Chicago Specialty Foods?

[Corinne]

Another Chicago question. I told my husband that I would probably do some shopping while he was attending his conference. He assumed that I meant that I would hit the grocery stores. (When we go back to my home in Lancaster, PA & I "go shopping", it's mostly grocers & food places. I bring back a ton of food from that area that I can't get up here in New England.)

When I mentioned shopping in Chicago, I didn't have grocery stores in mind. But now he's got me thinking. Are there any specialty foods available in Chicago that you can't get anywhere else? Other than deep-dish pizza, which would be kinda hard to transport!

Thank you!

 

[urmaniac13]

Whole fried chicken and white toast??

(remember the Blues Brothers...? )

 

[Michelemarie]

Hhhmmm, I am trying to think. I lived away from Chicago for about 8 years and I know there were things I took back when I visited, but I cannot seem to remember what now. I do remember someone asking me to bring them back giardinara - but I think they sell that everywhere now.

Did you say you were staying downtown? What restaurants are you planning on checking out?

 

[Corinne]

No - we're staying at the Wyndham near the airport - the same hotel where the geek conference is taking place!

 

[Michelemarie]

Wyndham hotel near O'Hare airport? What city is it in, do you know? Rolling Meadows? Schaumburg?

 

[Andy M.]

Whole fried chicken and white toast??

(remember the Blues Brothers...? )

That's two whole fried chickens and DRY white toast!

 

[urmaniac13]

That's two whole fried chickens and DRY white toast!

Mamma mia Andy you are worse than me!! (with a better memory )

 

[Yakuta]

Corrine, looks like you are in Rosemont. There are not that many specialty stores around there. It also depends on what you like and what is it that you are looking for.

You are staying right smack in the center between the city and the burbs and are on the northwest side of the city.

A few places I like and all the knick knacky stores that go with it are as follows:

- China town (which is a hike from where you are)
- Long Grove with it's quaint downtown and chocolate shops (it's close to where I live so I try to get down there)
- Wilmette and Evanston with it's local little shops that sell home made sort of candies and other things like fabric
- Greek town - Galore with a lot of eateries and just nice for a stroll
- India town - I don't go there much but I am always amazed at the hustle and bustle there. A lot of color and noise if you like to experience it along with ethnic grocery sort of stores that you can get spices for cheap.

The suburb of Schaumburg is also very nice (next to Rosemont - maybe 15 mins) and you can find a lot of ethnic stores there.

A lot depends on whether you have a car while you are staying in Rosemont. If you have a car you can definitely check out Long Grove downtown (take 294 to get there) and also Evanston and Wilmette.

 

[Robo410]

frango mints??

chicago is famous for its meats and its dry cured sausages would travel well...an italian or polish grocer/butcher

 

[buckytom]

agreed robo.

try to find sausages and cured meats from abe frohman, the sausage king of chicago...

 

[mudbug]

frango mints??

Definitely get these - available at any Marshall Field's store (unless they've changed the name to whoever it was that bought Field's out - Macy's???)

Also, call 1-800-Lou-To-Go - they will deliver Italian beef sandwiches, pizza, hot dogs, Eli's cheesecake, and ribs anywhere.

 

[jennyema]

Greektown

Swedishtown (or is it Little Sweden?) or eat at the Ikea on Golf Road
Caputo's Italian market in the Italian section

 

[mudbug]

Greektown

Swedishtown (or is it Little Sweden?) or eat at the Ikea on Golf Road
Caputo's Italian market in the Italian section

jenny (and Corinne):

yes to Greektown (just west of downtown and the expressways). Andersonville is the name of the neighborhood jenny was trying to remember (near Lincoln Park, I think, on the north side of Chgo). Eat at Ann Sather's.

Also second Yakuta's suggestion of Long Grove - never went there, but heard many nice things about it.

