A Chicago Food Bucket List for Bears Fans

Football fans can count on the Windy City's trademark specialties from hot dogs and pizza to popcorn.

Traveling to watch your favorite football team is one of the best ways to explore the country in the fall. You get to cheer on your NFL or college team while also checking out a new city, and thankfully, heading to Chicago for the big game means access to some of the country’s best and most iconic foods.

There is no shortage of dining options when visiting Chicago from the trademark hot dogs, pizzas, and Italian beef sandwiches, all the way to Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs. Though watching the game is the main attraction, definitely make time to visit some of the Windy City’s top spots.

Chicago hot dogs

One of the most celebrated and universal items in Chicago’s culinary scene is the Chicago-style hot dog: a Vienna Beef frank topped with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Devil Dawgs has five locations throughout town including one in the South Loop neighborhood near Soldier Field. Chefs Andrew Brochu and Matthias Merges developed many of the items, adding an elevated experience to the menu. It’s also one of the few places that serves vegan hot dogs, perfect for plant-based diners wanting to experience the Chicago-style hot dog.

Related: Some of Chicago's Best Hot Dogs Are Hiding in Home Depot

Chicago-style pizza

No visit to Chicago is complete without having Chicago-style pizza. Whether you prefer the deep dish, stuffed, pan, or tavern style, you can find them all throughout the city. Head to Uptown and try one of the best new pizza shops, Milly’s Pizza in the Pan by Robert Maleski. But order in advance, the eatery only sells 60 pizzas per day and regularly sell out from pre-orders before even opening the doors.

Chicago steakhouse

Chicago is fortunate for the river that weaves through the downtown area, providing waterfront dining all along the stretch of the Riverwalk. Experience riverfront dining while also checking out one of the city’s top-rated steakhouses at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, renowned for its dry-aged steaks and 600-bottle wine program, including magnums and 3-liter selections for your traveling party to order in a larger format.

Fulton Market District

The former warehouse district is now home to a vibrant blend of residential, offices, hotels, restaurants, and the arts. A top destination to satisfy everyone in your group, Time Out Market Chicago features more than 20 unique restaurants, bars, and food stalls. A hot spot to check out in the neighborhood is Gaijin, Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant led by 2007 F&W Best New Chef Paul Virant and offering Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancakes as well as kakigori.

Brunch in Chicago

Before heading to Soldier Field, grab brunch at one of the most popular spots in River West, The Dawson. The Saturday and Sunday menu features items like ricotta pancakes, smoked brisket hash, birria grilled cheese, and even chicken fried lobster. In lieu of tailgating, your group can enjoy $36 bottomless mimosas before heading in for kickoff.

Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

Visitors looking to catch even more football action should head to Jake Melnick’s in River North for one of the oldest and most popular sports bars in town boasting the best wings in the city. Guests can enjoy wing flavors like Nashville Hot, Whisky BBQ, and the original buffalo. Want to spice it up? Try the XXXX scorching hot wings with habanero, ghost pepper, scorpion, and reaper peppers, but only if you dare. If you finish all eight wings, you get a comped meal and a t-shirt for bragging rights.

Garrett Popcorn

Don’t leave town without grabbing a bag or tin of Garrett Popcorn, world famous for its Garrett Mix blend of sweet caramel and savory cheddar cheese for 75 years. Both O’Hare and Midway airports have convenient locations to grab it among takeaway snacks before boarding. The famous popcorn stand has quickly become one of the country’s largest gourmet popcorn makers, producing more than 122 million gallons of popcorn in 2023 alone.