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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.
Opened in 1962, Medici has served generations of University of Chicago students and faculty, many of whom carved their names on the tables and walls. If you're looking for a grab-and-go option, the on-site bakery (which makes the restaurant's breads) sells premade sandwiches as well as breakfast pastries and cookies.
Division Street has long been a prowl of night owls but with the growing number of spas and boutiques in the area, not to mention the many work-from-home locals, this neighborhood needed a good breakfast and lunch spot. Milk & Honey exceeds expectations with hearty, healthful breakfasts and creative sandwiches at lunch—grab a seat on the sidewalk café in warm weather or in near the fireplace in cooler temperatures.
Despite the "Modern" in its name, this lunch counter and short-order diner is about as old-school as they come. Belly up to the counter for breakfast all day; burgers, patty melts, Reubens, and club sandwiches midday; or snag a booth to tuck into a dinner plate of chopped steak, pork chops, or even liver and onions.
A Chicago institution long before it inspired The Bear, Mr. Beef's two-fisted Italian beef sandwiches piled with green peppers and provolone cheese are iconic. It garners citywide fans from area hard hats to restaurateurs and TV personalities. Service and setting—two indoor picnic tables and a dining rail—are fast-food no-nonsense, and the fare is inexpensive; it's a workingman's favorite, though located near River North's art galleries.
A long-running fixture on Division Street in Humboldt Park---also known as the Paseo Boricua---family-owned Nellie’s is especially popular on weekends, when locals come out in droves for the generously sized breakfast and brunch dishes. It’s a good place to sample a jibarito, the Puerto Rican contribution to Chicago’s sandwich pantheon: it’s an assemblage of grilled meat and toppings surrounded by flattened, fried plantains.
Despite the "bakery" in the title, you're coming to Nhu Lan for one of their delicious banh mi sandwiches. Fillings like ham, pate, lemongrass chicken, and bbq pork fill crackly baguettes topped with pickled veggies, cucumber, and jalapeno. Sides include spring rolls and steamed buns; a variety of canned Asian beverages fill the cooler for hydration.
Heaping breakfasts, available anytime, make this spot a favorite with the neighborhood's late-night crowd. There are also branches in Old Town, Lakeview, and Edgewater.
If your taste buds crave a quick Middle Eastern fix, make your way to the back of the Jewelry Mall, walk up to the counter, and place your order for creamy hummus, crispy falafel, grape leaves, a shish kebab sandwich, or another snack. It isn't fancy, but it's good, and the service is snappy.
The crowd at this casual spot serving fried chicken and fish is decidedly hipster, but even if that’s not your scene, the food and cocktails are worth making your way to to the location on the southern end of Logan Square. During the summer, the beer garden is packed with folks playing table tennis, chowing down on shareable snacks and sandwiches, and sipping boozy slushies and cheap beer. With additional locations in Lincoln Park and Andersonville, there's always a picnic table with your name on it.
This old-fashioned parlor, which sells sundaes, shakes, malts, and cones of homemade ice cream, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019.
Step back in time at this old-fashioned ice-cream parlor, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019. Choose from homemade ice cream in flavors like cappuccino and butter pecan, complete with a cone dipped in chocolate. Offering shakes, malts, floats, and banana splits, Petersen’s has a fix for any sweet tooth.
An urban bodega merges with a Vietnamese noodle shop at this quirky corner store that’s won accolades for its fragrant chicken, beef, and vegan pho, based on a family recipe. In the grocery section, hard-to-find imported Thai chips and Japanese chocolates mingle with household essentials.
The weekend bustle of this dim sum house can feel overwhelming, but Phoenix softens you up with second-floor picture-window views that frame the Loop skyline and an excellent food menu. Dim sum is the draw all day long on weekends, but don’t overlook the regular menu, which features an array of live seafood cooked how you like it.
A CTA construction project forced the Pick Me Up out of its original Lakeview location, but its new digs preserve its quirky, neighborhood café charm. The thrift-store treasures hanging on the walls are as eclectic as the crowd that comes at all hours of the day to drink bottomless cups of coffee or dine on a largely (but not entirely) vegan menu of sandwiches, appetizers, and desserts. In addition to specialty coffee drinks and fun milkshakes, they also offer wine, beer, and cocktails.
