Best Food To Eat In Chicago

Hello, dolls!! Hello, Monday! This Monday doesn’t suck too much because my best friend Alyza is here. Last time I saw her was when we visited Nashville 10 months ago. We decided to go to New York for a “girl’s weekend” so I wasn’t able to post this entry! We did A LOT and I can’t wait to share them here soon…hopefully. 

Anyway, here is the last installment of my Chicago series (yay!). A part of me feels like I am still in Chicago whenever I read my posts about it. Now that I am sharing my last guide on that trip, I feel like my “vacation” is now over. Needless to say, I saved the best for last!

Chicago is a very diverse city, so how do you come up with a list of food to eat with so many things to choose from?

Good morning, Chicago!

Can we stop and appreciate the flowers first?

I know you came here for food but I can’t help but share all of the beautiful flowers I saw during our trip!

Definitely a great reminder of how lucky A and I were to celebrate our anniversary in Chicago.

Now, the good stuff. Let’s talk about food!! 

Al’s Italian Beef

Al’s is on top of my list for mouthwatering Italian beef. Everyone that we asked about Chicago said that we should definitely go to Al’s — and they were right!

Chicago Dog

I ordered the Chicago dog so A and I can try two of their bestsellers. Growing up in the Philippines, I would always order “Chicago dog” from this hotdog stand in the mall. I thought it came with chili!! But real Chicago dog doesn’t. The components are mustard, tomato, pickles, peppers, and relish.

Now…the jawbreaker! I almost stole this from A! The jus/ gravy was soooo flavorful it made the entire sandwich even better. Looking at this picture makes me drool!!! The best way to enjoy Italian Beef is with hots! So don’t forget that.

I honestly won’t mind if we eat here for lunch every day when we go back!

80% Italian Beef, 20% Baby 😛 

A and I were “sightseeing” when the preggy in me started complaining about being hungry lol. We passed by this quaint Russian restaurant along the subway and decided to get a quick bite to “refuel” for another walkathon.

There are also a great number of Russians and Macedonians in Chicago so A said we should definitely try the food!

A ordered a cup of borscht and he loved it!

Told myself I deserve this delicious nutella crepe and I shouldn’t feel guilty at all. It was so good I finished my crepe when A was only halfway done with his soup lol.

Deep Dish Pizza

A lot of people suggested that we try deep dish pizza, but honestly, A and I are not too excited about it so we did not really add it to our list.

When we went to Millennium Park and saw there’s a line of food trucks parked outside, we decided to get a slice. I’m biased since I am a thin-crust-kind-of-girl so I thought this was a bit much for me.

Shopping makes me hungry! So after walking all afternoon, I told A we should definitely have Chicago dog again…so we did!

We saw downtown dogs as we were walking along Nordstrom Rack. I told A it seems like a “hole-in-the-wall” kind of place so it looks promising.

We shared this mouthwatering chili cheese dog from Downtown Dogs. It was the perfect afternoon snack!

Portillo’s is a must visit too. They are known for their wide selection of food! From Italian Beef, ribs, pasta, and even desserts!

There are different “stations” where you can get food to make service much faster. This place is huge and it gets REALLY busy. A and I went on a Monday and it was packed for lunch!

We tried their chocolate shake. It was delish but filling! After a couple of sips, I was pretty much done with it lol.

It was interesting to see tamales in most fast-casual restaurants in Chicago so I couldn’t help but try it on our last day.

 A’s Italian Beef…done right 😛

Monday lunch goodness!

We enjoyed the food at Portillo’s! It definitely lived up to the hype.

West Egg Cafe

For our last brunch in Chicago, I asked A if we can go to the cafe in front of our hotel so we do not have to walk too far.

I was feeling a little sick that day so I decided to stick to my basic favorites — mushrooms and cheese!

A got this delicious chicken fried steak and I am not going to lie, I ate almost a third of it because it was sooo good!

…and of course, pretty much the reason why I got convinced to go to Chicago.

Garrett Popcorn is a MUST MUST MUST!

I first tried Garrett Popcorn when I went to Singapore for a class trip. Ever since I am obsessed! I told my family about it when we were there for a family vacation and they LOVED it too! Basically saying Garrett is irresistible! Lol

The crunchy popcorn coated in buttery caramel just fills your mouth with sweetness <3 NOM!

Bringing back some goodies!

Bonus Tip: WHERE TO STAY — DoubleTree By Hilton in Magnificent Mile <3

xx

R <3