Good to know
Good to Know
- Never ask for ketchup on a Chicago hot dog—it's considered a culinary faux pas.
- Deep-dish pizza is extremely filling; locals often prefer thin-crust tavern-style pizza for everyday eating.
- Chicago Diner has become an institution since 1983 and is beloved by vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike.
- PETA named Chicago the most vegan-friendly city in the U.S., with abundant plant-based options across neighborhoods.
- Major food delivery apps (Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash) are widely available; loyalty memberships offer savings on delivery fees.
- Giardiniera (spicy pickled vegetables) is quintessentially Chicago and appears on pizza, sandwiches, and hot dogs.
- Taquerias in Pilsen and Little Village offer authentic, affordable Mexican food; Las Carnitas Uruapan has been operating since 1975.
- Chicago's diverse immigrant heritage (Italian, Mexican, Polish, Greek, Chinese) is reflected in abundant authentic international dining.
Supermarkets
Jewel-Osco
- Location
- 550 N State St, Loop/Downtown
- Notes
- Full-service grocery chain with prepared foods and convenient downtown location
Whole Foods Market
- Location
- multiple locations including downtown
- Notes
- Premium organic and natural products
Trader Joe's
- Location
- Multiple Chicago locations
- Notes
- Specialty grocery with prepared entrees, extensive cheese and produce sections
Devon Market
- Location
- Multiple locations
- Notes
- International brands, specialty imports, prepared foods, reasonable prices
Mariano's
- Location
- Multiple Chicago locations
- Notes
- Midwestern grocery chain with full services
Budget
Portillo's
- Price Range
- $12
- Neighborhood
- Multiple locations; Loop/Downtown accessible
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Chicago hot dogs, Italian beef, sandwiches
Au Chavel
- Price Range
- $14
- Neighborhood
- West Loop
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Cheeseburger, American diner
Santa Masa
- Price Range
- $8.00
- Neighborhood
- Logan Square
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Tamales, Mexican street food
High End
Asador Bastian
- Price Range
- $95
- Neighborhood
- West Loop
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Spanish steakhouse, Basque cuisine
Bavette's Bar & Boeuf
- Price Range
- $85
- Neighborhood
- River North
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Steakhouse, premium beef
Mid Range
Mirra
- Price Range
- $35
- Neighborhood
- Bucktown
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fusion - Indian and Mexican
Lou Malnati's
- Price Range
- $28
- Neighborhood
- Multiple; downtown/River North
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Deep-dish pizza
Smoque BBQ
- Price Range
- $22
- Neighborhood
- Irving Park
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Barbecue, brisket
Delivery Services
Uber Eats
- Notes
- Fast delivery, wide restaurant selection, Uber One membership available for $0 delivery fee
Grubhub
- Notes
- Chicago-based, extensive restaurant partnerships, GrubHub+ subscription for unlimited free delivery
DoorDash
- Notes
- Large restaurant network, reliable service
Postmates
- Notes
- Flexible delivery options, variety of merchants
Michelin Restaurants
Indienne
- Cuisine
- Indian
- Note
- Michelin-starred; vegetarian and vegan tasting menus available; Chef Sujan Sarkar
Alinea
- Cuisine
- Modern American
- Note
- Three-star Michelin restaurant (world-renowned)
The Publican
- Cuisine
- Contemporary American
- Note
- Michelin-recognized pork-focused cuisine
International Cuisine
Mexican
- Highlights
- Taquerias concentrated in Pilsen and Little Village, street tacos, family-owned restaurants
- Notable Spots
- Las Carnitas Uruapan, Taqueria El Milagro, 5 Rabanitos
Upscale Mexican
- Highlights
- Contemporary Yucatán cuisine
- Notable Spots
- Topolobampo (Rick Bayless)
Ethiopian
- Highlights
- Vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, authentic preparation
- Notable Spots
- Demera (Uptown)
Italian
- Highlights
- Neapolitan and traditional preparations
- Notable Spots
- Spacca Napoli, Aba, Ema
Local Must Try Dishes
Deep-dish Pizza
- Iconic Spot
- Lou Malnati's or Giordano's
- Description
- Thick buttery crust with generous cheese and toppings, served in a deep pan. A Chicago signature since the 1940s.
