Budget Friendly Eats
in Chicago

My take: La Fournette is a French bakery, the kind you wish was around the corner from your apartment. The wall behind the counter is lined with fresh bread, from baguettes to sourdough to beer bread, and the case is full of croissants, pain au chocolat, macarons, and quiche. Everything is made with natural and real ingredients, nothing artificial. Grab a chocolate croissant, a coffee, and explore Lincoln Park.

My take: Good Ambler has a bright space with comfy seating and an open kitchen where you can watch the bakers work. The case is full of pastries and breakfast breads, plus handmade chocolates and candy bars. I always get the ham and cheese croissant. Right in Fulton Market so plenty to do after if you are exploring the city.

My take: Dove's Luncheonette is a Wicker Park diner that does not look or taste like any other breakfast on this list. It is a 41-stool counter spot serving Southern-inspired Mexican food. The burnt ends hash is what I always get. It is mostly counter seating, but they have tables outside when it's nice out. Put your name down, walk around Wicker Park, and they will text you when your seat is ready.

My take: The Hat is a Chicago classic in Wicker Park. I'm guilty of having it for lunch and at 1AM after leaving Louie's karaoke bar. Vienna Beef hot dogs, char dogs (my favorite), Italian beef, Polish, gyros, and burgers. Get the Chicago dog or Italian beef, fries with cheese on the side. It is exactly what you want at 1AM, and honestly pretty good at noon too.

My take: Johnny's Beef & Gyros is the Lincoln Park spot that does Chicago street food across the board and does it well. It is family-owned, open since the mid-2000s, known for its Italian beef, char burgers, Maxwell Street Polish, and shakes. Don't try to complicate this one, order the Italian beef and then anything else on the menu you want to try. It's all great.

My take: Portillo's is another one I was thinking about not putting in here because everyone knows about it, but then I remembered I grew up eating Portillo's as a kid. Known for their Chicago dog, but they know how to perfect the Italian beef and burger too. Get a dog, a beef, fries with cheese on the side and the chocolate cake shake, which is a thing here. It is a chain, but it is the Chicago chain, and it belongs on any honest budget list.

My take: Big Star is a Wicker Park staple taco spot. Known for its tacos and margarita pitchers, they also have a long list of rare bourbons. The corn tortillas are made by hand in-house every day and the tacos come family-style. I always get the al pastor and the Baja-style fried fish tacos. The patio is open all year round with heaters in the winter. If you go on Sunday, check out the farmers market right next door before you sit down to eat.

My take: Las Fuentes is the sit-down counterpoint to the taco-stand spots, a family-owned Lincoln Park Mexican restaurant where everything is made from scratch. The carne asada tacos are my favorite, but the enchiladas with house-made mole are another favorite. It is a classic Mexican restaurant with handmade margaritas, and there is a patio.

My take: Old Pueblo sits on a tree-lined corner in Lincoln Park, with in-house flour tortillas, a mesquite-fueled open-flame grill, and guacamole made to order. The signature is the cheese crisp, an open-faced crispy tortilla layered with Chihuahua, cotija, and cheddar, and it comes in versions like green chile and spicy chorizo. The patio is open during the summer but I've been here plenty of times in the winter. I always order the crispy shrimp tacos and the spicy margarita.