Mentioned by Chicago Magazine
The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago for Families
"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)."
"Stan's Donuts has quickly become a Chicago icon with decadent flavored donuts, cookies and delicious beverages. They are currently open every day for takeout and delivery."
"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 is home to some of the best desserts in Chicago, and they always aim to go organic and local with their ingredients where possible. What we love about this spot, is that their menu is constantly changing according to the availability of produce. While this vibe may not be for everyone, there’s something exciting about this potluck experience."
"This bright cafe and bakery is known for their rustic French pastries, made using fresh ingredients sourced from local, sustainable farms. Head straight to the dessert case to choose from a rotating selection of from-scratch goodies, like croissants, Basque cake, fruit galettes, and more."
"Restaurants Coffee shops Wicker Park. To get Wicker Park excited about another coffee shop, you’d have to do something pretty crazy. Like, say, install a DeLorean in the front of the store."
"The Wormhole will take you back to the future—a model of Marty McFly’s DeLorean is literally in the shop. This ‘80s themed coffee shop has a menu full of delicious coffee options and is one of the coziest spots in Wicker Park. Order for pickup now!"
"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."
"Put together your typical diner fare, Chicago-style hot dogs, and spaghetti and meatballs and you’ll get the Pittsfield Cafe’s huge menu. This place has it all, from “The Best of the Best Breakfasts” to chicken parmesan. Bring your picky eater or a group with diverse tastes here and everyone is likely to find something they love."
"Eat This, You’ll Like It: Le Croissant Sandwich – Sausage, Gouda Cheese, Eggs, and Caramelized Jam stuffed Croissant ($5.99). If you’re like me, you don’t want a frilly breakfast. You’re this close to skipping breakfast anyway, but you need fuel."
"Cult coffee company and San Francisco treat Philz Coffee took Chicago by storm over the past few months, opening locations in Hyde Park, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, and suburban Evanston. The chain is famous for both its shop inside Facebook HQ and customizable coffee drinks with beans ground on the spot. View this post on Instagram"
"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."
"And at four stories and 35000 sq feet, it’s also the biggest. The centerpiece of the store is a 56 ft steel cask. Also, it serves as a Willy Wonka-esque chute for roasted beans."
"Oakwood Beach, also known as 41st Street Beach, is Chicago's newest public beach, developed in the late 1990s by the Chicago Park District and officially opened to the public in 2010. The beach, which is located at the terminus of 41st Street at the Lake Michigan shoreline within Chicago's Oakland neighborhood, spans 1,300 acres and is open to the public for swimming between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with lifeguards staffed on duty between 11:00am and 7:00pm. Environmentally-sustainable beach features include a bio-retention area intended to treat storm sewer runoff and a LEED-certified beach house with rainwater-harvested toilets, which received the Chicago Greenworks Award in 2010."
"OaklandOpened to the public in 2010, Oakwood—also known as 41st Street Beach—is both relatively new and still somewhat of a hidden treasure. Although it’s small in size, it manages to pack in a great beach house, a nearby picnic area, and volleyball courts. And, of course, you can’t beat the view!"
"Eat This Right Now: Chia Bagel – Vegan Loaded Bagel ($7.50). I’m not sure what is the best part of Chicago Bagel Authority. Their laid back atmosphere with couches, writing on the wall, and board games paired with their extra late hours makes it a great place to hang out."
"New Yorkers might think that they have America’s best bagels… but they’ve probably never heard of CBA. CBA is the Chicago Bagel Authority. They serve mouthwatering steamed bagel sandwiches in seemingly endless varieties."
"Chicagoans love sandwiches, so it’s no surprise that bagel sandwiches are a must. Chicago Bagel Authority is just a friendly reminder that bagels can be eaten at any time of day."
"Known for its limestone gatehouse and highly decorated columbarium niches, which are composed of photographs, artwork, flags, and other mementos of individuals whose ashes are stored there, this cemetery, established by Chicago's Czech community in 1877, also features storied mausoleums, stained glass images and a special dedication to Chicago Cubs fans. It's a quieter, welcome alternative to public parks that often draw rambunctious young children."
"A little walk-up stand in Little Italy with fantastic Italian ice, which we understand is not ice cream. But this is your summer power move when you need a break from the richness of creamier sweets (or just a palate cleanser between two other ice cream stops). All the flavors are good, but the go-to here is the lemon."
"Walk up and order from a menu filled with fresh Italian ice flavors with pieces of real fruit. This stand is only open from May to September each year so get it while you can."