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Sure, this city has great architecture, museums, and sports venues. But at its heart, Chicago is really a food town. This is evident in the priority that good eating takes, no matter the occasion. Rain or shine, locals will wait in a line that snakes around the corner for dolled-up doughnuts at Doughnut Vault. They’ll reserve part of their paychecks to dine at inventive Alinea. And they love to talk about their most recent meal—just ask.
It's no wonder that outdoor festivals are often centered on food, from Taste of Chicago in summer, which packs the grounds at Grant Park, to smaller celebrations, like the German-American fest in Lincoln Square, a mini-Oktoberfest in fall.
Although the city has always had options on the extreme ends of the spectrum—from the hole-in-the wall Italian beef sandwich shops to the special-occasion spots—it's now easier to find eateries in the middle that serve seasonal menus with a farm-to-table mantra. For the budget conscious, it's also a great time to dine: some talented chefs aren't bothering to wait for a liquor license, opening BYOB spots turning out polished fare (just try Ruxbin in West Town).
Expect to see more Chicago chefs open casual concepts—Rick Bayless, Paul Kahan, and Michael Kornick have a head start with their respective sandwich, taco, and burger spots. Yet the goal remains the same: to feed a populace that knows good food and isn't willing to accept anything less than the best. In the following pages, you'll find our top picks, from quick bites to multicourse meals, in the city's best dining neighborhoods.
A menu packed with burgers, fries, and chopped liver might sound like a classic dive, but Au Cheval is no greasy spoon—exposed brick, dim lighting, and antique-inspired fixtures give a sultry feel, and rich takes on classic American diner dishes satisfy cravings. There’s a perennial wait, but sneak in after 10:15 pm Monday–Saturday for a limited menu consisting of the crowd-favorite cheeseburger and fries.
Head to this Euro-style wine bar when you're feeling gregarious; the warm, intimate space has seating for only 55 people, and the results are loud and lively, with shareable fare—a mix of small and large Mediterranean plates—that's reasonably priced.
Although the steaks at this cozy brasserie are executed to perfection (you can also buy them to take away from the on-site butcher counter), this isn't just another Chicago steak house. Chefs Brian Ahern and Jamie Finnegan are informed by classical French training and many of the most memorable dishes are anchored not by beef but fresh seasonal produce. The cocktails are darned good too.
When chef Joe Frillman moved his popular handcrafted-pasta spot down the street in 2023, he picked up more than triple the square footage of the original. More important, he gained the partnership of talented pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky, whose flaky kouign amann and bostock fuel the remote-work types that flock here daily. At dinner, Frillman's elegant, hyperseasonal pastas meet their match in Omilinsky's composed desserts, many of which play with savory elements in unexpected ways.
If the name sets expectations high, Eden does its best to deliver. Tucked like a pleasant little surprise amid an industrial park, the elegant yet easy-going spot grows much of its own produce in a large on-site greenhouse. On the plate, seasonality takes center stage; the dishes are faintly rustic, but the flavors are big and sophisticated. For parents, the restaurant's child-friendly attitude makes this place a paradise.
Devotees of chef Rick Bayless queue up for the bold flavors of his distinct fare at this casual restaurant brightly trimmed in Mexican folk art, where the menu changes monthly. Bayless visits Mexico frequently, updating his already extensive knowledge of regional food and cooking techniques, and he frequently takes his staff with him, ensuring that even the servers have an encyclopedic knowledge about the food. Bar Sótano, in the Frontera Grill basement, serves mezcal and agave, alongside modern Mexican bar food including Oaxacan drinking snacks.
The Lyonnais comfort food at this charming, cozy bistro in Bucktown, family-run for three decades and counting, is in a league of its own thanks to pitch-perfect classics along with some light twists on favorite dishes. Evenings can get busy so reservations are recommended; note that Mondays mean half-price bottles of wine, while the raclette smash burger is only served at lunch.
Formerly located around the corner on North Rush Street for more than two decades, Le Colonial continues to deliver delicate and sophisticated and French-Vietnamese fare in its new location. The atmosphere is relaxed and comforting and the service is simply top-notch.
What began as a pandemic baking project for furloughed chefs Sarah and Ben Lustbader evolved into this bakery and sandwich slinger. The vibe is super-casual, but the sandwiches—anchored by homemade breads and accented with ingredients like pickled eggplant and confit tomatoes—belie the owners' fine-dining backgrounds. The chocolate cake here attained overnight cult status when it appeared on Chicago-based chef dramedy The Bear.
