Hotels in Chicago: The Gateway to Windy City Cuisine

Hotels in Chicago serve as the main starting points to the culinary adventure that is dining in the Windy City. Chicago, Illinois, once a metropolitan beacon to immigrants from countries like Poland, Germany, Ireland and Sweden, is a veritable melting pot. Descendents of these immigrants have blended traditional national dishes with local food products and cooking styles to create a cuisine that is distinctive to Chicago, IL, USA.
If you are visiting the city, hotels in Chicago are perhaps some of the best places to start your culinary explorations. Many Chicago hotels feature restaurants and in-room dining options, so that a few tastes of the city’s dishes are not far from your door. Sample tasty treats like deep-dish pizza, rumored to have been created originally in Chicago. Deep-dish pizza is thick and rich, made in a deep pan so that the pizza’s crust can serve almost as a bowl for toppings like cheese, tomato sauce and sausage. If you prefer a lighter option, look for Chicago-style thin crust pizza, also popular throughout the region. Thin as the crust is, toppings can still be piled on at your pleasure.
Many Chicago, Illinois hotels offer guests concierge services, so be sure to ask your hotel staff which restaurants they recommend. During a long day of Chi-town sightseeing, you’ll likely work up an appetite. One easy, delicious option is to grab a Chicago-style hot dog, usually made of Vienna beef. Chicago-style hot dogs are typically topped with condiments like yellow mustard, green pickle relish, tomato wedges and pickled sport peppers.
Visitors from all over the country come to Chicago, Illinois to celebrate the Taste of Chicago. This culinary celebration takes place in Grant Park, usually from the end of June until the first week in July. During the Taste of Chicago, hundreds of the area’s restaurants share their dishes and recipes with hungry tourists. Several hotels in Chicago fill up quickly during this week, so it is recommended to book Chicago hotel reservations far in advance.
Cuisine in the Windy City also has its elegant side. Many luxury Chicago hotels boast fine dining options, featuring world-class cuisine with a distinct Chicago touch. “Retro potato skins” are a tasty treat, topped with lobster, shrimp and tarragon. Prime beef sliders, small hamburgers made from top-quality meat, are popular around town. Many famous chefs have restaurants in Chicago, including Rick Bayless and Charlie Trotter.