The Chicago Traveler

Can you name the seven key ingredients for a Chicago-style hot dog? Here are ten great places to conduct your research (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp).

10. The Wiener’s Circle. Love it or hate it, this greasy spoon has got a “charm” all its own.
9. Gold Coast Dogs. All ten locations follow the Chicago-style recipe to the ‘T’.
8. Superdawg Drive-In. The winking hot dogs on the roof will be a sight you won’t soon forget.
7. Huey’s Hot Dogs. While serving up great dogs and burgers, this eatery is also well-known for its vegetarian-friendly dishes.

6. Portillo’s Hot Dogs. Both the nostalgia and …read more

1 Comment

I’ve just finished moving into a new apartment in the Edgewater neighborhood, and I need to know where to eat and what to see! If you have some suggestions for places in the Edgewater and Andersonville neighborhoods, shoot me an e-mail.
Just a few blocks away from my new home, the sign outside Anteprima boasts, “Cibo, Vino, e Amici,” meaning “Food, Wine, and Friends.” You’ll definitely find all three here at this new upscale Italian eatery in Andersonville.
The first thing you have to know about this spot is that they don’t accept reservations, so depending on what time of day you …read more

3 Comments

I just got back from Chicago’s Andersonville Midsommarfest a couple hours ago. With all the great food and music, I didn’t want to leave! I had walked from end to end of the festival several times, wanting to see everything, and after a few hours, I thought it best to come home and rest my feet.

While I was journeying back and forth, sampling different wares and foods, I came upon a small eatery I hadn’t noticed in the neighborhood before, despite the fact that I’ve lived in the area for a number of years. And yes, I know I’ve written …read more

2 Comments

Moist, chocolate deliciousness… who doesn’t love a brownie? One of the accounts of the brownie’s origin takes place right here in Chicago at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel. When Chicago hosted the World’s Fair in 1893, Bertha Palmer assigned her chef to create a dessert that was unique but that wouldn’t get her guests’ hands dirty. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and so, the brownie was born. The Palmer House still serves up that original recipe to this day.

Bored with the traditional brownie? Thirty different varieties of brownies are served at Athena’s Silverland Desserts in …read more

5 Comments