10 Great Restaurants in Chicago
Where to Eat in Chicago and What to Try?
If you’re looking for great restaurants in Chicago, the city’s state of the art restaurants won’t let you down. Whether you’re looking for something fancy or a simple hot dog and fries, Chicago will delight you with some of the best offerings in the world. Local favorites are always going to include the pizza joints and hot dog stands, with each offering unique Chicago twist on the traditional flavors and styles.
Chicago’s restaurant scene features international fare as well as some offerings that are delightfully unconventional yet incredibly good. Be sure to try the best restaurants in Chicago that the locals can’t stop talking about and are far from the typical tourist traps.
1. Café Ba-Ba-Reeba
Authentic Spanish fare
Good for: Food, Couples
Café Ba-Ba-Reeba is a Spanish small-plates restaurant that offers authentic tapas with bite-sized pintxos and different styles of sangria to try. Every dish on the menu can trace its roots back to Spain, as can some of the equipment used to prepare them. The restaurant’s wood-burning oven, for example, was specially ordered and flown in from Madrid.
The drink selection at Café Ba-Ba-Reeba is fairly expansive. Not only are there 6 different kinds of sangria on offer here, but you can get them to go as well. The wine list is also quite varied, and like everything else in the restaurant, the wines come straight from Spain. Enjoy a taste of Spain just a few steps southwest from Oz Park.
Location: 2024 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 4 pm to 9 pm, Friday from 11.30 am to 11 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 11 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 773-935-5000
Café Ba-Ba-Reeba
2. Pequod’s Pizza
Local deep-dish pizza
Good for: Food, Families
Pequod’s Pizza offers some of the best deep-dish pizza in town, thanks to their famous technique that creates a savory caramelized crust. The caramelized crust effect is created by cooking the pizza in a pan that’s been sprinkled with cheese. As it cooks, the cheese fuses itself with the crust and the heat creates a delicious caramelization effect.
This restaurant also has an impressive drink menu featuring domestic and imported beers alongside several different wines. A spirits selection is also available, including whiskey, tequila, and gin. You’ll find it all on the southern edge of West Depaul, just a short walk east from the North Branch Chicago River.
Location: 2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 11 am to 2 am, Sunday from 11 am to midnight
Phone: +1 773-327-1512
Pequod's Pizza
3. Little Goat Diner
A great place for a brunch
Good for: Food, Families
Little Goat Diner offers a delightful array of New American fare that ranges from sweet to savory, making it one of the best places in the city to for brunch. This beloved eatery is particularly popular with the locals, thanks to its all-day breakfast menu that satisfies morning cravings at any hour.
Beyond breakfast, Little Goat Diner also serves a variety of lunch items, including mouth-watering burgers. With its rich flavors and welcoming atmosphere, it’s no wonder this diner has become a favorite for many.
Location: 3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
Open: Hours vary by season
Phone: +1 773-819-7673
Little Goat Diner
4. Coalfire Pizza
Delicious thin-crust pizza
Good for: Food, Couples, Families
Coalfire Pizza is a thin-crust-pizza joint, which makes it unique for Chicago, and it offers delicious pizzas cooked in rustic, coal-burning ovens. Because of their clean-burning coal ovens, every one of their pizzas comes out a bit charred and bubbly, which is perfect for foodies who love a little singe to their pizza.
To accompany your pizza, you can also select from a comprehensive drink menu offering local beers, wine, and soft drinks. Check it out by visiting Coalfire, just a few blocks south of Eckhart Park.
Location: 1321 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 4 pm to 10 pm, Friday from noon to 10.30 pm, Saturday from noon to 10.30 pm, Sunday from noon to 9 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 312-226-2625
Coalfire Pizza
5. The Purple Pig
Small plates with a Mediterranean twist
Good for: Food, Unusual
The Purple Pig is stylized like a wine bar and offers a large menu of small-plate items that combine Mediterranean flair with a taste of the Midwest. You’ll find plenty of Greek-style chicken and taramasalata, but pork and pig’s ear are among their top items.
