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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.
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.
Chicagoans got a sweet deal in 2022 when Mindy Segal, one of the city's best pastry chefs, opened her eponymous shop, where the focus is not on fancy-pants plated desserts, but more humble bagels, cookies, and breakfast pastries. If you see a line forming along Milwaukee Avenue in the early hours, it's likely locals out to get their morning croissant or bialy fix.
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.
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.
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.
Things can get weird on the flavor front at this cheerful Ukrainian Village scoop shop---goat cheese, moscato, and even basil have been known to make appearances. Suspend disbelief and give it a go; flavors rotate throughout the year, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a dud in the mix.
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.
Whether you couldn't snag a reservation at Virtue or you just want another taste of chef Erick Williams' food, Daisy's is a good choice. The location of this New Orleans--inspired counter-service spot, on the ground floor of a mixed-use commercial building, feels a little generic, but the dishes, like fried green tomato po' boys and debris fries, are full of boisterous personality. There's a full bar with sazeracs and frozen hurricanes, too.
Chef and co-owner Michael Kornick knows fine dining, but he's also a longtime fan of the simple burger, and the two worlds mingle at DMK Burger Bar. This is a place where grass-fed beef patties can come topped with green chiles or chipotle ketchup, and fries are often adorned with truffle aioli. If you're not in the mood for beef, there are also options like chicken tenders or salmon bowls. Sweet tooths are satiated by one of their rich (sometimes boozy) milkshakes.
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.
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.
After walking through exhibits at the Art Institute, follow the local college crowd to this order-at-the-counter eatery, where the ambience is kitschy but the food is “more mindful." Epic Burger serves hand-shaped, natural beef burgers, as well as a plant-based Beyond Burger, all served atop a soft bun with add-ons like Wisconsin cheese, nitrate-free bacon, or an organic fried egg.
This longtime destination serves up capable Chinese take-out from a sprawling second-story space overlooking Broadway Avenue, but when it comes to traditional dim sum service, Furama shines. Steam carts clatter around the floor offering shiu mai, shrimp toast, rice crepes, braised chicken feet, and lo mein to patrons one plate at a time, allowing diners to curate their perfect feast. Large groups will benefit from buying power, because you'll want to try a bunch of menu items.
Scads of neon signs and a pitch-black ceiling high overhead give a night market vibe to this full-service grocery store–meets–food hall, new to the neighborhood in 2024. The food court's the place for Korean tacos, bowls of steaming ramen, hojicha tea lattes, and char siu and egg sandwiches on freshly baked pineapple buns. On the grocery side, you'll find all the Pocky sticks and mochi you need to end your meal on a sweet note.
The popcorn here is so popular that there are several other Chicago outlets plus branches in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. Lines form early and stay throughout the day.
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.
Grab a seasonal brew and watch a game on the big screen, fill up on yummy Chicago deep-dish pizza, or catch a nightly stand-up comedy act at the graffiti-covered Gino's East.
Back-to-basics soul food is what you’ll get at Harold’s, which has been serving made-to-order fried chicken since the 1950s and has locations all over the city. The chicken dinner is a half or a quarter chicken (white meat, dark meat, or “regular,” which is a mix), fries, two pieces of white bread, and a cup of coleslaw. With Chicago-styled fried chicken, the sauce is drizzled over the chicken and fries so that everything soaks up the sauce.
This Loop legend is famous for casual Cajun breakfasts and lunches that have area office workers gladly lining up to be served.
This Costa Rican spot has been going strong since 1990, thanks to its range of empanadas, mixed grill platters, and sandwiches that offer good value but don’t skimp on flavor. The casual, brightly colored dining room and patio call to mind a laid-back beach shack—a welcome vision during Chicago’s rough winters.
Believe it or not, you can get a quality slice of New York-style pizza in the land of deep-dish and tavern-style, but only if you pay a visit to Jimmy's. A nicely curated list of craft beers are also available, and you should also save space for their other specialty: beignets, laden with powdered sugar. The dining room is surprisingly spacious, and even though Jimmy's is mostly slice-focused, whole pies are also available.
Hand-rolled truffles are the signature item here; some flavor combinations are staples while others change with the seasons, but all are highly inventive. (Goat cheese walnut or peanut butter coconut curry anyone?) For many, the real star of the show is the absurdly thick hot chocolate topped with homemade marshmallows.
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.
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.
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