“Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world.” - Frank Lloyd Wright

This is my final recap of my Chicago trip, and I had to end this series with the post I’ve been asked about the most - Dining Out: Chicago Edition. Chicago had some pretty amazing places to eat, and out of all the places we dined, G and I only had one spot that was a little lackluster (that place is obviously not featured on this list, ha). To say that our food experience was wonderful is an understatement. Also, there is such a wide variety of food choices to choose from, this city is so diverse that you’ll be sure to find something that is beyond enjoyable.

If you have been reading along so far, I’ve recapped my experiences indulging on some of the best donuts and drinks the Windy City has to offer. Now, we are diving into some wonderful restaurants that we had the pleasure of enjoying during our trip in October.

RPM Steak

RPM Steak was so wonderful, and G and I totally splurged on this restaurant during our fancy date night out for his birthday. The space is stunning - from the bar to the dining room. This spot was super packed when we went on a weeknight, and having a reservation is an absolute must for RPM. Our waitress was amazing, and the in-house sommelier guided us through the wine list, which had spectacular options to choose from. We were super impressed with all of the options on their menu as well.

Take a peek at what we ordered below!

The sommelier assisted us and selected an amazing wine for us to enjoy during the evening.

An amuse-bouche provided by the chef, a potato cake with smoked tuna, and caviar on top.

Roasted Ora King Salmon + Tarragon Aioli

When it came to the dessert, I was dying to try the 14K gold chocolate cake. It was featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on the Food Network, and ever since I saw it, I knew it was something I’d have to order at RPM. This decadent chocolate cake did not disappoint whatsoever, and it was totally worth the wait.

The cutest cotton candy setup for Carlton’s birthday surprise.

Portillo's Hot Dogs

Portillo’s Hot Dog is a relaxed spot, that serves up Chicago classics, like the city’s iconic hot dog. This place is very popular with the locals, and gets crowded super quickly. Also, we loved how casual this spot was, it was set up cafeteria-style, and once you place your order you’re able to grab any table you want in the restaurant. This place is casual, fun, and a great way to try some of Chicago’s popular dishes.

Nutella Cafe

Who isn’t in love with Nutella? This chocolate hazelnut spread is one of my favorite treats. The Nutella Cafe has a marvelous storefront right in the heart of Michigan Avenue. Visiting this spot was super easy for us, as it was right across from our hotel. The cafe gets very crowded during peak hours, but we arrived shortly after they opened for breakfast, and were able to get our order in very fast. We were given excellent recommendations by the staff and enjoyed some delicious treats during our visit.

Pound Cake “Panzanella” with fresh Berries

Nando's

Nando’s is a chain, but it was the first time G and I tried this spot. Also, it was super convenient, as this spot was also right by our hotel, and it was the first spot we tried when we arrived in the Windy City. I was actually super surprised at how delicious this place was, but I should have known this place was a hit with so many people flocking to the restaurant! Nando’s has excellent options on their menu and with such a wide variety. Now that I know there are some locations close to home I’ll be visiting them again for sure.

Getting ready to try the PERi-PERi Wings for the first time.

Giordano's

Giordano’s was so so good and absolutely worth the 45 minute wait it took for our deep dish pizza to get to our table. This restaurant rivaled another popular deep dish pizza restaurant - Lou Malnati’s. The only difference between the two places is: Giordano’s uses a traditional dough based crust, while Lou Malnati’s uses a cornmeal base mixture. If you visit Chicago you’ll see both of these places everywhere, but Giordano’s was my absolute number one pick. The best advice when getting a deep dish is to arrive early to the restaurant. There was a wait for patrons to be seated by the time we wrapped up our meal, and there was no empty seat in the place! G and I went to Giordano’s around 11AM, as it takes 45 minutes to 1 hour for your deep dish pizza to bake. Also, we skipped on ordering any appetizers so we could really enjoy our dish! We opted to order a small deep dish to share, which yields 6 slices, and was more than enough for the two of us. Also, our experience was so nice. The staff was super kind and really did their best to make our experience enjoyable.

Grabbing a slice of the delicious deep dish pizza - look at the ooey gooey mozzarella cheese!

XO, Analise