A Spot of Tea--If you're shopping on the Magnificent Mile and feel like having an elegant afternoon tea complete with finger sandwiches, scones, and pastry, go to the Palm Court at The Drake, 140 E. Walton Place (tel. 312/787-2200), or the sunny Seasons Lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware Place (tel. 312/280-8800). A fine afternoon tea is also served at The Greenhouse in the Ritz-Carlton, 160 E. Pearson St. (tel. 312/266-1000), in the 12th-floor lobby above the Water Tower Place mall.
Chicago Treats--Deep-dish pizza may be Chicago's culinary claim to fame, but the city has also added to the national waistline in other ways. Twinkies and Wonder Bread were invented here; Chicago businessman James L. Kraft created the first processed cheese; and Oscar Mayer got his start as a butcher in the Old Town neighborhood.
Pizza--We have three pizza styles in Chicago: Chicago style, also known as deep-dish, which is thick-crusted and often demands a knife and fork; stuffed, which is similar to a pie, with a crust on both top and bottom; and thin crust. Many pizzerias serve both thick and thin, and some make all three kinds.
Three of Chicago's best gourmet deep-dish restaurants are Pizzeria Uno, Pizzeria Due, and Gino's East. In River North, Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, at 439 N. Wells St. (tel. 312/828-9800), bakes both deep-dish and thin-crust pizza and even has a low-fat cheese option. Edwardo's is a local pizza chain that serves all three varieties, but with a wheat crust and all-natural ingredients (spinach pizza is the specialty here); locations are in the Gold Coast, at 1212 N. Dearborn St. at Division Street (tel. 312/337-4490); in the South Loop, at 521 S. Dearborn St. (tel. 312/939-3366); and in Lincoln Park, at 2662 N. Halsted St. (tel. 773/871-3400). Not far from Lincoln Park Zoo is Ranalli's Pizzeria, Libations & Collectibles, 1925 N. Lincoln Ave. (tel. 312/642-4700), with its terrific open-air patio and extensive selection of beers.
In Wrigleyville, just off Belmont Avenue, are Leona's Pizzeria, 3215 N. Sheffield Ave. (tel. 773/327-8861), and Pat's Pizzeria, 3114 N. Sheffield Ave. (tel. 773/248-0168), both of which serve all three kinds of pizza. Leona's also has a location in Little Italy, at 1419 W. Taylor St. (tel. 312/850-2222), and Pat's has one downtown in the Athletic Club Illinois Center, at 211 N. Stetson Ave. (tel. 312/946-0220).
For a unique take on the deep-dish phenomenon, try the "pizza potpie" at Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder, 2121 N. Clark St., steps from Lincoln Park Zoo (tel. 773/248-2570); the pizzas are baked in a bowl and then turned over when served, for a distinctive upside-down pizza experience.
Hot Dogs--The classic Chicago hot dog includes a frankfurter by Vienna Beef (a local food processor and hallowed institution), heaps of chopped onions and green relish, a slather of yellow mustard, pickle spears, fresh tomato wedges, a dash of celery salt, and, for good measure, two or three "sport" peppers, those thumb-shaped holy terrors that turn your mouth into its own bonfire.
Chicago is home to many standout hot-dog spots such as Gold Coast Dogs, 418 N. State St., at Hubbard Street (tel. 312/527-1222), two blocks off North Michigan Avenue. Fluky's, in The Shops at North Bridge mall at 520 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/245-0702), is part of a local chain that has been serving great hot dogs since the Depression (Dan Aykroyd and Jay Leno are fans). Portillo's, at 100 W. Ontario St. (tel. 312/587-8930), is another local chain that specializes in hot dogs but also serves excellent pastas and salads. Murphy's Red Hots, 1211 W. Belmont Ave. (tel. 773/935-2882), is a neighborhoody spot not too far from Wrigley Field, while The Wieners Circle, in Lincoln Park at 2622 N. Clark St. (tel. 773/477-7444), is a late-night favorite where rude order-takers are part of the shtick.
