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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 counter-service model helps keep costs down at this lovely, light-filled all-day spot, enabling the kitchen—helmed by two vets of New York's Gramercy Tavern—to turn out unfussy but high-quality American fare, accompanied by generous wine pours. Bargain hunters and good-time Charlies, take note: a daily happy-hour session with cheffy snacks and reasonably priced cocktails takes place every afternoon, and again before closing time.
It seems as if there's now a sushi spot on practically every corner in Chicago, but when Kamehachi opened in Old Town in 1967 it was the first, though the restaurant has since moved to a loftier space complete with sushi bar, upstairs lounge, and flowering garden (in season). Excellent quality fish, updated decor, and eager-to-please hospitality keep fans returning, and the lunchtime maki combo meals are a relative bargain.
Massive hamburgers named for heavy metal bands are served alongside craft beer and a pounding heavy metal soundtrack at this famous bar and grill. Creative, uniquely topped burgers fill the menu, though their decadent mac 'n' cheese is also worth sampling. The original Avondale location retains the tavern vibe, but there's a larger location in the West Loop as well.
One of the last remaining German restaurants in the Lincoln Square area, Laschet's Inn delivers on all your schnitzel desires. An amazing list of German pilsners, dunkels, and hefeweizens supports the full menu rich in traditional German fare. Sausages like bratwurst and thuringer are of course on hand, plus daily specials like chicken paprikash and jägerschnitzel, served alongside some of the best spaetzle and red cabbage you've ever had.
Chef Diana Dávila offers a deeply personal, richly flavored take on Mexican cuisine at this colorful restaurant, which serves everything from snacks and tacos to heartier plates. Grab a patio seat in warm weather for people-watching along Logan Boulevard, or hang out at the bar for cocktails built around Mexican spirits like sotol served alongside food that’s wildly creative but endlessly satisfying.
Tucked underneath Cloud Gate in Millennium Park is this multi-concept dining experience. Napolita Pizzeria and Wine Bar is open year-round in the indoor space, but if you're visiting between May and October, grab a seat on the expansive patio to people-watch with beers from Double Clutch Brewing and Mexican fare from Casa Bonita.
If you find yourself in far-north Edgewater with a craving for a burger, head to Moody's. Decades before the crazy toppings of Kuma's Corner and the world-heralded Au Cheval burger, Moody's was serving hefty pub-style burgers in an almost medieval space, dark and woodsy with two crackling fireplaces in winter. Warm-weather travelers should make a beeline for their sprawling multilevel enclosed patio comfortably covered by shade trees.
Everything is big and bold at this perennial neighborhood favorite, from the Asian flavors that infuse chef Edward Kim’s dishes to the colorful graffiti-esque art that adorns the exterior to the high-energy tunes that bop all night. The legendary house burger is only served until 7 pm (but it's an open secret that it's available all night to diners sitting at the bar). The fun vibe extends to the weekend brunch here too.
Noon O Kebab sits at the heart of a stretch of Kedzie Avenue that's rich with Persian and Middle Eastern restaurants. Those familiar with Mediterranean menus will find favorites like baba ghanouj and dolmeh on the apps section, while entrées feature house specialties like skewers of chicken, beef, and lamb kebab or koubideh alongside delicious dill rice and charbroiled veggies.
It's easy, crowd-pleasing Italian here, with an array of classic pasta, salads, meat, and seafood dishes. The results are tasty, but Osteria shines brightest at making you feel comfortable. If you opt for the $49.95 prix-fixe, you pick an entrée and servers do the rest, working the room with several rounds of communal platters of antipasti followed by your entrée and dessert.
Serving inch-thick pizzas in a comfortable, well-worn dining room, Pizzeria Due is where everyone goes when they've found out that Uno, the original home of Chicago's deep-dish pizza up the street, has an hour-plus wait. Both restaurants serve deep-dish, but Due also offers thin-crust pizzas.
Chicago deep-dish pizza got its start here in 1943, and both local and out-of-town fans continue to pack this Victorian brownstone for the filling pies, while the dim, paneled rooms with reproduction light fixtures make the setting a slice of Old Chicago. Plan on two thick, cheesy slices or less as a full meal; this is no quick-to-your-table pie so also order salads and be prepared to entertain the kids during the inevitable wait.
The weird rhythms of travel often leave hungry travelers stranded in the awkward zone between lunch and dinner. This corner spot, where the food skews American eclectic and produce forward, has the hack: all-day brunch. The vibes are mellow and the wine list so enticing you might want to stay on through dinner.
The sweet, smoky aroma wafting out of this casual barbecue spot always attracts a crowd, and although the line to order at the counter extends out the door on weekends, it moves quickly. Smoque covers a range of barbecue styles, from St. Louis ribs to 14-hour-cooked Texas-style brisket. If you can't make up your mind between brisket or shredded pork shoulder, order the half-and-half—a sandwich with half of each. It's BYOB, so pick up a beer or two before arriving if desired.
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.
In your enthusiasm for exploring Avondale's bright young things, don't overlook this institution, which has been fortifying the neighborhood with heaping platters of traditional Polish fare since 1984. Starting off with pierogies (there are six varieties on offer) is a no-brainer. If you've brought a date, the special for two (which in truth could probably sate three or four) is a good way to sample the restaurant's greatest hits, like soul-warming stuffed cabbage and lacy potato pancakes.
Named for the Sunda Shelf, an ancient Southeast Asian landmass, this trendy spot scours Asia for riotously flavorful fare, including dim sum, rice and noodle dishes, and signature sushi offerings, while well-executed cocktails and Asian beer selections complement the sweet, sour, and spicy dishes. The buzzing and expansive space cobbles together communal and traditional tables and lounge seating alongside Asian antiques.
This cozy spot is influenced by the Alpine cuisine of France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, and takes an old-world approach to local ingredients, baking, butchering, curing, pickling, and smoking everything in-house. The same region informs the beverage program, translating to an interesting selection of wine, amari, and liqueurs.
Since making its Avondale debut in 2023, this spot—which began life as a West Loop food hall vendor—has won raves from high places (The New York Times, for one) for chef Margaret Pak's soulful take on the cuisine of her husband's native Kerala. The lightness of Pak's fare, punctuated by coconut, yucca, and bracing chutneys, might surprise diners accustomed to the hearty Mughlai curries of northern India. Whatever your order, get a side of appam, tender rice crepes perfect for sopping stray sauce.
A selection of fresh handmade pasta produced with top-quality Italian flour anchors the menu at this counter service spot, where checkered linoleum flooring and a Vespa suspended from the ceiling give the snug, always-packed dining room a cheery retro vibe. Popular group classes let pasta novices try their hand at forming gnocchi and lumache. Friday through Sunday, doors open at 8 am for stiff espressos and Italian breakfast pastries like bomboloni.
The bitterest Chicago gale is no match for the varenyky and other rib-sticking Ukrainian fare at this Chicago Avenue spot, named for the trident that features on the Ukrainian coat of arms. National pride comes through loud and clear here, from the traditional costumes and instruments on display to the menu prices, which sync up to notable years in Ukrainian history. A house specialty is over two dozen vodkas infused with everything from sour cherry to horseradish.
For a taste of classic Chicago, stop into Twin Anchors, which has been dishing out baby-back ribs since 1932—the nautically themed brick tavern was a favorite of Frank Sinatra, who still croons regularly over the speakers. You’re partly visiting for the scene, as local and touring celebs often visit, but lovers of barrooms with personality don't mind the typically long waits during prime time. Vegetarians will find the pickings slim (though the freshly fried kettle chips with buttermilk dip may lessen the sting somewhat).
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