The Evolving Chicago Restaurant Scene
So many restaurants, so little time

How sweet it is, in Southwest Michigan we have easy access to the ever changing Chicago restaurant scene a short drive or train ride away. We often compare notes with our fellow chefs and guests who get excited about discovering many different restaurants. We are pleased to share some of our collective favorites by category.

Chicago Style Hot Dogs

This classic is always topped with plenty of relish, tomatoes and sport peppers but never ketchup. There are plenty of vendors selling this classic but the 2 that we feel are the ultimate are:

Hot Doug's: The self-proclaimed "Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium." Try their french fries that are cooked in Duck Fat.

Franks and Dawgs: "5 star dining on a bun specializing on producing the best handcrafted gourmet hot dogs and sausages bar none!" They make their own sausages and hand cut the fries. Bravo!

Pizza

Chicago-style pizza is a deep-dish pizza with a 3 inch buttery crust and large mountains of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. These are not Italian style pizzas but are guaranteed to fill you up.

Pizzeria Uno: Opened in 1943 by Ike Sewell, who wanted Americans to eat his pizzas as a meal and not a snack, so he combined some of Italy's original recipes with large quantities of meats, fresh cheeses, vegetables and spices.

Gino's East Pizza: Ginos pizzas are unique because they are baked in cast-iron pans. The original Gino's East was opened in 1966 by two taxi drivers who knew how to cook pizzas.

Seafood Restaurants

Shaw's Crab House: This restaurant on East Hubbard Street has extremely fresh fish and seafood. Try their Sunday brunch as it's almost as good as ours.

Cape Cod Room: This restaurant is located in the Drake Hotel and was opened in 1933 and has been inducted into the Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation's Restaurant News. Their lobster bisque is accompanied with a perfect pour of sherry.

Celebrity Chef Restaurants

Rick Bayless Restaurants: Award-winning chef-restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality Rick Bayless has done more than any other culinary star to introduce Americans to authentic Mexican cuisine and to change the image of Mexican food in America. Rick opened Frontera Grill in 1987 and the dressier Topolobampo in 1989.

Gale Gand Restaurant: An Executive Pastry Chef / Partner recognized in 2001 as Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year by The James Beard Foundation and Bon Appetit magazine, and in 1994 as one of Food & Wine's Top Ten Best New Chefs. She is executive pastry chef and partner for TRU, the renowned four-star Mobil, five-diamond AAA, Relais & Chateaux Relais-Gourmand restaurant she opened in 1999 with partner chef Rick Tramonto.

Restaurants While Shopping

RL: Opened in 1999 adjacent to the world's largest Polo store on Michigan Avenue, this restaurant features the vision and décor of Ralph Lauren and modern city-club cuisine.

Bistro 110: This French bistro has been serving for the past 20 years and is a fantastic place for casual meals or special occasions.

Restaurants, Shopping And More Crawl

Most people have heard of a Pub Crawl where the participants go from one pub to another but this is a restaurant crawl. This is designed for splitting entrees, side dishes or just having an appetizer with a glass of wine. This is the perfect plan for eating and shopping your way down the Magnificent Mile. These are some exciting restaurants as you shop your way down Michigan Avenue.

Start, Terzo Piano at the Art Institute: Headed by award-winning chef Tony Mantuano, Terzo Piano features authentic Italian ingredients and local, organic, and sustainable foods in simple but elegant dishes. Alfresco seating available on Bluhm Family Terrace, weather permitting. Third level of the Modern Wing, free entrance from Monroe Street.

Stop 2, Gage: Upscale comfort food, fine wines, boutique beers and whiskeys. Try the french fries with red curry sauce and a Bells beer.

Stop 3, Purple Pig: This small place is crammed all of the time and seating is at community tables. The Purple Pig is a collaboration of Chefs Scott Harris of Mia Francesca, Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Jimmy Bannos and Jimmy Bannos Jr. of Heaven on Seven. The Smears are a must as well as the housemade charcuterie and cheeses.

Stop 4, The Eno Chocolate Bar At The InterContinental Hotel: Since the Purple Pig will probably be on a half hour wait, walk across Michigan Avenue to the Chocolate Bar At The InterContinental Hotel and try some bacon dipped in chocolate or a truffle with a nice glass of Red Zin as you wait.

Stop 5, Renew Spa: This is a pit stop for the body. Make a reservation for a massage to relax and rest up for dinner. After the rest, grab a cab for the West Loops Randolph Restaurant Corridor.

Stop 6, Girl And The Goat: Stops 6, 7 & 8 are all within a block of each other. Executive Chef Stephanie Izard winner of Top Chef Chicago is still cooking here most evenings. Try the confit goat belly if its available as the menu changes constantly.

Stop 7, Avec: Great whole roasted fresh fish in this tiny 15 table restaurant, a definite Bravo!

Stop 8, Blackbird: Stop for dessert like the almond tapioca with basil, passion fruit, espresso and apricot pit sherbet with coffee, and catch or crawl a cab to your hotel to prepare for another day in Chicago.