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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.
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.
A repurposed Arts and Crafts–style warming house for ice-skaters at Lincoln Park’s North Pond, this romantic gem in the woods fittingly champions an uncluttered culinary style amid scenic views. Organic ingredients, wild-caught fish, and artisan farm products appear on the seasonally changing four-course tasting menu. Come Sunday, diners can welcome the new week over a leisurely three-course brunch.
There aren’t many restaurant dinners that start by entering through an alley and into a freight elevator, but nothing about Oriole is typical, from the secretive entrance to the warm, impeccable service to the hit parade of bites on Noah Sandoval’s tasting menu. Wine pairings are a must, since the old world, white-wine focus makes the flavors on the forward-thinking tasting menu truly sing.
Don't call this beer-focused hot spot a gastropub—chef Paul Kahan prefers "beer hall" (though wine is available, too) and with the long communal tables, at which beer connoisseurs sample from a selection hovering above 50 brews, the bustling space has the air of an Oktoberfest celebration. The seafood- and pork-focused menu gives an elevated nod to pub fare, though there are plenty of veggie-friendly dishes as well.
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.
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.
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.
"Seasonality" is the watchword at this modern spot filled with blonde wood and lovely light, where the menu changes constantly but the dishes are always executed with the utmost care. Collaborative dinners and wine events happen occasionally, so check the restaurant's social media account ( instagram.com/cellardoorprovisions) to see what's on the calendar.
Mid-century style reigns at this wood-paneled clublike restaurant, where the menu draws inspiration from the landmark space's previous incarnation as a tony men's club. The sweeping bar is perfect for sipping historic and house cocktails over bar snacks or raw seafood, or you can settle into a comfortable leather booth for private conversations and all manner of meat perfectly prepared.
Northwestern students and suits line up at this casual counter service joint for burgers ground daily in-house. Beyond the griddled burger patties that you can order stacked two or three high, Edzo’s slings Chicago classics like the Maxwell Street Polish and Chicago-style hot dog. Top off your order with hand-cut french fries available in 12 varieties and a hand-dipped milkshake.
Northwestern students and suits line up here for burgers (ground in-house), nine kinds of french fries (try the ones with truffle salt and Parmesan), and spicy Mexican-chocolate shakes.
Class meets comfort in this upscale Lincoln Square neighborhood eatery. Service here is top-notch and everything on your plate is made in-house from scratch, right down to the fresh breads and condiments. The seasonally driven dinner and brunch menus feature farm-fresh ingredients applied to inventive riffs on classic dishes, at incredibly fair prices.
Huge flavors come roaring out of the tiny kitchen at Giant, where chef Jason Vincent takes crowd-pleasers like pasta, vegetarian dishes, and American classics and cranks the umami up to an 11. Beverage director Josh Perlman pairs diners with interesting wines from small producers without an unwanted chaser of snootiness. No matter the evening, a festive air seems to prevail.
If you love all things retro, you’ll love Kitsch’n as much as the regulars—it’s a diner in vintage garb, with lava lamps and old appliances that have been turned into table lamps, along with clever takes on old-school favorites. Featuring dishes like Green Eggs n' Ham, the menu is great for kids of all ages, with plenty of comfort-food options for everyone. The menu also hosts international flavors (think breakfast quesadillas and burritos) and a drinks menu for turning any breakfast into a boozy brunch.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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