I love Chicago. Growing up I always thought of Chicago as the little New York mixed with my a little bit of the Georgia suburban life. I’ve always seen myself living here except for in the winters… it’s way too cold for this California transplant. In May we made a weekend trip out to Chicago, it was Y’s first time so we hit up some of the usual spots but also a few new ones too! Here is a list of the places we visited (or wish we had extra time for!) in Chi Town.
AU CHEVAL | 800 W Randolph St // Bon Appetite called the Au Cheval one of the best burgers in America so we had to put this on our list. We read about long lines so we got their before they opened – there were a few people in line but we were seated right away! The Au Cheval burger was quite delicious – definitely a memorable burger.
THE PUBLICAN | 837 W Fulton Market // Pork is the star here at the Publican. The restaurant has a large room with a U shaped communal table in the middle and booths with swinging doors surrounding the outer perimeter. The booths were fun – but at the same time a little cumbersome to get out of. The Publican’s menu changes daily but try the spicy pork rinds – I think those are always on the menu.
EATALY | 43 E Ohio St // I love visiting Eatly in NY so we popped in here for afternoon snacks. Eatly carries prepared pizzas, pastas all things Italian as well as a market and pantry items!
LITTLE GOAT | 820 W Randolph St // This place is actually just a few doors down from Au Cheval. It’s a restaurant by former Top Chef star Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat (which we tried to get into but couldn’t get a table). The restaurant has a modern diner feel with a eclectic menu offering. Order the Bull’s Eye French Toast an egg in the hole brioche toast with chicken and strawberries and the Kimchee & Bacon & Eggs & Pancakes Asian Style Breakfast Tasty Thing. Interesting and delicious flavor combinations for the win.
PEQUODS PIZZA | 2207 N Clybourn Ave // I’m not a big fan of deep dish pizza but when in Chicago… you eat deep dish pizza. Pequod’s is a great spot for some really yummy deep dish though, my friend Sarah who lives in Chicago recommended it. What I love most about their deep dish is that the bottom of the pie is crispy and not soggy like other places I’ve tried.
FAT RICE | 2957 W Diversey Ave // I read about Fat Rice on Bon Appetite and I love my Asian food so even though this was a little hard to get to we ventured out. They are known for their Arroz Gordo however we weren’t that hungry so we shared the pork and ginger dumplings and Minchi Hash fried minced pork and beef with a sunny side egg on a bed of coconut rice.
MILLENNIUM PARK | 201 E. Randolph St. // You can’t go to Chicago and not visit Millennium Park. It’s a beautiful park where you will find “Cloud Gate” also known as the bean, Jaume Plensa’s Crown Fountain the public interactive art with faces and water as well as concerts in the summer and more.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO | 2400 North Cannon Dr. // Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoo’s in America and free!
SECOND CITY | Multiple Locations // Watch a comedy show at Second City. Started as a small comedy theater now one of the most well known theaters leading in improv sketch. Comedians like Tina Fey and Bill Murray started here!
ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | 111 S Michigan Ave // A massive and beautiful art museum – you could probably spend days here. We were able to catch a special Van Gogh exhibit while we were there but check the website for all special events.
WRIGLEY FIELDS // I have little interest in baseball but Y was interested in checking out a game at Wrigley Field. It’s an older station so it’s smaller but quite a nice experience if you’re into sports!
GODFREY HOTEL | 127 W. Huron // We stayed at the Godfrey Hotel in the River North Area which was perfect. We felt like we were pretty centrally located to everything – we mostly walked and took the CTA everywhere (trains and bus!). We were upgraded to a king suite which has a little living room. The bed was soft and fluffy and hugged your body, the perfect place to call home for the weekend.
Where are you favorite places in Chicago?
