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Adobo Grill
Like Rick Bayless at Topolobampo, Adobo Chef Paul LoDuca takes Mexican food and flavors to another dimension at his lively eatery near Second City. The yummy guacamole appetizer is made tableside, and the dishes that follow are no less extraordinary. Try the trout steamed in cornhusk or the tender chicken breast in an Oaxacan black mole sauce. Thirsty? The margaritas are predictably good, but Adobo also has over 80 sipping tequilas on hand.
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Al's #1 Italian Beef
The original location of this local chain might not be the place to grab lunch if you want to get off your feet - there are no tables, only a stand-up counter - but the legendary namesake sandwich is a favorite of Hillary Clinton (who ordered them for her 50th birthday party). Piled high with savory beef that soaks through the thick bun, the inexpensive treat is one of the city's culinary hallmarks.
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Alinea
Helmed by superstar chef and James Beard-Award winner Grant Achatz, the small dining room at Alinea is widely regarded as Chicago's most exciting space for foodies, where giddy, awestruck culinary cognoscenti document each course with a digital photo before eating it. The options are limited to a 12-course 'tasting,' bringing an artistic carnival of strange pairings served in steel and glass contraptions, created especially for each dish.
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Alliance Bakery
Staff members are friendly and the sandwiches awesome at this independent bakery. Best of all, if you get lunch here, a dessert bar item comes with your meal. In 2005 the bakery doubled its space, opening a large, comfy room next door where café patrons can sit and enjoy their goodies (with free wireless to boot!).
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Andalous
Artifacts and pictures of the homeland color the atmosphere at Chicago's best Moroccan joint, where the tangines (a North African dish prepared in a clay pot) are remarkable. The Meknes tangine - filled with marinated chicken, and accented with red olives and lemon zest - was among the highlights, as was the hareera , a savory lentil soup with a keen blend of chili-powder, cilantro, cumin and chickpeas.
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Andie's
The larger Reza's next door may draw the yuppie hordes, but discerning Andersonville locals flock to Andie's for smooth hummus and much more. A recent remodeling has transformed the dining room into a Mediterranean showplace.
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Ann Sather
The cinnamon rolls are the marquee item at the flagship of this small, friendly local chain that offers Swedish standards in a pleasant café environment. Filling, familiar Nordic offerings like meatballs and potato sausage join selections of American comfort food on the dinner menu.
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Army & Lou's
If you've never had soul food before, you've got to start at this warm and welcoming Chicago classic. It rises above the crowd of similar local establishments with its fried chicken, catfish, collard greens, sweet-potato pie and other classics at prices that are good for your soul. Don't be surprised if you see a few famous black politicians, led by Jesse Jackson. And don't be surprised if some white politicians show up for a photo-op.
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Artopolis Bakery & Cafe
Like a good Greek salad, this place has many ingredients: one of the city's top bakeries - many of the nearby Randolph St joints get their bread here - which sells oozing baklava for around US$2 ; a café-bar that opens on to the street, with tables along the front; and a food bar with classics like spinach pie, which you can eat in or get to go.
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Ashkenaz
There aren't that many kosher delis in Chicago, but the thick stacks of corned beef and pastrami that come from Ashkenaz would stand out anywhere east of New York. Also, amongst the pricey options and chain restaurants of the Gold Coast, they offer the best quick lunch in the neighborhood.
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Avec
Feeling social? This casual cousin to neighboring Blackbird gives diners a chance to rub elbows at eight-person communal tables. Dishes are meant for sharing (though you only have to share with people you know), and the food from Chef Koren Grieveson is exceptional.
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Bandera
Looking up at the entry to this 2nd-story restaurant on Michigan Ave, you'd have no idea what a gem awaits. The red-bedecked Bandera has the comfortable, retro feel of an expensive supper club, without the snooty waiters (and at half the price). American classics - meat loaf, grilled fish and rotisserie chicken - predominate here. When you've shopped till you've dropped, this is the place to come pick yourself back up again.
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Bari Foods
You'll find the best meats Chicago has to offer in this Italian grocery. If you have a car and plan to picnic, drop by Bari and pick up a sub or two (the Italian meatball is particularly scrumptious) and a nice bottle of Italian red.
