My family has been “visiting” Chicago for over 20 years (one time, we even rode our bikes there… from IDAHO). We spent a considerable amount of time there for my younger sister Halle. She needed some specific medical attention and her team was based in the Windy City. In fact, our family of 6 lived right down town in a one-bedroom apartment on the 21st floor! Pretty sure that is where my love for “tiny living” stems from.
This last go around, we made it our personal goal to track down the BEST food in the entire city. Some of the places we went are old family favorites, and some are new ventures that we had never tasted before. ENJOY!
The Breakfast Club
Graze
I think I could eat an açaí bowl every morning of my life! They’re just so refreshing. Everything about this place from the bowls to the whitespace is so fresh. Graze is my new fave!
What to order: açaí pt. 2, pitaya bowl.
Sociale
This is one of the best brunch spots in all of Chicago! They also do dinner, but let’s be real, breakfast foods are hard to beat. Sociale is all about shared plates and bold flavors in their gorgeous cafe.
What to order: almond crusted french toast, grilled steak & eggs, or the lemon blueberry pancakes (I think the best I’ve ever had).
Eggs Inc. Cafe
Imagine family-owned, old-school service and diner vibes with a trendier menu. This is a must-stop in downtown Chicago. The plates are huge, so get ready to share, or not!
What to order: skirt steak skillet, lemon blueberry pancakes with delicious marscapone, very berry healthy multigrain pancakes and freshly-squeezed orange juice.
Yolk
Yolk is a classic urban breakfast & lunch spot with fun vibes and great food. From traditional comfort foods to creative, new dishes, Yolk makes everyone happy!
What to order: very berry french toast, the countryside breakfast skillet, cinnamon roll french toast, or eggs benedict caprese.
Corner Bakery
While you may think, “Corner Bakery, that isn’t a Chicago unique location. What is it doing on this list?” Well, you see, Corner Bakery started IN CHICAGO! In fact, the first one was right down the street from where I grew up living in Chicago! So, to pay homage to this Chi-town original, we had to make a stop.
What to order: chicken pesto sandwich, meatball panini, spinach sweet crisp salad and for desert a lemon bar FOR SURE, the cinnamon swirl cake, or a chocolate baby bundt cake!
Meli Cafe
Walking into Meli Cafe is like walking into a friend’s gorgeous downtown apartment for brunch. Homey feelings plus gourmet all-homemade menu options make you want to invite everyone you know for brunch here. This was one of our favorite spots.
What to order: down on the farm breakfast bowl, breakfast quesadilla (the BEST), or the granola pancakes, and don’t forget the fresh-squeezed juice. The chocolate chip pancakes and fruit cobbler crepes were a hit for the babies.
A Bunch of Lunch
Bar Siena
A chic downtown Chicago west-loop Italian restaurant and bar with dishes served cicchetti-style – brought to the table to enjoy as they are prepared and meant to be shared. It’s fun to share family-style and try everything!
What to order: roasted meatballs, carne pizza, sweet corn ravioli, meatball calzone, okay just try everything! Haha.
Honey Grow
This place is food of the future! Ordering and creating your customizable, fresh dishes on the touchscreen computer was easy and fast! Honey Grow is a great option for plant-based foodies, but also has delicious seafood and meat varieties as well.
What to order: stir-frys, salads and honeybars (yogurt, fruit, honey & toppings). The honeybars are AMAZING and so refreshing.
Brownbag Seafood Co.
Brown Bag Seafood Co. gives you quality seafood in an approachable, counter-service style. You choose your own adventure here! They give you a menu and a marker, and you just check the boxes you want! Its awesome!
What to order: grilled whitefish salad, cod & tots, salon protein bowl, lobster roll (and a sprinkled ice cream cone of course!)
El Tapatio
If you’re feeling like Meixcan food, Cafe El Tapatio is a cornerstone in the Chicago community and is known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes. The owners are super fun and made sure we had the best experience when we came.
What to order: verdes enchiladas, camarones Juanita (incredible shrimp dish named after one of the cooks), panels, beef tacos & guava iced lemonade.
