Must-see restaurants in Chicago

  • Mr Beef

    Chicago

    The signature Italian beef sandwich, a Chicago specialty, arrives on a long white bun loaded with thin-cut roast beef that's been simmered and ladled with…

  • Papa's Cache Sabroso

    Chicago

    Homey, family-run Papa's is a favorite of the local Puerto Rican community. Specialties are roasted chicken (as you can see from the birds slow-turning on…

  • Bistro Campagne

    Chicago

    Chicago has a lot of French bistros sprinkled around, but not many perfect the balance of fine yet unfussy dining in a sophisticated but welcoming…

  • Ricobene’s

    Chicago

    Ricobene's has been around for four-plus decades catering to construction workers, young families and other neighborhood types. While pizza and pasta take…

  • Morton’s

    Chicago

    Morton’s is a chain now, but Chicago is where it all began, with meat aged to perfection and displayed table-side before cooking. See that half a cow? It…

  • Native Foods Cafe

    Chicago

    For tasty, vegan fast-casual fare, Native Foods is your spot. The big ol' BBQ burger features seitan bacon and melted mock American cheese on a plant…

  • Feed

    Chicago

    With red-checked tablecloths, a free-play jukebox piled with classic rock and country, and a menu of Southern home cookin’, cash-only Feed has a chipper…

  • Tweet

    Chicago

    Decadent, reimagined breakfast standards hit the tables at this cozy morning spot in a stunning art deco building. The Havarti omelet folds in green apple…

  • RJ Grunts

    Chicago

    The very first of the now-ubiquitous Lettuce Entertain You stable of restaurants, RJ Grunts came on to the scene in the 1970s, when Lincoln Park emerged…

  • Publican

    Chicago

    Set up like a swanky beer hall with urbanites young and old sitting across from each other at long communal tables, Publican specializes in oysters, hams…

  • Chicago Diner

    Chicago

    It's the gold standard for Chicago vegetarians and a longtime favorite, as the 'meat-free since '83' tagline indicates. Top marks go to the mushroom…

  • Eataly

    Chicago

    This two-story Italian food emporium overwhelms when you step inside. The winners among the many restaurants and cafe stations strewn throughout include…

  • Manny’s Deli

    Chicago

    Chicago’s politicos and seen-it-all senior citizens get in the cafeteria-style line at Manny’s for the towering pastrami and corned-beef sandwiches, matzo…

  • Saucy Porka

    Chicago

    This airy, Asian-vibed eatery fuses flavors from Puerto Rico, Korea, Japan, China and Vietnam. Eclectic dishes result, such as the 'baco' (a cross between…

  • Mr Brown’s Lounge

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    Named after a Jamaican folklore tale that Bob Marley adapted into a song, this bar-restaurant cooks up such Jamaican staples as curried goat, jerk chicken…

  • Floriole Cafe

    Chicago

    Floriole's chef started out selling lemon tarts, twice-baked croissants and rum-tinged caneles (a pastry with a custard center and caramelized crust) at…

  • Plein Air Cafe

    Chicago

    Natural light streams in the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out at Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed Robie House next door. Order a quinoa-and-roasted…

  • Bandera

    Chicago

    Looking up at the entry to this 2nd-story restaurant on Michigan Ave, you’d have no idea of the gem that waits inside. The restaurant has the comfortable…

  • Meli Cafe

    Chicago

    Meli is the Greek word for ‘honey,’ and it’s apt for this sweet breakfast spot. Cage-free eggs served over a bed of potatoes, spinach-and-feta omelets,…

  • Restaurant Sarajevo

    Chicago

    Family-owned Sarajevo serves homemade Bosnian cuisine with Italian, Greek, Turkish and Mediterranean influences. Specialties include ćevapčići – skinless…

  • Pizzeria Uno

    Chicago

    Ike Sewell supposedly invented Chicago-style pizza here in 1943, although his claim to fame is hotly contested. A light, flaky crust holds piles of cheese…

  • Tecalitlan

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    Weighing in at more than a pound, the carne asada burrito with cheese is not just one of the city’s best food values, it’s one of the city’s best foods…

  • Jin Ju

    Chicago

    Jin Ju throws a culinary curveball by tempering Korean food to Western tastes. The minimalist candlelit interior echoes softly with downbeat techno, and…

  • Epic Burger

    Chicago

    This sprawling, sunny-orange restaurant beloved by South Loop college students brings eco-conscious fast-food eaters the goods they crave: burgers made…

  • Black Dog Gelato

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    All hail the oddball masterpieces on this little shop's ever-changing menu. Will it be the goat's cheese cashew caramel flavor or the sassafras rum raisin…

  • Native Foods Cafe

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    Entirely plant-based versions of comfort-food classics beckon at this sunny corner fast-casual spot right on Wicker Park's main shopping strip. Plow into…

  • Mirai Sushi

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    This high-energy restaurant has a higher-energy saki lounge upstairs; both are packed with young locals enjoying some of Wicker Park's freshest sushi…

  • Cafe Jumping Bean

    Chicago

    This ramshackle cafe will make you feel like a regular as soon as you step through the door. It serves excellent hot focaccia sandwiches, baked goods and…

  • Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp

    Chicago

    There's not much to look at inside this 24-hour joint, but the window at the end of the long dining room frames a stunning scene of the Willis Tower over…

  • Mia Francesca

    Chicago

    Diners quickly fill up the room at this family run Italian bistro (part of a local chain) and energy swirls among the closely spaced tables, topped with…

  • Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits

    Chicago

    The name doesn't lie: Bang Bang serves pie, both sweet and savory, but even better are the biscuits – fluffy masses that come with bacon, avocado or other…

  • Village Tap

    Chicago

    Even though it can get packed on weekends, this neighborhood tavern does everything well: food, drink and atmosphere. The kitchen turns out great…

  • Furious Spoon

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    Perch yourself at the long, high wooden tables and delve into a giant bowl of ramen, made with vegetable, chicken, pork or spicy beef broth and stuffed…

  • Big Star

    Chicago

    Wicker Park favorite Big Star branched out into the Wrigleyville madness with this two-story restaurant across from the ballpark. While it's not quite on…

  • Upton's Breakroom

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    This spartan cafe attached to the headquarters of mock-meat magicians Upton's Naturals offers sandwiches, salads, sides and more that feature the company…

  • Beatrix

    Chicago

    Beatrix buzzes with business types, ladies who lunch and tourists staying at the attached hotel. Light-wood tables and mason jars full of seeds form the…

  • Spacca Napoli

    Chicago

    You might walk by this plain-looking restaurant and wonder why so many families, older couples and millennials are thronging it. The answer: Neapolitan…

  • Eleven City Diner

    Chicago

    Plates groan under massive portions of Jewish-diner meals while subway tiles and giant menu signs evoke the spirit of a classic New York deli. There's all…

  • Kitchen Chicago

    Chicago

    This space right on the river is a knockout: an airy room of exposed concrete, glittery chandeliers and chunky wood tables with water views. The motto is …

  • Carver 47 Juice & Experiment Bar

    Chicago

    Located in the Little Black Pearl arts center, this plant-adorned, farmhouse-chic cafe nourishes the spirit with buttermilk biscuits for breakfast and…