Chicago, the Lakeview arancini counter that briefly turned into a national food pilgrimage site after a viral visit from TikTok critic Keith Lee in 2024, is closing as owner Alfio Sciacca gets ready to retire. Sciacca, who opened the shop in 2024, told customers he is wrapping up a restaurant career that spans nearly 40 years and is trading daily service for travel, writing, and cooking purely for fun.
As reported by Block Club Chicago, Sciacca said, "I'm not old, but I'm not young enough not to enjoy life," and complained that the restaurant world has turned, in his view, into "more of a gimmick show than food." The outlet notes that he is stepping away after nearly four decades and that closing Amici is his own call, on his own terms.
How The Viral Boost Played Out
Lee stopped by anonymously in July 2024, then dropped a TikTok that unleashed crowds on the tiny counter. He later left what outlets described as a $1,000 tip plus $3,000 to cover future diners' meals. That wave of generosity and attention was chronicled by local outlets, including Eater Chicago, which also highlighted Amici's creative arancini lineup.
Spike In Sales Was Short-Lived
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that business exploded in the days after Lee's video, with lines out the door and frequent sellouts at the counter. Local coverage from that stretch described daily arancini sales jumping from a few dozen into the hundreds once the TikTok hit. The surge was intense, but for a very small operation, it did not automatically translate into long-term staffing stability or smoother day-to-day operations.
Why He’s Walking Away
Even with the publicity and a later nod from a national restaurant platform, Sciacca told Block Club Chicago that running the shop, often largely by himself, made it clear it was time to bow out. In retirement, he plans to travel and write, and to keep cooking on his own terms instead of under the strain of a small, high-volume counter.
The arc of Amici shows how social media can deliver a dramatic short-term jolt without guaranteeing long-term survival. Lee also helped the shop land a $50,000 award from Toast's "It's the Little Things" campaign in April 2025, according to CBS Chicago. Neighbors and regulars say they will miss both Sciacca's arancini and the brief, bright spotlight that settled on the corner shop before he decided to close this chapter.
