Mentioned by Goats On The Road
21 Best Places To Eat in Chicago (Foodie Guide
"A partnership of L.A.’s Stan’s Donuts with our homegrown Labriola Baking Company, the Chicago version may not be quite as star-struck, but wow, do they know how to donut. Now open in nine Chicagoland locations (with a 10th coming soon to Oak Brook Terrace), you can load up on their Standard (Glazed, Powdered Sugar, Plain Old Fashioned), Dough Boy’s Best (Peanut Butter Banana Pocket, Glazed Pretzel), and Specialty (Raspberry Bismark, Glazed Orange Old Fashioned, Dreamsicle Bar) donuts, as well as a small selection of “glutenless” donuts, and wash it down with Stan’s Dark Roast coffee (another happy partnership, this one with local Passion House Coffee Roasters)."
"In addition to a wide array of donuts (everything from Glazed to Nutella Banana Pockets), Stan’s Donuts also serves up gelato, shakes and Intelligentsia coffee. Stop by to take in the fun, retro vibe and order one of their most popular creations – Lemon Pistachio Old Fashioned."
"There are regular doughnuts and then there are doughnuts topped with sprinkles and filled with bananas and Nutella, and Stan's specializes in the latter."
"Floriole functioned as a stand at Chicago's beloved Green City Market for nearly five years before it became a brick-and-mortar restaurant. As such, expect market-driven fare that prizes freshness and seasonality above all else. Those priorities manifest in menu items like late-season roasted tomato and swiss chard quiche, ricotta toast topped with plums and honey, and pea salad with radishes, turnips, and spring onions."
"The longest-established purveyor of canelés in Chicago, Floriole Café & Bakery's Sandra Holl may also be their least traditional practitioner. Holl produces her canelés without the use of beeswax, and has even been known to tweak the time-honored vanilla-rum flavor profile. (A chocolate version, for instance, makes an appearance in the café each February.) Traditional or not, her approach works."
"Find your way to this cute cafe and you’ll be forced to leave all your cravings at bay. Order their Concord grape and salty brown butter walnut tarts, honey pie, coffee cake, almond croissant, or even pecan roll, and you’ll find your senses thanking you for such a lovely reward. The cafe is well lit, and the environment is clean and chic, service too, is friendly and quick."
"Wicker ParkAs good as the coffee at The Wormhole is, that’s not the draw (though you should order the Peanut Butter Koopa Troopa). No, the reason you go to Wormhole is to kick back with a latte in a coffee shop modeled off of the living room you wish you had. The seating, although limited, is plush and comfy, and nestled underneath the shop’s iconic DeLorean busting through the roof is an old TV featuring an original NES with a selection of games for when you need to take a break from working."
"Like a trip back in time, The Wormhole Coffee in Wicker Park serves coffee in an atmosphere filled with quintessential nostalgia pieces, complete with an almost-to-scale model of the Delorean."
"Fairgrounds has found the perfect intersection of quality coffee fans and busy urbanites by expanding its menu to teas, quick cafe-style food and an all-day breakfast menu. Combine this with locations in high foot-traffic areas like Bucktown and you've got a recipe for success. It's a good thing too because Chicago's breakfast taco game needs all the help it can get!"
"It’s a place where families can hang out and relax with stellar drinks and good food. Kids aren’t an afterthought here – their own menu has fun options like Sadee’s Sliders — turkey and cheese on brioche buns — or Ruby’s Rollups, tortillas with sunflower butter and jelly. All of the meals come packaged in fun colorful lunch boxes with fruit, chips or veggies."
"It is probably the only spot that is famous not only for its coffee but also for tea. The coffee spot is near Wicker Park. Also, the interior is cozy and chic."
"If a pizza met a sandwich and had a baby," is how co-owner Anthony Pinello describes this Sicilian staple at Rex Italian Foods House-made dough is topped with mozzarella cheese, cooked prosciutto, pepperoni and deep-fried peppers, heated in the oven and crisped on a panini press. "It's like a real-deal Italian style ham and cheese," guy says. Watch the Video: Sicilian Schiaccata"
"Restaurants Cafés Edgewater. The lakefront patio of the Waterfront Cafe, a seasonal favorite in Edgewater, feels like it would be equally at home in a small beach town. Snack on nautically-inclined menu items like lobster, brown butter crab or Cajun shrimp rolls and polish off your meal with a mix-and-match bucket of beer."
"If you visit Chicago, this is a great patio-only restaurant featuring views of Lake Michigan and a chance to get as much of a beachy vibe as possible while in the Windy City. The restaurant is right on the water and the atmosphere is really chilled out. Come enjoy the sun and wind while sipping a very reasonable $10 sangria."
"Restaurants Coffee shops Lake View. Take a walk on the wild side at this no-frills shop that bakes inventive pastries that rotate daily (red mole croissants, lavender space pies and pimento cheese biscuits are some of our all-time favorites) alongside a curated collection of coffee drinks like Kyoto cold brew, cappuccino, espresso and more."
"If you adore cheesecake, then you must try Eli’s Cheesecake Company. Their strawberry cheesecake has been deemed one of the best desserts in Chicago, as it has perfectly balanced flavors and a delectable cookie crust. Eli’s is a family-owned business, and they’ve been around since 1980."
"This family-owned bakery has been making their signature dessert in Chicago since 1980. Try a slice of their most popular flavors, like original, chocolate chip, toffee, and strawberry — all made with Eli’s famous all-butter cookie crust."
"It’s very close to the Chicago Museum of Contemporary art, so if you happen to be there for a tour, you can get there on foot quickly. The Water Tower place consists of various mix-use amenities, such as hotel, theater, condominiums and a shopping mall. The shopping mall offers a wide variety of both contemporary fashion and big brands such as American Eagle Outfitters."
"A few of the highlights of your tour include the Museum Campus, Navy Pier, Water Tower Place Mall, Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), and more. You’ll be able to disembark at most landmarks, so it’s easy to use this your to further your itinerary (although traffic can be a factor, so don’t rely exclusively on this for transportation)."
"Water Tower Place is named after its neighbor, the historic Water Tower. Opened in 1975, this eight-level mall is located at the base of a 74-story skyscraper that includes condominiums, office space, and the Ritz-Carlton hotel. The mall is anchored by Macy’s and American Girl."
"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. Reserve a table at Torali restaurant and experience the best first-class Italian cuisines. The restaurant has been elegantly furnished and gorgeous decor was used to enhance the beauty of this luxurious spot."
"Technically an Italian steakhouse, Gibsons features a large lunch menu with a large variety for diners with a variety of..."