The Windy City has always been one of our favorite eating destinations. With its mix of confident cooking, brazen portions, diverse inspirations, and great local ingredients (not to mention the fact that everyone is so friendly—and so into food), it’s where you go for a big, fat weekend, or tack on an extra day to your business trip to squeeze in a few more reservations. (Did we mention the drinking’s top-notch, too?) Definitely our kind of town.
Chicago
Kari Skaflen, courtesy of Au Cheval
Restaurants, Bars, and More
Marisol
The destination-worthy museum restaurant in Streeterville
Tempesta Market
Where cured meats go to heaven
Old Town Ale House
Every local’s favorite dive bar in Old Town
The Spice House
Just follow your nose to Old Town’s salt-filled, cinnamon-scented wonderland
Sawada
A Japanese coffee import in West Loop barbecue land
Mi Tocaya Antojería
A standout Mexican restaurant in a city of standout Mexican restaurants
Smyth & The Loyalist
Fine-dining upstairs, a famous burger downstairs, and attention to detail everywhere
Roister
The Alinea team goes (a little) wild
Boeufhaus
A new-school brasserie with an old soul
Monteverde
Fresh-pasta heaven in Chicago’s West Loop
Pub Royale
When beer bar meets Indian restaurant
Ipsento
A refreshing lack of cool, in the best kind of way
Avec
The brilliant Chicago restaurant that launched a thousand wood-burning ovens
3 Arts Club Café
Restoration Hardware like you’ve never seen (or tasted) it before
P.O.S.H.
Magical flea-market finds right off the Magnificent Mile
Chicago Athletic Association
The hotel renovation of the century on Millennium Park
Longman & Eagle
The B&B for the serious eater (and drinker) in Chicago’s coolest neighborhood
Gaslight Coffee Roasters
Logan Square coffee with a side of delicious food
Bow Truss
For the hardcore coffee addict, no lingering allowed
Caffé Streets
Wicker Park’s OG coffee bar, using beans from nationally acclaimed roasters
Richard's Bar
Strike dive-bar gold at this cash-only Chicago classic
Scofflaw
Chicago’s cocktail obsession (with some PBR, too)
Sportsman's Club
The best indoor/outdoor bar for simple/spot-on cocktails
Ruxbin
Serious, sophisticated cooking in a seriously fun BYOB setting
Cellar Door Provisions
Chicago’s best bread happens to be in one of our favorite daytime restaurants
Gene & Jude's
Chicago hot dogs worth the trek. Don't ask for ketchup
Fat Rice
Way, way beyond fusion (it’s Macanese) in Logan Square
La Chaparrita
Our favorite Mexican food in Chicago. There. We said it.
Au Cheval
Whether brunch or late-night, this West Loop favorite is always perfectly over the top
Pequod's Pizza
Forget everything you think you know about deep-dish pizza and go here
Still Hungry for Chicago?
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