However, that’s far from the only recommended place for Chicago-level steak dining. Hungry for a great steak that’s truly a cut above the rest? A steak cooked in the city that was once considered America’s number-one source for beef? Then sink your teeth into a T-bone at Gene & Georgetti, a famously old-school steakhouse that is both elegant and intimate. This delicious treat comes in 40 unique flavors, but their most popular are original plain, chocolate chip, and strawberry topped. Interestingly, Chicago’s popular Eli’s The Place for Steak was the home for this scrumptious cheesecake that has outlived the very restaurant that invented it. At family-owned Eli’s Cheesecake, making cheesecake is an art. This classic Chicago dessert first debuted at the inaugural Taste of Chicago, the nationally renowned food festival that’s become one of the largest of its kind in the world. Visit any of Ann Sather’s three locations for a taste of sweet home Chicago. This Swedish diner, opened by its namesake in 1945, has a quaint, neighborhood-oriented feel, and is as well-known for its frosting-covered cinnamon treats, as well as its phenomenal brunch menu. Swedish cinnamon rollsįorget what you think you know about cinnamon rolls, so often associated with shopping mall food courts and airports, the moment you walk into Ann Sather. May we suggest that for a taste of the real deal you pick up a jibarito from La Bomba in Logan Square or Papa’s Cache Sabroso in Humboldt Park. This local creation is the stuff of sandwich legend, made with sliced and fried plantains, your choice of protein (seafood, meat, or vegetables), and generously adorned with lettuce, mayo, and cheese. You can thank Chicago’s thriving Puerto Rican community for the jibarito. Find more deep dishes at Lou Malnati’s, Gino’s East, and Giordano’s. These hefty pies are overflowing with melty cheesy goodness. What makes deep dish special? Well, for starters it’s not just a flat dough base - tall walls of buttery crust hold in loads of mozzarella, topped off with tangy tomato sauce. The origins of deep dish have been lost to history, though Uno Pizzeria & Grill, reputed to be the first to serve it, has been pleasing customers with their take on the specialty since 1943. With all due respect to the Chicago-style hot dog, some will insist that deep dish pizza is truly the most local of local foods. Don’t pass up trying their best-selling, world-famous Garrett Mix: a mix of cheddar and caramel popcorn.ĭeep dish pizza Cheese pizza, Chicago style deep dish italian cheese pizza with tomato sauce. In addition to Buttery and Plain, Garrett’s handcrafted recipes also include Spicy CheeseCorn and four different CaramelCrisp recipes in Pecan, Macadamia, Cashew, and Almond. Today, these treats are still made in copper kettles, much like they were three generations ago. Remember, on Chicago-style dogs, no ketchup is allowed! Garrett Mix popcorn Garrett PopcornĬirca 1949, you could have found Gladys Otto, Garrett Popcorn Shops founder, selling bags of CaramelCrisp, CheeseCorn, Buttery, and Plain styles of popcorn for 5 cents a bag on the streets of Chicago. Ask a local where to get an authentic Chicago dog, and they may point you to Portillo’s, a can’t miss. Surround an all-beef frank in a poppy seed bun, decorate the top with yellow mustard, garnish with chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, and tomato, sport peppers, add a dash of celery salt.
The world-famous “Chicago dog” is a savory treat whose reputation is surpassed only by its tantalizing tastiness. Don’t miss trying a true taste of our city with these iconic bites that represent the best food in Chicago.
So what should you eat while you’re here? The answer is a little bit of everything. Today, these diverse contributions have made Chicago’s dining scene into a rich tapestry of culinary cultures. The first major influxes of immigrants came to Chicago in the mid-1800s, bringing with them not only their hopes and dreams, but their culinary traditions. And, no wonder - food is an integral part of our city’s rich history. Chicago has earned a reputation as one of our nation’s top culinary capitals.