Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
The cult of the bike messenger runs strong in Chicago, and this clamorous restaurant-bar is a way station for tattooed couriers and locals who love the…
Must-see restaurants in Chicago
Chicago
NoMi is perched on the Park Hyatt hotel's 7th floor, providing a sleek, art-filled interior and spectacular Magnificent Mile views. The seasonally driven…
Chicago
Music blasts from the stereo while delicious Korean fusions arrive from the kitchen at this cheerful little spot. The ‘Bad Boy Buddha’ bowl, a variation…
Chicago
Pizano's is a good recommendation for deep-dish newbies, since it's not jaw-breakingly thick. The thin-crust pies that hit the checker-clothed tables are…
Chicago
People go crazy over Au Cheval's cheeseburger. It drips with a runny fried egg, melty cheddar and tangy dijonnaise, all stuffed into a super-fluffy bun…
Chicago
Warm, sunny Big Jones puts sustainable 'Southern heirloom cooking' on the menu, mixing dishes from New Orleans, the Carolina Lowcountry and Appalachia…
Chicago
The Garcia brothers (hence the 'G') learned the gourmet-sausage trade from famed Chicago bratmaster 'Hot Doug' Sohn. This is the place to bite into, say,…
Hendrickx Belgian Bread Crafter
Chicago
Hiding in a nondescript apartment building, Hendrickx is a local secret. Push open the bright orange door and behold the waffles, brioche and croissants …
Chicago
This teensy, chandelier-clad shop is indeed in a vault – an old bank vault – with room for only a handful of people. The glazed doughnuts (vanilla or…
Chicago
The tough decision at this revered breakfast house is between the free-range-egg omelets and the legendary French toast, cooked in rich cream batter and…
Chicago
The crowds come to this popular, spacious utilitarian eatery for banh mi (served on crunchy fresh baguette rolls) and the pho, which is widely regarded as…
Chicago
Attached to the HI-Chicago hostel and perfect for the hungry, thrifty traveler, Cafecito serves killer Cuban sandwiches layered with citrus-garlic…
Chicago
There's a scene every night at this local original. Politicians, movers, shakers and the shaken-down swirl the famed martinis and compete for prime table…
Chicago
It’s a matter of dispute, but some say Malnati is the innovator of Chicago’s deep-dish pizza (Lou's father Rudy was a cook at Pizzeria Uno, which also…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Think you’ve had a good breakfast burrito before? Not until you’ve eaten here. The Southwestern-bent dishes, cozy atmosphere and jovial staff draw hordes…
Chicago
This superb gastropub hides on a working-class block in Bridgeport. There's much to love here: the ubercool mid-century modern decor, the exquisite…
Chicago
The city's top purveyor of stuffed pizza has an outpost on Navy Pier. What is stuffed pizza? It's a bigger, gooier riff on deep dish: it's dough, with…
Chicago
At this cheerful box of a shop, super Italian ice comes loaded with big chunks of fresh fruit, which keeps crowds lining up throughout the summer. The…
Chicago
Reno is a refreshingly casual neighborhood spot in the heart of Logan Square – that rare restaurant that meets several needs at once. Breakfast? Options…
Dusek’s Tavern and Dining Room
Chicago
Pilsen's hipsters gather under the pressed-tin ceiling of this dark, cozy tavern to fork into highbrow comfort food so delicious it has earned a Michelin…
Chicago
Quiote, named after the flowering stalk of an agave plant, is two places in one: it's a long, candle-lit dining room featuring modern, Mexican-inspired…
Chicago
Vietnamese banh-mi sandwiches are the name of the game here. Baguettes are the base for the French-inspired concoction, and Nhu Lan bakes its own daily…
Chicago
Bad Hunter describes itself as 'vegetable-focused,' so vegetarians will find plenty to sink their teeth into, such as buttery squash dumplings with…
Chicago
Exposed brick walls and sepia-hued family photos lend a cozy atmosphere to this spot, the second coming of a bakery that occupied this Little Italy…
Chicago
Chicago scored a major coup when it landed the first outpost of dough deity Gabriele Bonci’s beloved Roman pizzeria. Each day the diminutive shop bakes…
Peach's at Currency Exchange Café
Chicago
This former currency exchange, cleverly reconceived as a stylish cafe and community gathering spot by local activist-artist Theaster Gates, injects a…
Chicago
Ridiculously busy and head-bangingly loud, Kuma’s attracts the tattooed set for its monster 10oz burgers, each named for a heavy-metal band and hefted…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College has turned out a host of local cooking luminaries – this classy space with river and skyline views is where…
Chicago
At this buzzy, candle-lit space – an outpost of the well-known Brooklyn pizzeria – diners huddle over chunky wooden tables while digging into creatively…
Chicago
The namesake pie comes in several varieties daily. Check the blackboard for coffee custard, spiced apple plum, chocolate peanut butter and more creamy,…
Chicago
This is the third West Loop hot spot helmed by star local chef Stephanie Izard, and it focuses on Chinese-inspired dishes. The vast menu sprawls across…
Chicago
At celeb-chef Rick Bayless’ Mexican street-food restaurant (pronounced ‘show-co’) everything's sourced from local farms. Crunch into warm churros with…
Chicago
Given that diners spend most of the meal view-gaping, you’d think the kitchen atop 875 N Michigan wouldn’t trouble itself over the food, but the chef does…
Chicago
Grant Achatz' West Loop restaurant remains one of the hottest tickets in town. And we mean it literally – you need a ticket to dine at Next, which…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
The national press crowned La Pasadita's burrito as one of America's 10 best. They are absolutely behemoth and delicious, with mouthwateringly good carne…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Join the shaggy rockers reading graphic novels and eating cinnamon streusel French toast for breakfast, grilled Gouda-and-white-cheddar sandwiches for…
Chicago
This counter-service spot, a mod-looking addition to local bar Maria’s, has created a new culinary genre: KoPo, or Korean-Polish fusion. The owners…
Chicago
It’s all about whopping portions of Hawaiian food here, from musubis (rice rolls wrapped in seaweed) to saimin (egg noodle soup) to katsus (breaded…
Chicago
Casual Lou's pays homage to the area's meatpacking past, when 'meat and three' cafeterias – where you'd select a meaty main dish and three sides – were…
Chicago
Point to what you want in the glass case, then a staff member will load it into the lazy Susan and spin it around to you. The device is hardly big enough…