 

[Michelemarie]

I agree- Long Grove is very nice place to visit. I personally like Fanny May candy to the Frango Mints at Marshall Fields - but if you never had neither you should try both. Woodfield Mall is in Schaumburg and is a huge shopping mall. If you are planning to drive to Schaumburg, PM me and let me know, I used to live there. I think you are right on the money though, hit Lou Malnati's! In addition to their pizza, get the cookie pizza for dessert, worth the calories!

 

[kleenex]

http://www.wcities.com/en/cat/240/35/category.html

This link might help.

 

[Toots]

My advice is to seek out an Ann Sathers location and buy some cinnamon rolls (after you eat a huge Swedish breakfast that is) HEAVEN!!!!
I also recommend pizza from Giordano's (wonderful and authentic deep dish) and if you are near the north burbs, get some bagels from one of the little and wonderful bagel places near Skokie.
Also check out www.chicagoreader.com for restaurant reviews and recommendations, there are so many good places to eat in Chicago, so many good little storefront joints.
Another great place to go is the Crate & Barrell Outlet - its got tons of cooking stuff for cheap!
If you like beer, do not miss going to Goose Island.

My husband used to live in Chicago, we make a return visit a couple of times year.

One non-cooking place to check out - the LUSH store. Its a heavenly soap and bath store - everything hand made.

enjoy your trip - there are so many good places to eat (and spend money!) in Chicago!

 

[Corinne]

Beer? Did someone say beer? I just PMed Deadly Sushi but I'm sure someone else can answer this for me. Where do you buy beer in IL? A bar, a package store, a distributor, a grocery store, convenience store???
I remember being so shocked the 1st time I visited CT - to find out that I couldn't buy a 6-pack at a bar!!!

BTW - we're not going to have a car in Chicago but the CTA Visitor's Pass looks like a fantastic deal. I'm kinda scared because I get lost easily. I'm afraid I'll go off on a journey & never see my husband again because I don't know how to get back to him!

 

[mudbug]

You can buy beer at convenience stores, package stores, grocery stores for sure. Don't know about bars - not downtown - but the local neighborhood joints probably will sell you a sixer.

Toots is right about The Chicago Reader - it's a free paper (used to come out on Thursdays) and has tons of info about things to do.

 

[jennyema]

Love the Goose Island Brewry. Also House of Beer on Rush Street.

Giordano's is my fav pizza too.

If you go to the marshall Fields/Macy's in Northbrook to get Frango Mints, look up my mom. She works there.

And LUSH ... what can I say? I became a freak when I found it in London and then, to my delight, their second store in the US went in 1/2 block from my office.

 

[Corinne]

Checking in from Chicago. Yesterday was not a good day at all.
Our flight was delayed by an hour - no biggie - I can live with that. We arrived at O'Hare & walked a mile to Baggage Claim. And watched the same stupid ugly suitcases go around & around the thing for about an hour. Finally realized that ours weren't gonna show up. So we had to do the lost luggage thing. That has never happened to me before. I will prepare better next time. Wouldn't have been so bad if we had a car here but we didn't think we'd need one - so hubby trekked a half a mile down the road to pick up some essentials for last night.
By the time we went to sleep last night, they still hadn't found our stuff. I called 1st thing this morning & it's been located - it will be here within 6 hours. Hallelujah!!!!!
So, we're staying at the Wyndham & we have a room on the top floor right near the elevator - the broken elevator. I make numerous trips downstairs because I smoke but I don't like to smoke indoors.
I figured that some Lou's pizza would make everything all right. But, NO!! None of them deliver here. :-( So we got some crappy pizza & naturally they forgot to deliver part of our order. UGH!
There's more but that gives you enough of an idea. There was a big black cloud hanging over my head yesterday. If I was offered the chance to just go back home, I would have taken the opportunity!
Today - I will venture out to get a CTA pass once I get a shower & can put on some clean clothes. I don't even know what area we are in. Des Plaines maybe? Doesn't seem to be much around here that's within walking distance.
It's gotta get better, right?!