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Chicago - the Windy City with great style
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items Chicago has a vibe all its own. It's an acquired taste for some, but for many of us, we knew all along that it's one of the greatest cities in the US.
Sections
7
Respectable Restaurants
Food Halls
Bar Scene
Shopping
Places to learn art and culture
Wellness
Respectable Restaurants
You can go high class in Chicago with these impressive eateries.
Hot tip: the actors and producers at the Bear love this place. Of course. Because it’s the best.
RL Restaurant in Chicago | Ralph Lauren
Delicious Italian pizza and pasta. Great happy hour options for the budget conscious too!
Italian Restaurant In Chicago | Labriola Ristorante Chicago
The seafood here rivals the east coast. The chopped seafood salad is heavenly. Lobster roll and lobster bisque are also faves in my book. I love sitting at the oyster bar.
Shaw's Crab House
Rooftop patios are the best; love this one.
Aba Restaurants
French food with a contemporary trendy vibe.
La Serre | French-Mediterranean Restaurant in West Loop, Chicago, IL
I love the flower and the restaurant. And now it's a James Beard semifinalist! That just makes it a bit harder to get in. But it's worth it!
Daisies
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Food Halls
Trendy? Yes. Delicious variety of food? Also yes.
This food hall has all the requirements and is definitely a place to people watch and enjoy a drink and snack. I especially like the 6th floor bar and study.
Aster Hall Chicago — Food Hall | Bar & Lounge
Ooh, la la! Go here to people watch, sip something fabulous, and take home the best bread.
Chicago French Market – Chicago's only year-round, indoor marketplace
Ooh, this place is so fun to wander and take in the free smells! A veritable feast of world cuisine in the Old Post Office building.
From Here On | Food Hall & Market
This place has class. Gorgeous building, with world cuisine along with some simple pleasures. Try Stan's Donuts - get the Dubai Mushroom Coffee and the Stanwich. What a treat.
Washington Hall | Food Hall
Bar Scene
Sometimes you just want a beer and some good company.
Great place to sit at the bar, crack open a beer, and shoot the shit with your new friends.
Rossi's - Chicago, IL
Love this place for a high-end cocktail.
After Chicago | Cocktail Bar | West Fulton Market
Shopping
You can get anything you need and enjoy the experience too.
Walking along the Magnificent Mile is a window shopper's dream! Kudos to the ballers who can afford the high fashion, but they have great trendy shops for the middle class too.
Magnificent Mile Shopping
The shops here do not disappoint those in search of a hot brand, and the Aster Food Hall is a notch above the food court vibe of 90s malls.
900 North Michigan Shops
Fulton Marketplace attracts people from every demographic. Over 50 restaurants, great shopping, and a fun place to people watch.
Fulton Market District
Places to learn art and culture
Chicago has a rich history and an equally impressive art scene. Learn, thrive, grow!
This museum reminds us that Illinois' Jews have experienced neo-Nazi presence in the Skokie march that rattled Jewish residents. Many Holocaust survivors and their descendants have settled in the greater Chicago area, and the museum helps remind us h...
Illinois Holocaust Museum
You could spend days here absorbing the historic and modern art collection. One piece that inspired me was Jitish Kallat's Public Notice 3, a brilliant multi-panel light installation on the stairs. Also awestruck by Raquib Shaw's Paradise Lost.
The Art Institute of Chicago
Wellness
Some great fitness and wellness opportunities if you're visiting!
Pilates and workouts for the health conscious.
River North | Studio Three
FP Movement partners with some of the best fitness instructors in the area to offer yoga, pilates, barre, and other popular classes. They also have some great retreats with merch and discounts.
FP Movement Events | FP Movement Studio Chicago
Orangetheory is everywhere. Get yourself to this River North location to work out with the locals.
Orangetheory Fitness Studio & Gym near Chicago-River North
Places to stay
I don't necessarily stay in the highest of high end places when I visit. But I still require comfort and style. Here are my go tos.
Historic hotel with an old style vibe close to all the Water Tower and River North trendy spaces.
The Whitehall Hotel
The rooftop bar sells this place on its own, but the rest of the hotel is pretty nice too!
Chicago Downtown Hotel | Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel