Top 10 Most Scrumptious Food To Try In Chicago, Illinois

1. Chicago-style hot dog

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Portillo's Hot Dogs (@portilloshotdogs)

It is not yet another classical yummy hot dog found on a street food stall. It’s a pretty special hot dog, originating from the city of Chicago, and it’s well worth the fame. Inside the poppy-seed bun, hot dog lovers will taste beef, yellow mustard, sweet pickle, white onion, sports peppers, tomatoes, celery salt, and a dill pickle spear. The most common preparation methods of these hot dogs involve cooking in hot water or steaming before adding the toppings. The traditional hot dog comes with its natural casing, for a crispier bite.

Portillo's

Address: 100 W Ontario, Chicago, IL 60610

Website: Portillo’s

Opening hours: Mon: 9 am to 5 pm / Wed-Sat: 10 am to 1 am / Sun: 10 am to midnight / Tue: closed

Average price for two: Below 10 USD

2. St. Louis-style ribs

The St. Louis-style ribs are a Chicago-style barbeque, obviously associated with the St. Louis area, and refers to spare ribs that are slow-smoked in a barbeque pit above wood, charcoal or both. The distinctive element that differentiates it from the classical barbequed ribs, is that they are cut in a very concrete way removing bones and rib tips, so the ribs end up looking beautifully formed. St. Louis-style ribs are so popular that they are usually a class entry in barbeque competitions.

Smoque BBQ

Address: 3800 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60641, USA

Opening hours: Tue-Thu & Sun: 11am to 9pm / Fri & Sat: 11am to 10pm / Mon: closed

Website: Smoque BBQ

Average price for two: Approximately 23 USD

3. Single burger

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Au Cheval Diner (@auchevaldiner)

Considered by many people as one of the best burgers throughout USA, Chicago has managed to transform an otherwise classical food experience into an extraordinary one. There are numerous restaurants around here that serve the so-called single burger, that comes in different flavors, starting from the cheese-filled one, and adding bacon or fried egg according to your taste. The photo can’t describe enough the deliciousness of this fabulous burger.

Au Cheval

Address: 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 10am to 1am / Sun: 9am to 12am

Website: Au Cheval

Average price for two: Starting from 25.90 USD

4. Jibarito

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chrissy Camba (@chrissycamba)

Jibarito has its origins in Puerto Rico, however, it was Chicago that actually promoted this sandwich-type dish and is nowadays popular among plentiful eateries. The original jibarito is made of fried green plantains (instead of bread), a garlic-flavored mayonnaise, and a filling including cheese, meat, tomatoes or lettuce. This sandwich is so tasty that has become popular in restaurants around Chicago and is really worth trying if you like to experiment with new flavors.

The Jibarito Shop

Address: 1646 West 18th Street Chicago, IL 60608

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11am to 8pm / Sat: 12pm to 8pm / Sun: 12pm to 5pm / Mon closed

Website: The Jibarito Shop

Average price for two: Starting from 10.50 USD

5. Chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bay Laurel Culinary (@baylaurelchef)

Well, if that looks mouth-watering in the photo, imagine what happens once you try it. The Chicago-born chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates might have a long name, but they are small in size and divine in taste. They are naturally served as appetizers in gatherings, potlucks, or parties in general, while their ingredients are of course, dates stuffed with chorizo sausages which are then wrapped around with a piece of bacon. The result is a fine combination of contrasting flavors: sweet date, spicy filling, and salty, crispy bacon.

Azukar Tapas & Cocktail Bar

Address: 2647 North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647

Opening hours: Wed, Thu, Sun: 5.30pm to 11pm / Fri - Sat: 5.30pm to 12am / Mon & Tue closed

Website: Azukar

Average price for two: About 5 USD

6. Pan (deep-dish) pizza

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vegan Plantbased (@veganfoodsnaps)

To avoid misunderstandings, let’s make things clear. Pan pizza and deep-dish pizzas are one and the same thing, aka the most famous, delicious Chicago-style pizza, an idea which was developed in Chicago. Suggested by its name, a deep-dish pizza has a rather deep crust, allowing space for loads of extra cheese and tomato sauce, while the final look resembles more of a thick pie rather than a pizza. The pan used to prepare it, is steel, round one, unlike the usual pans for pizzas. You will find it in many places around Chicago.

Giordano's

Address: 223 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60606

Opening hours: Daily from 11am to 10pm

Website: Giordano’s

Average price for two: 11-30 USD

7. Bing bread

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MyThy Huynh (@mightyinthemitten)

Originally coming from China, the bing bread is a delicious, wheat flour-based type of food, that resembles a pancake or flatbread. In Chicago, however, they make an impossibly indulgent variation of this humble flatbread, that can’t be missed. They basically fill it with bacon, potatoes, and cheese and they top it with sesame seeds and soya sauce, while other ingredients include green onion, oil, salt, pepper, and sugar. This dish is best cooked in a cast-iron pan and usually paired with sour cream butter.

Parachute Restaurant

Address: 3500 N Elston Ave Chicago, IL 60618

Opening hours: Tue - Thu: 5pm to 10pm / Fri - Sat: 5pm to 11pm / Sun & Mon closed

Website: Parachute

Average price for two: 13 USD each piece

8. Cake shake

Chicagoans know how to eat well and they are rather inventive when it comes to food. So, what they did with the classical milkshake that we all love, is that they just leveled it up. Their admittedly unusual but gorgeous mix of ice cream, a generous slice of cake, craft beer, and other yummy toppings is certainly something you don’t see everywhere, so once in Chicago, make this your must-eat dessert. The appearance is fairly splendid, and the taste simply insane.

Public House Chicago

Address: 400 N STATE, CHICAGO, IL

Opening hours: Daily 11.30 - 2, except for Saturday: 11.30 - 3

Website: Public House Chicago

Average price for two: About 10.40 USD

9. Rainbow cone

You can’t go wrong with this famed rainbow cone. If you are a lover of colors and flavors, then this is the right ice cream for you. This spectacular Chicago tradition started back in the ‘20s and has since been a favorite. The original rainbow cone consists of five flavors, named chocolate, strawberry, vanilla with cherries and walnuts (the so-called Palmer house), pistachio, and orange sherbet, although the final combination went through several variations. Cake rolls with the rainbow flavors are also becoming popular.

Rainbow Cone

Address: 9233 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60643

Opening hours: Fri - Sun: 12pm to 8pm

Website: Rainbow Cone

Average price for two: Starting from 6 USD

10. Cinnamon rolls

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stan's Donuts & Coffee (@stansdonutschicago)

Cinnamon roll can be such an addiction, and trust us, in Chicago, they know how to create this addiction. The main ingredients of this pretty popular sweet roll are flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter, while it is mainly consumed in North America and Northern Europe. In Chicago, they serve, except for the regular cinnamon roll, also a yummy maple cinnamon roll for extra flavor. You can’t just leave Chicago without trying its famous cinnamon roll!

Stan's Donuts

Address: 181 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago IL 60601

Opening hours: Mon-Thu & Sun: 6am to 9pm / Fri & Sat: 6am to 10pm

Website: Stan’s Donuts

Average price for two: Below 9 USD

Chicago won't let you starve

Gastronomically speaking, Chicago is a city where locals respect good food and visitors alike appreciate what the city has to offer. Plus, the coolest things are going on around here, so why not combine your appetite with sightseeing or entertainment?