Welcome onboard Spoon Airlines for your flight around the world. Ready for takeoff? Destination: Chicago. This is a guide on how to finally cure your wanderlust and travel the world without even leaving Chicago. Put that passport away because you don’t even have to leave Chicago to experience authentic international dishes from all over the world. Take advantage of all the culture Chicago has to offer by taking your taste buds on a global vacation through diverse Chicago neighborhoods.
Italian
Photo courtesy of Anthony M. on Yelp
Experience much of what Italian cuisine has to offer when you visit Little Italy in Chicago’s Near West Side. Eat like Frank Sinatra at The Rosebud, Ol’ Blue Eyes’ favorite Chicago restaurant. It’s probably one of the reasons Chicago was his favorite city.
For the full culinary experience of Italy condensed into two floors of a building in the heart of downtown, check out Eataly. Eataly is set up as an Italian marketplace where you can eat, shop, or even take a cooking class. You can find the very best of pizza, pasta, gelato, and even products that are exported directly from Italy. Become inspired by their motto to “eat better, live better.” Buon Appetito!
Photo by Carla Rogner
Mexican
Photo courtesy of @golgo312 on Instagram
Say “hola!” to your favorite new Chi-town hangout. Pilsen is a foodie heaven where you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo every day. Take the Pink Line to the stop at 18th Street and you will immediately be immersed in this vibrant and colorful neighborhood.
Also, you should try Decolores, a family-owned restaurant where you can find some of the most authentic and DELICIOUS Mexican food in the city.
Chinese
Photo courtesy of @infatuation_chi on Instagram
Hop off the Red Line at the Cermak-Chinatown stop to explore the epitome of what Chinese culture has to offer in Chicago. Being the third largest Chinatown in the U.S., its colorful murals and authentic food will have you feeling as if you’re walking the streets of Beijing. Aside from the vivacious atmosphere, there are so many good eats in Chinatown that you can’t go wrong in this neighborhood.
Try dumplings from Lao Sze Chaun, a family-owned, award-winning restaurant in the heart of Chinatown for the best of the best.
Greek
Photo courtesy of @Eateastcoast on Instagram
As they say in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “There are two kinds of people: Greeks and everyone else who wish they were Greek.” Get your Greek on in Greektown where you can find everything from your classic baklava to saganaki. Stop for food at the Greek Islands where your taste buds will transport right to the Islands themselves.
Polish
Photo courtesy of @yonikawiputri on Instagram
Visit the culture-rich area of The Polish Triangle in Pulaski for something new. With Polish being the third most-spoken language, there is so much culture hiding in the city, ready to be shared with the world. Going to the Polish Triangle Marketplace is a fun way to discover a little bit of everything that the Polish culture is about this summer in Chicago. Not to mention, soooo many options for delicious Polish food. It runs every Thursday 3 pm to 7 pm starting June 7th through September 27th at Polonia Triangle.
South Asian
Photo courtesy of @tadastu on Instagram
A vibrant cultural area exists in West Rogers Park along Devon Avenue between Ravenswood Ave. and California Ave. This area represents a vibrant Asian-American culture and you can find some of the best Indian food in Chicago there. The best part is that it’s walking distance from Loyola University Chicago. Try Mysore Woodlands for the eats that will satisfy the ultimate Indian food craving.