Chicago-style Hot Dog
- Description
- Vienna beef frank on poppy seed bun with yellow mustard, chopped onions, bright green relish, tomato, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt. Never ketchup.
Italian Beef Sandwich
- Description
- Thinly sliced roast beef slow-simmered in gravy, served on French bread dipped in jus, typically with giardiniera and peppers.
Tavern-style Pizza
- Description
- Thin, crispy crust cut into squares. More commonly eaten by locals than deep-dish.
Chicken Vesuvio
- Description
- Italian-American creation: bone-in chicken and potato wedges roasted with garlic, white wine, herbs, peas, and lemon.
Harold's Chicken
- Description
- Fried chicken served with fries, coleslaw, and white bread, with tangy hot sauce on the side. South Side institution.
Jibarito
- Description
- Puerto Rican-influenced sandwich made with sliced, fried plantains, protein of choice, lettuce, mayo, and cheese.
Giardiniera
- Description
- Spicy pickled assortment of peppers and vegetables. Chicago's favorite condiment, served on pizza, Italian beef, and hot dogs.
Vegan And Vegetarian Dining
- Overview
- Chicago is recognized as one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the U.S., with numerous fully vegan restaurants and widespread vegetarian options across cuisines.
Venues
Chicago Diner
- Neighborhood
- Lakeview (3411 N. Halsted Street)
- Signature Dishes
- Radical Reuben, vegan pancakes, burgers, nachos, milkshakes
- Cuisine Or Concept
- Vegetarian/vegan comfort food diner - 'meat-free since '83'
Handlebar
- Neighborhood
- Wicker Park
- Signature Dishes
- Sloppy Joe, Everything Green Salad, vegan mac and cheese
- Cuisine Or Concept
- Vegan and vegetarian comfort food with beer garden
Planta Queen
- Neighborhood
- River North
- Signature Dishes
- Vegan sushi, crispy dumplings, wok specialties, bang bang broccoli
- Cuisine Or Concept
- Upscale vegan restaurant - Asian and modern cuisine
Spirit Elephant
- Neighborhood
- Winnetka
- Signature Dishes
- Mushroom calamari, crispy mushroom burger
- Cuisine Or Concept
- Creative plant-based spins on classic dishes
Kale My Name
- Neighborhood
- Irving Park
- Signature Dishes
- Veggie burgers, buffalo tofu wraps, jackfruit tacos, homemade cheesecake
- Cuisine Or Concept
- Plant-based smoothie bar and casual restaurant with global inspiration
Dietary Accommodations
Halal Dining
- Note
- No specifically documented halal-certified restaurant scene found for central Chicago
Kosher Dining
- Note
- Kosher options available at select locations but no dedicated kosher dining scene in nomad neighborhoods
Gluten Free Dining
- Note
- Gluten-free options available at multiple venues including Chicago Diner and various restaurants with vegetarian/vegan menus
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.tripadvisor.com
- 2.chicagomag.com
- 3.guide.michelin.com
- 4.fodors.com
- 5.theinfatuation.com
- 6.choosechicago.com
- 7.amsterdamfoodie.nl
- 8.appetitesabroad.com
- 9.getyourguide.com
- 10.thisdarlingworld.com
- 11.chicagofoodtours.com
- 12.timeout.com
- 13.travelwithmeena.com
- 14.cozymeal.com
- 15.vegananj.com
- 16.timeout.com
- 17.cadryskitchen.com
- 18.veggiediner.com
- 19.choosechicago.com
- 20.plantarestaurants.com
- 21.happycow.net
- 22.loopchicago.com
- 23.opentable.com
- 24.yelp.com
- 25.yelp.com
- 26.ubereats.com
- 27.get.grubhub.com
- 28.geekchicago.com
- 29.urbanmatter.com
- 30.appscrip.com
More About Chicago
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.