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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.
Kibitzing counter cooks provide commentary as they sling soul-nurturing soups, sandwiches, and other deli favorites at this classic cafeteria that often attracts local and national politicians. Though those cooks occasionally bark at dawdlers, it's all in good fun—though finding a table in the two teeming, fluorescent-lit rooms is not, so your best bet is to visit during off hours.
This high-end, innovative take on the traditional steak house is a natural fit for the Gold Coast. Chef Danny Grant crafts decadent dishes that appeal to high rollers, groups of friends, and date nights. Select a cut of steak or seafood cooked in the wood-fired hearth, or try the $200 “I Don't Give a F*@k” menu for a tour of the restaurant’s top dishes without having to make any decisions.
This seasonal stand is a big hit in Chicago's hot summers, with shaved ice served with chunks of fruit in flavors from lemon to cantaloupe. Mario's was started in 1954 by Mario DiPaolo and his son, also named Mario but known as "Skip," who still runs it, with his own family.
This small but stylish café operated by local roastery Dark Matter Coffee serves up all kinds of joe, from drip to draft to canned varieties, amid playfully psychedelic decor. On the food side, look for savory breakfast tacos and empanadas, Do-Rite Donuts, and pastries from West Town Bakery.
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.
Catalan-inspired restaurant Mercat offers a stylish respite from Michigan Avenue with a view of Grant Park and a menu of small to midsize plates, all of which are great for sharing. To get more bang for your buck, try the chef's tasting menu, with prices starting at $65.
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.
For over three decades, fans of northern Italian dining have praised this unassuming Lakeview storefront for their approachable menu of Roman and Tuscan-style pasta, pizza, and antipasti made with fresh ingredients. Have a glass of wine from the fairly priced list at the bar while you wait for your table in the recently refreshed dining room. There are also nearly a dozen other Chicagoland locations under the Francesca name from the Gold Coast to Naperville and beyond.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The specialty at the Loop location of Morton's, one of Chicago's premiere steak houses, is a 14-ounce (or more) taste of heaven for meat lovers. Excellent service and a solid wine list add to the principal attraction: beautiful, hefty steaks cooked to perfection. Non–meat eaters aren’t left out of the fun, thanks to notable seafood offerings and plenty of salads.
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.
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.
Grant Achatz's buzzworthy sophomore effort is big on concept: the restaurant completely transforms its menu, tableware, decor, and beverage program every three months to focus on a unique theme, whether that’s an homage to famed chef Auguste Escoffier's tenure at the Ritz Paris or to Ancient Rome. Tickets for the one-of-a-kind meal from executive chef Alan Mileykovsky are paid for in advance, nonrefundable, and only available online.
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.
The views of Michigan Avenue from the floor-to-ceiling windows are breathtaking at the Park Hyatt’s NoMI Kitchen, a seventh-floor lifestyle-focused concept that goes along with NoMI Lounge, NoMI Garden, and NoMI Spa. The open kitchen features a locally sourced menu of modern twists on Midwestern classics, though the sushi is some of the city’s best (with fresh wasabi grated on the side).
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.
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.
Chef Fabian Hernandez Blanco serves some of Chicago’s most soul-satisfying Italian food at this cozy and convivial Logan Square Piedmontese restaurant. The pastas are flawless and come stuffed and topped with seasonal accompaniments, while the hearty meat and seafood main courses pair perfectly with the Northern Italian wine list—save room for the classic Italian desserts or order a bittersweet digestif to end the meal.
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.
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.