The antithesis of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, Piece’s thin-crust pies mimic those made famous in New Haven, Connecticut. They’re somewhat free-form in shape and come in plain (tomato sauce, Parmesan, and garlic), white (olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella), or traditional red, with lots of topping options. Salads balance out the menu, while the award-winning house-brewed beers pair perfectly with the food.
Wood-fired pizzas are the main draw to this small, dark, rustic BYOB, but there are also interesting Bosnian side-quests into menu items like cevapcici (a dish of grilled, minced meat) and house-cured smoked beef on puffy homemade pita.
Anglophiles are at home in this bit of Britain where savory pies in a flaky, buttery crust reign. Vintage wooden desks and industrial lighting fixtures bring a lived-in feel to the bright dining room. Find local, UK, and European beers on draft at the bar, which is likely showing a football match to the delight of fans.
After a long winter, Chicagoans think any old patio is magical, but the peaceful graveled outdoor dining area here is truly special, because it nestles alongside Frank Lloyd Wright's masterful Robie House. The all-day menu's full of satisfying rustic dishes (like grain bowls and prosciutto and manchego baguettes) with a French picnic vibe. There's coffee and wine by the glass, too.
Head to this branch of a local restaurant empire for salads, house-made pasta, and its famous thick, bready squares of pizza.
Cheerful and reasonably priced, this fast-casual Little Italy café specializes in thick, square slices of pizza along with salads, sandwiches, and homemade pastas. Between the nearby University of Illinois Chicago campus and workers from the Rush University Medical District, it gets busy, but the cafeteria-style service makes it a quick, satisfying meal.
Started in 1963 as a hot dog stand called "The Dog House" in the Chicago suburbs, this River North restaurant is a favorite among locals and tourists alike (usually with a drive-thru line to prove it). A "Chicago Style" hot dog (mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle, celery salt, and peppers) is the obvious quick bite, but what about an Italian beef sandwich—yum!
Handmade dumplings are the specialty at this sleek, modern restaurant. Order them fried or steamed, packed with fillings like lamb and coriander, lobster, pork and cabbage, and many more.
Even though there's a hot dog on the sign, Red Hot Ranch has become a destination for some of the best hamburgers and fresh-cut fries in the city. Their straightforward, In-N-Out inspired style of smash burger proves that burgers don't need eight toppings or specially ground Wagyu beef on fancy brioche buns to be delicious. Add a side of their craveable deep-fried shrimp for an extra treat.
This daytime-only spot from Charlie McKenna, who made his name on the local barbecue scene, packs in locals and students for Southern-accented brunch and lunch fare in a light-filled space with a modern farmhouse vibe. The dishes are hearty—think beignets and chicken fried steak—so a good plan is to dine with abandon and then walk it off on a stroll to Promontory Point.
Morning or afternoon, there's a buzz in the air at the first U.S. outpost of a Ukraine-based third-wave roaster—and it's not just all the caffeine. Since debuting in 2024, the petite corner café has fast become a neighborhood favorite for its cool, minimalist vibe, an excellent selection of baked goodies like chocolate-dipped croissants, and potent brews made from beans roasted in the motherland.
A 1920s-era marble bar salvaged from a Milwaukee drugstore anchors this darling dining room in Humboldt Park, where the young and young at heart flock for old-fashioned sodas and malts. No mere one-note, the shop also serves an all-day breakfast menu, warm and cold sandwiches, and tempting pastries.
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).
Indian flavors drive the menu at this merry all-day spot on the northern fringes of Logan Square, but this isn’t your grandma’s tikka masala (even though that might be her calico upholstery in the quirky industrial-meets-cottagecore dining room). Instead, Zeeshan Shah and Yoshi Yamada take a witty approach to familiar dishes, sealing butter chicken into calzones and dressing French toast in halvah and gulab jamun syrup.
For over 90 years, the humble Svea, a Swedish version of an American diner, has carried the torch for Andersonville Swedes with hearty breakfast and lunch options. The daytime-only menu is packed with omelets, pancakes, and other Swedish classics; while the digs are no-frills, the service is invariably friendly. Woke up feeling especially hungry? The "Viking breakfast" beckons: eggs, Swedish sausage, Swedish-style fried potatoes, and pancakes with lingonberry.
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