Where to Eat in Chicago: Restaurants for Every Kind of Getaway

With music in the background, boats in the foreground, and all of the restaurants one could wish for in front of you, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with where to eat when visiting Chicago. Here are some suggestions based on what you may or may not be in mood for and the kind of weekend getaway you may be on…

ADULTS Only:

Beatrix– This is the perfect place for a breakfast with all of the twists and turns one could hope for. There is fresh juice, chia and quinoa, and, of course, avocado. There are even dishes such as Spicy Chicken Tinga and Shakshouka. But for those of you who are more traditionalists, there is still an Eggs Your Way option as well as yogurt with granola, oatmeal, and Belgian waffles. (They are also open for lunch and dinner.)

Arts 3 Club at Restoration Hardware- This glass ceiling-ed slice of heaven is a design-lover’s dream. There is a fountain in the middle of the restaurant and Restoration Hardware furniture that they let you eat on! Get there early, though. When we were there, the restaurant opened at 11am, but people started lining up around 10:15am or so to get in.

Fig and Olive– Nothing seems more adult to me than “lunching” on Oak Street. Fig and Olive is a great option as it sits on an upper level and allows for fantastic people watching both down below and within the restaurant itself.

Le Colonial– I’m just going to be straight with you. Le Colonial is my favorite. This French-Vietnamese Restaurant has withstood the test of time, and nothing has beat it in my book yet. I love the design. I love the food. I love the recently-discovered Vietnamese coffee. Go to Le Colonial.

Topo Gigio– For the longest time, I wouldn’t order pasta when out for dinner because I couldn’t convince myself to order a dish that I could make for myself at home in 10 minutes. Topo Gigio changed all of that. There is a definite art to really good pasta and I’m going to leave that to the restaurants. (Oh, and if pasta isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options too).

Orso’s– We love Orso’s. The atmosphere of an old time Italian restaurant and a vine covered outdoor eating area are just about all we need to make for a charming evening in Old Town.

With KIDS:

Our favorites with kids aren’t necessarily geared specifically toward kids (although some maybe are). Nonetheless, adults are sure to enjoy these recommendations as well. (Warning: this may be somewhat of a repeat for those of you who read Chicago With Kids: Can’t Miss Places and Restaurants. If you haven’t read that post, head over to check out our favorite kid-friendly activities too.)

Stan’s Donuts– If you are opting out of a breakfast sandwich at Whole Foods (one of our favorites), Stan’s Donuts is a fun spot for the kids with it’s pink retro theme and case of tempting donuts (my kids of course just ordered the powdered sugar donuts despite several attempts to convince them to try to the Nutella-filled Wedge).

West Egg– This is another of our favorites. The staff is great. We’ve almost always had the same host, which makes it feel homey (exactly how I want to feel at breakfast). We’ve even been given our own semi-private room before with enough room for two double strollers. The food is classic and sometimes, when you’re with kids (and even when you aren’t), you want to know what to expect and know that it is going to be good.

Shake Shack– If you are taking the kids to Maggie Daley Park, the Bean/Cloud Gate, or the Fountains, the Shake Shack is an easy choice. Located at the bottom of the Chicago Athletic Club (one of these days, we will make it to the top to Cindy’s!), this is a quick order and go restaurant with kid (and adult) favorites such as burgers, hot dogs, fries, and, you guessed it… shakes!

Gemini– If you are at the Lincoln Park Zoo, stop in to Gemini (it’s about a 1/2 mile walk or a quick cab ride). Their kids’ food is presented like the grown-up fare and we’d like to think that the fairly intimate space, marble bar top, leather booths and fancy tile work may inspire our kids to use their best manners.

Carmine’s– If you are shopping downtown (i.e., spending half your day at the American Girl Store or the Leggo Store), Carmine’s is a nice adult-with-an -accompaniment-of-kids atmosphere on Rush. And what kid doesn’t love Italian food?

FOR SENTIMENTAL PURPOSES:

I have yet to find a Thai place around us that I love the way I love Joy’s and Noodles in the Pot. I don’t know if it is the broke, one-cheap-eat-out-meal-per-week grad school student still talking but the food is great and the pricing is even better. I would wait all week to order the huge helping of Pad Thai with chicken from Joy’s. The sister restaurant, Noodles in the Pot, was by my husband’s apartment and we love remembering how we would get home late from our summer jobs and get Noodles in the Pot at 10 at night (a really fabulous, low carb feast- haha!). So, yes, I may be a bit jaded by memories, but again, these restaurants have been around forever so it can’t be just me.

IN ADDITION:

If you are staying at or near, Viceroy Chicago, the avocado toast at Somerset is lovely as is the entire atmosphere. Check it out here. In fact, you might as well just stay… It is the perfect location and there is a package that includes valet parking (which you will definitely want).

If you are staying at or near the Fairmont, Columbus Tap is a hidden gem. Again, the decorating and design are on point with the old time town, and the food… it’s really, really good! I’m not one to tell people what to get to eat as we all have our own tastes and preferences, but, if you are not a vegetarian, you have to get the Porchetta. It just may have helped my husband recover from a terrible migraine. I took the kids by myself for the second night in a row to Columbus Tap (let’s just say that the staff is amazing!) and got this sandwich. It’s expensive. But, there is no way one person could eat it solo.

FOR GROUPS:

While we tend to be overwhelmed with large group travel/restaurant-eating, Megan, from Moderately Excited, has you covered. She has some great suggestions! And, since she lives in Chicago, these recommendations are legit and span different neighborhoods, so this is a great way to explore Chicago too. Check them all out here.

There you have it! These are our favorites 🙂 Did we match up on any?

Here’s a pin for your next Windy City trip: