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A couple of decades ago, when Rick Bayless and his wife, Deann, opened Frontera Grill, River North was still seen as a dicey part of town. In fact, anything west of Michigan Avenue was suspect. How times change. Now the mammoth Chicago Merchandise Mart anchors River North, where art and design trades patronize the area's hot spots, including Slurping Turtle, Gilt Bar, and Paris Club Bistro & Bar, as well as its refined restaurants, such as mk, Naha, and Topolobampo. Meanwhile the nearby Near North district, home to shopping's Magnificent Mile and the residential Gold Coast, specializes in upscale restaurants that suit the clientele like a bespoke suit. The Magnificent Mile is the land of posh hotels (Sofitel and Park Hyatt) and their sleek dining rooms (Café des Architectes and NoMI Kitchen, respectively), as well as stand-alone stars like TRU, Spiaggia, and Les Nomades. Head north on Wells Street to Old Town, or expect to spend a fair bit on dinner.
The oldest coffeehouse in the Gold Coast pleases just about everyone with breakfast all day and nightly dinner specials.
Chef Richie Farina explores ingredients from close to home while preparing global cuisine at this sleek restaurant on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Chicago. A six-course tasting menu is available Thursday through Saturday, and diners may choose to include a wine pairing or zero-proof pairing at an additional charge.
If you’re finding it difficult to accommodate everyone’s cravings, Beatrix is the ultimate crowd pleaser. The restaurant offers comfort food with a healthy twist for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch; options include salads and burgers as well as larger entrées. Open early until late, the bakery churns out fresh pastries and specialty coffees in the morning before the bar crowd swings in around happy hour to sip on fresh-squeezed-juice cocktails, wines, and craft beers.
The late comedian John Belushi immortalized the Goat's short-order cooks on Saturday Night Live, barking their signature, "No Pepsi, Coke!" and "No fries, chips!" at customers, and you can still hear the shtick at this subterranean spot. The diner food is cheap and tasty, the staff is super friendly, and people-watching is a favorite sport—pop by during a break in sight-seeing or head by late-night to check out the bar.
Behind and a level down from the Wrigley Building is the inspiration for Saturday Night Live's classic "cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger, cheeps, no fries, no Pepsi, Coke" skit. Grab a greasy burger at this no-frills grill, or just have a beer and absorb the comic undertones.
Brett's Kitchen is an excellent spot for a quick pastry, sandwich, or omelet. It's super casual: order at the counter and grab a seat.
French cuisine sometimes gets knocked for being too rich, too heavy, and too expensive, but that's an image that this stylish restaurant on the ground floor of the Sofitel is doing its best to prove wrong. The menu features Le Burger, seasonal salads, and a decadent banana bread French toast.
This chocolate café just off Michigan Avenue is a chocolate lover's dream, where Belgian chocolate and hot chocolate are the stars. You can also order sandwiches, quiche, waffles, French pastries, and build-your-own crepes (sweet and savory).
The views of Michigan Avenue from the floor-to-ceiling windows are breathtaking at the Park Hyatt’s NoMI Kitchen, a seventh-floor lifestyle-focused concept that goes along with NoMI Lounge, NoMI Garden, and NoMI Spa. The open kitchen features a locally sourced menu of modern twists on Midwestern classics, though the sushi is some of the city’s best (with fresh wasabi grated on the side).
Sleek and elegant, this all-day restaurant, with two bars and views of the open kitchen, is an ideal see-and-be-seen spot for Gold Coast drinks and sampling thoughtful new American cuisine. Featuring local ingredients, the breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus are inspired by Lake Michigan and Midwest farms. For dessert, the cookie plate is always worth saving room for.
The largest Starbucks in the world offers a 35,000-square-foot coffee wonderland across five floors. Smell coffee brewing in a Chemex or siphon while beans whoosh in overhead tubes in the multi-sensory experience. Watch live coffee roasting on the ground level, snag one of many sleek seats along floor-to-ceiling windows, or admire Michigan Avenue views from the roof terrace. Reserve ahead for tours or hands-on experiences like Art of the Espresso Martini or Coffee Lab: A Journey of the Senses to skip the line when it gets busy (especially on the weekends).
The luxurious Langham Hotel doesn’t disappoint with this elegant American restaurant located on the second floor, where cushy, white-leather seats pamper guests gaping at the glittering city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu offers an array of shareable snacks along with entrées and salads; the dishes have global touches that keep them interesting while still remaining approachable.
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