Delicious Dinner
Giordano’s Pizza
You probably are wondering what about CHICAGO PIZZA?!?!? We have tried nearly every deep dish place in all the lands and the consensus for favorite is: Giordano’s Pizza!!! They have the best crust, the best cheese-to-toppings ratio, and the best flavor! The classic family tradition however is to go to Gino’s East Pizza where you can graffiti the walls with whiteout and sharpies! It’s a pretty fun place to make memories!
What to order at Giordano’s: We love the CHICAGO CLASSIC – DEEP DISH pizza (Pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers & onions – pictured below!)
Burger Bar
These guys aren’t just another burger joint! They have epic burger combos that will change your life! They are rated as Chicao’s BEST burger for a reason. Don’t forget to start with the fried pickle and end with a creamy milkshake!!
What to order: fried pickles, wild bill burger, back-yard classic and top it all off with a banana Nutella shake.
Texas de Brazil
You had better come hungry to Texas de Brazil. There is so much to try! And the fun part is, you can try everything! The only problem is, you might fill up before you get through all the options. This is an all-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ experience where waiters come around with different meats to try on big skewers. It’s the perfect blend of the epicness of Brazilian BBQ with the hospitality and service of Texas.
What to order: that’s up to you! But, here’s a tip – don’t swoon over the buffet right away, get some beans and rice to go with your meat, but WAIT for the good stuff.
Rosebud
If you are down for some classic italian, and want a fancy night out on the town, look no further than the Rosebud. In fact, we didn’t realize HOW fancy it actually was, and we showed up a LITTLE underdressed (Our brother-in-law Austin was rocking his south-side pride in a White Sox tee! Haha oops.) This is elegant Italian dining at it’s finest.
What to order: bruschetta, spicy calamari, 8 finger cavatelli arrabbiata, or stick with the classic spaghetti and meatballs.
Tasty Treats!
Garrett Popcorn
Garrett’s Popcorn is a MUST STOP in Chicago. Our family has been going for over 20 years now! It’s just the BEST! And actually, turns out, the reason it is the best is because they have their own “propriety popcorn kernel”! It pops bigger and better than all the rest!
What to order: you should definitely sample the speciality flavors of the season, but don’t go home without the famous CHICAGO MIX (cheese and caramel corn!)
Bombobar
If you are ready for a sugar rush of epic proportions – head to the Bombo Bar NOW. There is so much sugary goodness to behold, you may have to go a few times. Gelato + doughnuts + filling + cookies + sauce + toppings!
What to order: s’mores hotter chocolate and toasted coconut gelato with a nutella doughnut. Really any of the doughnuts are amazing!
Portillo’s
Oooooh Portillo’s. Home of the famous CHOCOLATE CAKE SHAKE and amazing hotdogs. This fun joint is always hoppin’ with jazzy, old music and friendly smiles. This is a family favorite whenever we come to Chicago. I won’t lie, this last visit to Chicago, we got chocolate cake shakes every day haha!
What to order: chocolate cake shake IS A MUST, strawberry shortcake, hotdog, bacon cheeseburger, fries, or fehttuchini alfredo.
Photo by @roundtheworldinbabydays
P.S. Here are a couple more recommendations. We didn’t photograph all of the restaurants that we love, but these ones are some more of our CLASSIC FAVES that you shouldn’t miss!
- Wildberry Cafe – actually one of our ALL-TIME favorite breakfast places! Amazing pancakes and skillets. There’s almost always a wait, so plan ahead!!!
- Eggy’s – All things EGGS! This is another fave hipster spot for breakfast. I especially love the Eggy’s Breakfast sandwich.
- Stan’s Donuts – fancy pants donuts with gourmet flavors.
- Doughnut Vault – amazing artisanal donuts made in small batches, make sure you get there early!
- Do-Rite Donuts – your friendly donut next door that also makes dang good spicy chicken sandwiches!
- Magnolia Bakery – a classic cafe for American baked goods and vintage decor. Do yourself a favor and try the world famous banana pudding, it’s kinda life changing!
- Del Seoul – this Korean BBQ place has the BEST fusion fish and shrimp tacos of MY LIFE! Try the kimchi fries too, I don’t even like kimchi but I love these! I dream about this meal all the time. It’s located in Lincoln Park, but I’d go to the ends of the earth for my Del Seoul fix.