Chicago Dining Scene!

Hi everyone! Welcome back again to the ChefWalkersWorld Blog! I am so happy to be back writing for everyone. I have been recently focusing a lot of time on my podcast which is why I have been less active on here. The first six episodes are out now and I am in the process of recording episode seven. I have enjoyed being able to discuss sports as well as cooking and restaurants with my brother. I have also enjoyed having some of my friends as guest stars as well and hearing their insights into some of the topics I enjoy discussing. I am excited for what is in store for the next few weeks with the podcast as well with more special guests lined up in the future. Anyways, in this post I wanted to get into the Chicago dining scene, specifically some of my favorite restaurants as well as restaurants I am looking forward to trying in the future.

Quick Disclaimer: The Chicago dining scene is very diverse and each neighborhood offers its own unique energy as well as style. This list is not meant to be exhaustive and is certainly not complete. This post is just a way to showcase some of my favorites as well as what I am excited to try in the near future. I am open to suggestions for places as well (if you leave something in the comments, I would appreciate it). Also, I am going to separate this list by places I have been to and places I would like to go to! So, here are the spots for this post:

Restaurants I Have Been To and Enjoyed:

1. Pequod’s Pizza – Lincoln Park
   • Chicago is known for deep dish pizza and this is the spot for the best deep dish in the city. Get a reservation if you can, or else you could be waiting for multiple hours, especially on the weekend. Once you are seated, the pizza is all top your own, meaning they have no set pizzas and you get to just pick whatever toppings you want. Both time I have gone to Pequod’s, I have gotten some combo of pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and peppers, which is not too original but very goo. The pizza usually takes 45 minutes to arrive so I recommend getting a salad and beer to help with waiting. The Maplewood Brewing Son of Juice IPA they have is super good, filled with strong passion fruit and guava notes. Once the pizza arrives, your server will cut the first slice for you and you will be off to the races. This is a fork and knife style pizza FYI. The crispy and cheesy crust is one of the best parts of this pizza by far. But the perfectly cooked middle is also super good. Your first piece will most likely go down fast but then the second may be slower and if you get to a third even slower. But each bite is as good as the last and this is truly a special pizza. I also love that this place is not fancy and just has a great vibe. If there are only a few places you have time to go to in Chicago, this should be one of them!
   • Link to Website: https://pequodspizza.com/
2. Duck Duck Goat – West Loop/Fulton Market
   • This is a restaurant by Chef Stephanie Izard who also has another West Loop staple focused on goat called the Girl and The Goat and also Little Goat diner (In Lake View). Duck Duck Goat is the Chinese American version of this restaurant and serves dumplings (and other di sum staples), noodles, fried rice, and other mains. I highly recommend going on either a Saturday or Sunday for the Dim Sum Brunch. The Xiao Long Bao with Duck and Goat are super good and pack a great punch. The Soy Cured Lox on the brunch menu sounds like it would be strange but was one of the highlights of the visit. I definitely plan on going back to Duck Duck Goat!
   • Link To Website: https://www.duckduckgoatchicago.com/
3. Daisies- Logan Square
   • This restaurant was recently named to the fifty most exciting places to eat in America right now. It is a pasta focused Midwestern Italian restaurant in Logan Square. The space is really big and bright with a little bakery in front when you check in with the host. What I appreciated most when I went here was the unique flavor combinations they had with their dishes. A beet Manhattan for a cocktail? Turkey Tortelloni as a main pasta dish? Oh and you cannot forget the Onion Dip with homemade ruffles and smoked trout roe on top, that is a must order! They are not afraid to try new, bold combinations but also know what works. Highly recommend.
   • Link to Website: https://www.daisieschicago.com/
4. Akahoshi Ramen- Logan Square
   • This is the best Ramen spot in Chicago, but be prepared to wait a month to get a reservation or be willing to walk in right when they open (they do save a lot of space each night for walks in). A couple of friends and I have been on the search for the best ramen in Chicago and call ourselves the ramen club. We have tried many different spots but nothing quite does it like this new ish spot from the Reddit Famous Ramen Lord, Mike Satinover. We were able to snag a reservation for five weeks out (they open reservations every Monday at noon for five weeks out) and this was the most exciting five week wait I have had. When we actually got to go, it was the best feeling ever. I got the special ramen of the month which at the time was a curry based ramen with pork. We also got a soupless ramen to share. But you cannot go wrong with any of them, they were all super good. Oh and you cannot forget the marinated egg- I think the record number of eggs ordered currently is nine for one bowl of ramen so see if you can beat that! I just booked another reservation here for Mid July and I am super excited to be going back and trying their July monthly special!
   • Link to Website: https://www.akahoshiramen.com/
5. Menya Goku- Lincoln Square
   • Speaking of the Ramen Club, this was our favorite spot in Chicago for a bowl of ramen until we tried Akahoshi Ramen and is an incredible spot. This is a tiny restaurant and does not take reservations so if you would like to go, show up early! All of their ramen is super good and you cannot go wrong. Their broth is especially flavorful and probably the best part. I also really like the numbing spices they put in some of their ramens, they burn your tongue but in a good way.
   • Link to Website: https://www.menyagoku.com/
6. Alla Vita- West Loop
   • This was a spot I went to a while back but I still think about and have a desire to go back to again soon. Located in the West Loop, because where else would a popular restaurant be, this is a modern Italian restaurant. They have the most incredible bread to start but do not fill yourself up on that because the entrees are even better. I highly recommend the Chicken Parmesan, it is super cheesy and crispy. I also love the atmosphere and decor in this spot. Overall amazing and want to go back to try it soon because it has been too long.
   • Link to Website: https://www.allavitachicago.com/
7. Gibsons Steakhouse- Near North Side
   • This is a super good old school and well known steakhouse in Chicago. Classic interior, great food and even better service. If you can get to Gibsons Italia that is also a treat and I highly recommend that as well.
   • Link To Website: https://www.gibsonssteakhouse.com/
8. Boka- Lincoln Park
   • This is really a treat of a restaurant and I recommend it for special occasions. This Michelin starred restaurant is incredible from the service to the ambience, it is hard to describe. First off, the cocktails and wine list is incredible. The Duck as the main is one of the best bites I have had in a while and is what I would recommend to order. It is a whole duck and they serve it with a bunch of great sides too. The plating is stunning as well for everything. If you are feeling up to it, the tasting menu is supposed to be great and allows you to try a lot of things, which I would like to do next time.
     • Link to Website: https://www.bokachicago.com/