The atmosphere at this restaurant is notably cozy, as it’s fairly small compared to many restaurants in the West Loop and facilitates a more intimate experience than most alternatives. You can try it for yourself on the south end of the Magnificent Mile, just north of the DuSable Bridge.
Location: 444 Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Open: Sunday–Wednesday from 11 am to 9 pm, Thursday– Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm
Phone: +1 312-464-1744
The Purple Pig
6. Lula Cafe
Savoring the seasonal freshness
Good for: Food, Couples
Lula Cafe is a farm-to-table restaurant that changes their offerings seasonally to ensure they’re using fresh, quality ingredients. Every first Monday of the month, the café hosts a farm dinner with pre-selected courses and ingredients from local farms.
The food itself is difficult to classify into a singular style, as the chefs are self-taught and are encouraged to cook against categorization. What you can be sure of, however, is that the offerings fit well in a bistro and are popular with brunch diners. Try it yourself just steps away from Logan Square Park.
Location: 2537 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647, USA
Open: Wednesday–Monday from 9 am to 1 pm and 4.30 pm to 10 pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: +1 773-489-9554
Lula Cafe
7. Davanti Enoteca
A small-plate Italian wine bar
Good for: Food, Couples
Davanti Enoteca provides a relaxing dining experience where you can enjoy small plates of Italian fare and choose from a long list of wines. The restaurant features a lounge area in addition to the main dining room, and it also offers a private party room that you can book for up to 40 guests.
The food at Davanti Enoteca primarily consists of small dishes like escarole and burrata, but you’ll also find handmade pizzas that you can observe being made from the main dining room. You’ll find this restaurant in Western Springs, just down the road from Spring Rock Park.
Location: 800 Hillgrove Ave, Western Springs, IL 60558, USA
Open: Monday–Tuesday from 2 pm to 9.30 pm, Wednesday–Thursday from 11.30 am to 9.30 pm, Friday from 11.30 am to 10 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 708-783-1060
Davanti Enoteca
8. Au Cheval
Famous for its egg dishes
Good for: Food, Couples
Au Cheval is an upscale diner and bar with a vintage vibe and a penchant for eggs, but it’s also known for its signature burger. In addition to the burgers and array of egg dishes, you’ll also find chilaquiles, another local brunch favorite, traditional sandwiches, and fare like roasted bone marrow and chopped chicken liver.
Wash down your meal with your choice of draft beer or a classic cocktail, as the diner features a full bar as well. You can try it all yourself on the east side of Fulton Market.
Location: 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 11.15 pm, Sunday from 10 am 10.15 pm
Phone: +1 312-929-4580
Au Cheval
9. Dove’s Luncheonette
An old-fashioned diner with a unique mix of flavors
Good for: Food, Families
Dove’s Luncheonette is an old-fashioned diner that serves a unique mix of classic American fare with clear Mexican influences and some Tex-Mex style. For example, you can get Southern fried chicken mixed in with a Mexican-inspired gravy for a unique taste you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
The atmosphere of this restaurant is unique as well. You’ll find a 1960s diner-style setup and ambient music that plays as much saxophone as it does harmonica. You can experience it all for yourself just north of Wicker Park.
Location: 1545 N Damen Ave., Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Open: Monday from 9 am to 3 pm and 4 pm to 9pm, Tuesday–Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm, Friday–Saturday 9 am to 3 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm, Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm
Phone: +1 773-645-4060
Dove's Luncheonette
10. Portillo’s
A Chicago classic
Good for: Food, Couples, Families
Portillo’s is a Chicago classic that offers traditional American fare like burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and more that can be paired with crinkle-cut fries. The Chicago dog is especially popular since they utilize an extra-soft poppy seed bun that lets you enjoy your hot dog without it being overpowered by heavy bread. You’ll also find offerings like croissant sandwiches and pasta.
You’ll find a few Portillo’s locations around the Chicago area, and each offers the famous chocolate cake that you won’t want to miss out on. You’ll find Portillo’s all around the city, so you can enjoy a quick and delicious Chicago-style meal wherever your adventures take you.
Location: 100 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA
Phone: +1 312-587-8910
Portillo's
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