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Billy Goat Tavern
Literally beneath the pie-eyed mobs on the 'Magnificent Mile,' the subterranean Billy Goat, which enjoyed the fame of John Belushi's SNL skit ('Cheezborger! Cheezborger! No fries! Cheeps!'), remains a deserving tourist magnate. Skip the franchise locations for the original - a windowless haunt with an entire wall dedicated to former Tribune columnist Mike Royko, famously cantankerous Greeks at the grill and scads of old-Chicago charm.
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Bistrot Margot
A visit to Bistrot Margot is like a visit to a little Parisian corner bistro in one of the remoter districts. Roast chicken, steak and frites , mussels and other coastal shellfish highlight the classic menu. The interior decor mixes dark wood with bright tiles and red booths, and the busy crowd adds to the atmosphere. It's a good idea to make reservations for the popular Sunday brunch.
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Blackbird
One of the most talked-about restaurants in Chicago, this chic dining destination for Chicago's young and wealthy perches atop best-of lists for its exciting, notably seasonal menu. The warm-ups - like the confit of suckling pig with concord grape, roasted chiogga beets, and house made prosciutto - are a perfect introduction to the visionary entrees, which pairs well with the short, but careful wine list.
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Bleeding Heart Bakery
With cuddly punk-rock decor (think: hot pink walls and fuzzy bakery case), the relentless Sex Pistols soundtrack and tattooed counter staff, owners Michelle and Valentin Garcia have opened the country's first wholly organic bakery. The 'punk rock pastries' are the draw, but smaller treats (many of which are vegan) and lunch sandwiches are pulled off with flamboyant flare.
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Boka
A hip restaurant-lounge hybrid with a seafood-leaning menu, Boka has become the pre- and post-theater stomping ground du jour for younger Steppenwolf patrons. Order a cocktail at the bar, or slip into one of the booths for small-plate dishes like grilled Santa Barbara prawns and a radicchio and portobello mushroom salad with a hazelnut bacon vinaigrette.
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Bombon 4
An offshoot of their revered Pilsen flagship, this bright Mexican café and bakery draws mobs of lunching cubicle workers for the array of tortas (Mexican sandwiches on thick, crusty bread). The die-hard sweet-tooth should consider heading straight to the bakery case, as the pastries are also renowned.
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Borinquen Restaurant
The story goes that Borinquen owner Juan 'Peter' Figueroa created his signature dish after reading an article in a Puerto Rican newspaper about a sandwich that subbed plantains for bread - a flash of inspiration that birthed the jibarito , an auspiciously popular dish that piles steak, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo between two thick, crisply fried plantain slices.
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Bourgeois Pig
A coffee shop whose powerful brew is only matched by the heartiness of its sandwiches and salads, the Bourgeois Pig is a convivial place to have a bite to eat while working through the Reader or chatting with friends. Tea drinkers and vegetarians will find many options on offer.
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Brasserie Jo
This huge, open place serves wonderful food from Alsace, where owner Jean Joho was born. From the signature beer specially brewed by a local microbrewery to the hot, fresh baguettes, all the details are right. Try the great choucroute (smoked meats and sausages on sauerkraut) or the shrimp in a bag. Wear a fancy hat on Thursday and get a free chapeau au chocolat (chocolate hat) dessert.
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Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
At this delightfully ersatz tapas joint, the garlic-laced sauces may have you surreptitiously licking the plates. The menu changes daily but always includes some spicy meats, marinated fish and the city's most renowned small plates. For a main event, order one of the nine paellas (around C$12 a person) as soon as you get seated - they take a while to prepare.
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Cafe Iberico
The creative tapas burst with flavor. Among the standouts: salpicon de marisco (seafood salad with shrimp, octopus and squid), croquetas de pollo (chicken and ham puffs with garlic sauce) and vieiras a la plancha (grilled scallops with saffron). Most of the small dishes average around C$5 . Iberico's heady sangria draws wearied Loop workers by the dozens in the summer.
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Cafe Jumping Bean
This ramshackle café will make you feel like a regular as soon as you step through the door, serving excellent, hot focaccia sandwiches, baked goods and strong coffee to the 20- and 30-something crowd of MFA-wielding local bohemians. Chess and domino games are always breaking out here, and the comfy confines make it an excellent spot for whiling away a couple of hours with a mocha, soaking up Pilsen's colorful surroundings.