Restaurants I Am Wanting To Try:

1. Warlord – Lakeview/Wrigleyville/Avondale

• This restaurant opened in April 2023 and does not take reservations.
• The website describes it as a relaxed dining experience focused on preservation and live fire, built on the foundations of family and friendship.
• It is open late, making it a staple amongst chefs.
• Late-night neighborhood restaurants are rare in Chicago.
• The setup is dark and narrow.
• The menu is grill-focused with meats and interesting sides.
• Link to Website: https://www.warlordchicago.com/

2. Johns Food and Wine – Lincoln Park

• This is an order-at-the-counter and then sit down kind of place.
• It is described as a modern seasonal American restaurant. It is nestled into the Lincoln Park neighborhood which is quite nice.
• Link to Website: https://www.johnsfoodandwine.com/

3. Maxwell Trading – West Loop

• This restaurant opened late in 2023.
• It is really hard to get a reservation here.
  • I just booked a reservation to go here for the last week of July which shows how early you need to book to get in here!
• It is a laid-back, community restaurant.
• The menu is very diverse, with many dishes being a fusion of multiple cultures.
• The restaurant is described on their website as offering “City food by city kids.”
• Link to Website: https://www.maxwellstrading.com/

4. Rose Mary – West Loop

• This restaurant serves Italian/Croatian food inspired by the chef’s background.
• The menu is seasonal, featuring rustic but refined dishes.
• The cuisine is described as “Adriatic drinking food.”
• Link to Website: https://www.rosemarychicago.com/

5. Adalina – Near North Side

• This is an upscale Italian restaurant.
• The menu balances between Northern and Southern Italian cuisine.
• Link to Website: https://www.adalinachicago.com/

Thats all for this weeks post. Feel free to post in the comments where you are looking forward to dining in the future in Chicago or where you have gone recently from this list or somewhere else.

Feel free to follow me on Beli to see more recommendations for dining not just in Chicago but across America: http://beliapp.co/app/chefw12

Beli is a “Social Media” app that allows you to describe places you have been, rate them and then share that rating with people you follow. So definitely go check it out!

And make sure to check out the ChefWalkersWorld Podcast at this link: http://open.spotify.com/show/0V27N1gMRYkYB7uwOFXzCy?si=_zJCIOZxSS2c8McAD8xvow

Episode 6 starring my good friend Dean Rider is out now where we discuss the NIL era in college spots and our respective fitness journeys. He has some great insights into some of the drawbacks of NIL for athletes along with why many Americans do not have a desire to get in shape. So I highly recommended checking that out!

For now, ChefWalker out 🫡 and stayed tuned for more content shortly. Looking forward to increasing posts, social media and podcasting throughout the summer!