A Tourist’s Local Guide To Best Food in Chicago

Hello everybody. Long time no see! I hope 2019 was a great year for you. I started today’s blog hoping I will finally finish one last post before winding up 2019, after a good 6 month break from my dear website. Yeah! I listened to my friends and well-wishers complain about not writing. I also looked at the website stats and noticed that the reader count did not drop by that many, which made me feel guilty. There were constant readers and it was my solemn responsibility to give them content. Also, I got a new laptop, whose chocolate keypad is so tempting, that I had to move my lazy butt and begin writing this long due travel blog post.

And I did. Except I started my draft with “Where to Eat” section and realized that the food scene in Chicago is so big and amazing, that it needs a separate page of it’s own. So, here we go with “A Tourist’s Local Guide To Best Food in Chicago”

Chicago is truly a foodie’s dream. The city has so much to offer, culinary wise, depending on the season you are visiting. The tourist’s checklist of must-eats in Chicago, obviously include the world-famous deep-dish pizza and popcorn.

Deep- Dish Pizza

Unos Pizzeria originally invented this legendary pizza back in 1943, Giordano’s made it commercial and popular. That said, there is almost always a wait time of 30-40 mins to get to the counter to order something, and then another eternity to finally get the deep-dish on your plate. Save yourself the wait time and order the same at Gino’s East, instead. Same taste, better wait time, plus you can catch one of Chicago’s comedy shows on the floor above.

Garrett Popcorn

Then comes the popularGarrett popcorn. I honestly bought a small bag of the Garrett Mix (half cheddar and half caramel mix) just to see what the fuss was about. And I must say, I did enjoy it. It was a fun taste to munch when sitting on the lake side, while watching the sunset.

Stan’s Donuts

When in Chi-town, go local. Go to Stan’s. The staff is ever-smiling, coffee is freshly brewed, and donuts are topped on the go. Our stay was around Wicker Park, which was one of the artsy neighborhoods of the city. Cute cafes, late night clubs and fancy bakeries keep the lively vibe going on till late in the night. With parks at every turn you take and murals on every wall you look at, waking in comfy shoes with coffee and donuts by your side is the most city style thing to do.

What’s more? Ending your day with an evening coffee and a sunset book read at the lake would be awesome. Just do it already.

Native Foods

Right on Milwaukee Avenue, in downtown, you will find a vegan paradise – Native Foods. Heads up – I went there on one of the days when I was dog tired after walking for miles and heavily hungry; plus it was a weekend, meaning fewer corporate crowds, meaning friendlier staff, meaning better welcomes and service. So I might give you a biased opinion on this one. Oh well!

You must have seen or heard or read about plant-based meat, which has been the buzz word lately. This California based vegan restaurant is one such experimenter. You’ll see chicken wings, meatballs, burger patties and what not, all made with plants. It was an interesting find. My recommendation is the Buddha bowl – the jasmine rice and Teriyaki sweet potatoes are on point, and Poppin Jalapeno Burger with a side of side of lemon dill potatoes – a little tangy, slight hint of sweetness and the spice of jalapeno peppers made a great taste medley.

Cheesecake Factory

I know Cheesecake Factory is a chain of restaurants and they are all over the country. But this one is kind of special. Back in 1871, there was an accident called the Great Chicago Fire which killed about 300 people and destroyed 9 km of the city. This was a breakthrough in the history of the Chi-town. As a remembrance, Cheesecake Factory built their restaurant with interiors looking like a melting building. It’s located at the ground level of the 360 Chicago Observation Deck. It’s gloomy in a way, but the food never disappoints, as always.

Of course, food sprint doesn’t end here. Chicago is also famous for it’s variety of educational and art museums. Being the nerd I was, I enjoyed the cafeteria food in Field Museum thoroughly. Of the thousands of food joints, every café you walk into and every pub you stop at has local flavors to offer. You must choose, sip and savor with love, joy and appetite.

I will continue writing about the non-food awesomeness of Chicago in a sequel post. Keep them likes and comments coming. Share your love by sharing the posts you like with someone like minded. These truly matter.

Check out my other travel and food stories here.

Thanks for reading y’all. Happy Holidays!!