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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 pa
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 f
Sure, this city has great architecture, museums, and sports venues. But at its heart, Chicago is really a food town. Thi
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.
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Hyde Park
Near North and River North
Day Trips from Chicago
Lakeview and the Far North Side
Lincoln Park and Wicker Park, with Bucktown and Logan Square
Asian fusion is the name of the game at this lively Hyde Park restaurant, where Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, and other influences mingle on a menu that ranges from classic to creative and even includes some American staples for tamer diners. With an energetic atmosphere, plenty of dishes for sharing, and a menu that takes dietary restrictions into account, Chant is an easy spot for groups to gather.
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.
Opened almost 60 years ago, Medici has served generations of University of Chicago students and faculty, many of whom carved their name on the tables and walls.
Hyde Park has been experiencing a culinary renaissance thanks to a few new faces, including chef-owner Matthias Merges, whose restaurant features contemporary American interpretations of cuisines from France, Italy, and Germany. The comfortable, artfully decorated restaurant draws University of Chicago staff and parents taking students to dinner; tipples are just as innovative here as they are at sister Logan Square cocktail bar, Billy Sunday, so it’s worth stopping by the bar before dinner.
Hyde Park is known for it's comfortable neighborhood restaurants, but Park 52 is a bit more sultry than you might expect. The contemporary American menu is at its best with straightforward dishes such as barbecue-braised short ribs, shrimp and grits, and the "samurai" steak—a triple-seared New York strip. It's not exactly the place you'd think to bring your kids, but they do have a children's menu. On the first and third Wednesday of the month there is live music at night. Order a strong cocktail, settle into one of the velvet-covered chairs, and listen to live music floating down from the balcony.
5201 S. Harper Ave., Chicago, Illinois, 60615, USA
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