Avid “Parks and Rec” fans love the show’s characters for their unique personalities. From Leslie to April to Jerry, there’s a little bit of everything. “Parks and Rec’s” characters each display their defining tastes in food throughout the series, and everyone has an eating style that speaks to their personality.
If you’re a Chicago native or just stopping by the Windy City for a weekend, check out these 10 restaurants that are perfect for the “Parks and Rec” characters’ wide variety of eating preferences.
Ron Swanson: Benny’s Chop House
Meat lovers: while Chicago definitely does not lack in the meat department, Benny’s is the closest you can get to a Ron Swanson-approved steakhouse. It’s debatable whether Ron has ever actually consumed an entire vegetable, but as long as he can eat some form of meat, he remains nutritionally satisfied.
Benny’s Chop House, in addition to featuring some of Chicago’s best steak options, also showcases live jazz performances throughout the week. Dine with a rib-eye steak and a glass of whiskey while listening to a Duke Silver-reminiscient saxophone player, and you’ll be living the Ron Swanson dream.
Leslie Knope: Wildberry Cafe
If you’ve seen even one episode of “Parks and Rec,” Leslie most likely mentioned her love for waffles at some point. It’s hard to find a close comparison to JJ’s Diner, but Wildberry Cafe in Chicago can give JJ’s a run for their money.
This mouthwatering breakfast menu includes eight different kinds of waffles in addition to eggs, pancakes, crepes, and sandwiches. Make sure to ask for extra whipped cream.
Tom Haverford: Spiaggia
Swanky, in-style, and extravagant: Spiaggia screams Tom Haverford from its modernized interior to the 700 bottle wine list. While you may end up paying upwards of $30 for a serving of pasta, the four-star rated Italian cuisine makes it worth your time and money. Treat yo self to gnocchi, risotto, polenta, and many more handcrafted dishes.
Donna Meagle: Southport & Irving
While mimosas may be strictly forbidden in the workplace, thankfully they are a brunch staple. Southport & Irving is no exception to Donna-style brunch, complete with $15 nearly-bottomless mimosas with the purchase of a brunch entrée. A morning spent at Southport & Irving is another treat yo self occasion, whether you order one mimosa or six.
Ben Wyatt: Homeslice
If you’ve watched the entire series of Parks and Rec, you know of Ben Wyatt’s obsession with calzones: oven-baked inside out pizzas that *hopefully* will not give you food poisoning. Minus Ben’s one bad calzone experience, in his mind calzones are one of the world’s greatest gifts.
Homeslice, in addition to offering a wide variety of pizzas, features several different calzone options on their menu. Order a classic cheese calzone, or spice things up by trying a meatball or smoked ham and avocado one. Now all you need is a round of Cones of Dunshire to finish the night off.
Chris Traeger: B’Gabs Goodies
The healthiest man in the town of Pawnee, and possibly even in the state of Indiana, needs all-natural food to keep him on track with his high energy and extreme fitness routines. While Ron Swanson would never step foot in a place like B’Gabs, if you’re vegan, gluten-free, or simply interested in eating healthy, this place has plenty of options for you.
B’Gabs offers smoothies, cold pressed fruit and vegetable juices, a variety of raw and cooked entrées, veggie sides, salads, and even a few desserts. Embrace the Chris Traeger diet for a day by eating all raw and organic.
Ann Perkins: Next
Ann Perkins constantly changes herself for her boyfriends, just as Chicago’s Next restaurant changes its menu every four months to match the ever-changing world of cuisine. Some of Next’s previous menu themes include Modern Chinese, The Hunt, and Paris 1906. One final perk: Ann will have no complaints about the issues of splitting checks because Next sets a fixed rate for every customer.
April Ludgate and Andy Dwyer: Dick’s Last Resort
Dumpster diving? Chocolate on spaghetti? Andy Dwyer will eat literally anything, and no food combo is too weird to keep him away. As for April, the intentional rudeness of the servers at Dick’s Last Resort is right up her alley. Your meal comes with a personalized insulting paper hat, so April could not be more satisfied.
While Dick’s Last Resort is not unique to Chicago, no other Chicago restaurant fits April and Andy quite as well. The menu features some unusual food combinations if you’re up to try something new, such as the Oink & Moo burger with pulled pork or Wicked Gator alligator bites.
Jerry Gergich: Homer’s Ice Cream
Nothing fits with Jerry’s homey lifestyle better than a local, classic ice cream store like Homer’s. As a family man, Jerry enjoys frequenting local ice cream shops with his wife Gayle. Homer’s is the perfect family location, the company itself creating a long-standing family business of homemade ice cream.
Homer’s is not located directly in the city, but if you’re looking to get away from the bustle of Chicago it’s only a short drive away. The menu has around 40 different ice cream flavors and ships ice cream overnight. If you eat anything like Jerry, make sure to bring several napkins with you…although I’m not sure whether Homer’s will provide you with a backup cone if you drop your first one.
This article only covers a few of Chicago’s many fantastic restaurants, yet based on the “Parks and Rec” characters’ variety of eating preferences, it gives you a pretty good start. From medium rare meat to homemade ice cream, you can find a place in Chicago to satisfy your dining needs beginning with this “Parks and Rec” guide.