Locals worship Lula Cafe, a neighborhood favorite that has been serving modern, seasonal dishes (and a cult-favorite brunch menu) in a spacious location with counter seating and an intimate dining room since 1999. The food is stellar, with menus that change frequently and champion farm sources. If you want to take home a memento of this special space, grab a copy of chef/owner Jason Hammel's Lula Cafe Cookbook on your way out.
The corned-beef sandwich here is the one that other local delis aim to beat. Manny's has always been popular with Chicago politicians—as the saying goes, so if these walls could talk, they'd spill a lot of secrets.
The Magnificent Mile isn’t usually known for dining, but locals and tourists alike love the Purple Pig, a Mediterranean wine bar with an extensive wine list and many affordable wines by the glass. Adventurous eaters will revel in chef Jimmy Bannos Jr.’s offal-centric dishes, though there’s plenty for tamer palates and vegetarians here as well, along with an array of notable Mediterranean-styled desserts.
Despite Chicago's renown for deep-dish pizza, locals are swept away by the thin-crust Neapolitan pies at this bright Ravenswood gem, where finely ground Italian flour, imported buffalo mozzarella, hand-stretched dough, and a brick, wood-fired oven built by Italian craftsmen produce the bubbling, chewy crusts of these pies. Antipasti, a well-priced selection of Italian wines and beers, and desserts like tiramisu round out the menu.
This perennially packed counter-service taqueria seamlessly merges an easy-going atmosphere with cheffy bonafides: co-owner Oliver Poilevey also helms French favorites Le Bouchon and Obelix. The chef puts his pedigree to work with super-flavorful tacos—like duck carnitas with date puree or blood sausage with whipped creme fresh—that go far beyond the usual.
Be prepared to stand in line for the mouthwatering apple cinnamon pancakes, a massive disk loaded with apples, or the German pancake, a puffy oven-baked circle topped with powdered sugar. There are several branches, but the original Wilmette restaurant is where scenes from the 1980 movie Ordinary People were shot.
Be prepared to stand in line for the mouthwatering apple cinnamon pancakes, a massive disk loaded with apples, or the German pancake, a puffy oven-baked circle topped with powdered sugar. There are several branches, but the original Wilmette restaurant is where scenes from the 1980 movie Ordinary People were shot.
The oldest coffeehouse in the Gold Coast pleases just about everyone with breakfast all day and nightly dinner specials.
The seafood-focused sibling of DMK Burger Bar next door, Fish Bar celebrates the pescatarian-focused dishes of New England and New Orleans. Whether it's raw preparations (fresh oysters, ceviche, or tartare), fried (shrimp po'boys and crab cakes) or somewhere in between (grilled salmon, lobster rolls), Fish Bar delivers. Pair your catch with hush puppies or tater tots for some extra carbs.
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.
The mood is easy-breezy but the food and beverage offerings are seriously good at this snug Ukrainian Village all-day café/bottle shop/grocery. Nibble on artisan charcuterie, low-intervention wine at hand, or feast on seasonally changing mains. While you digest, browse the shelves for tinned conserves and natural wines from the Loire and Beaujolais.
If you thought sausage gravy was as creative as biscuit toppings get, you obviously haven’t been to Bang Bang. The buttery, fluffy specimens here serve as a base for an assortment of tasty accompaniments, like herbed ricotta with roasted seasonal veggies. Cap it off with a slice of pie from the rotating selection. On fine days the large, tree-fringed yard is the place to be.
Bright-yellow walls and a soundtrack of classic house music make for a convivial atmosphere at this daytime spot, a favorite with students from nearby DePaul University for its menu of carb-y breakfast dishes hearty enough to fuel diners till dinner.
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.
Even if you weren't raised by a Southern grandmother, the cooking at this bright, comfortable Andersonville restaurant will make you feel right at home, but the Southern heirloom cooking has more depth than you might expect. The brunch, lunch, and dinner menus revive century-old recipes scrupulously sourced out of historical cookbooks from New Orleans to Appalachia and re-create them with high-quality, sustainable ingredients. The drinks menu skews toward bourbon and classic cocktails, but don't miss the Bloody Mary with made-in-house pickles.
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