Taste your way through Chicago's vibrant Magnificent Mile and Gold Coast on this Italian food-focused walking tour. Try mouthwatering Italian beef, homemade meatballs and marinara as well as savory rice balls.
Meet your guide in front of Al's Italian Beef, the world-famous birthplace of the Italian beef sandwich. With the very first bite, you are certain to understand why it has been a Chicago staple for more than 60 years. Next, stop at Portillo's for the best meatball sub in the city, assembled with homemade meatballs smothered in provolone cheese and marinara sauce.
Then stroll over to try the town's best deep-dish pizza at Uno's, the place where deep-dish began. Stroll through the wealthy Gold Coast area past the Medinah Temple, a historic landmark built by the Shriners in the early 1900s which now houses a Bloomingdale's. Meander past beautiful mansions, museums, and churches including Holy Name Cathedral, the city's main Catholic church.
Head down the Magnificent Mile to L'Appetito for arancini, a traditional Italian delight of deep-fried rice balls filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. After all those savory foods, cleanse your palate at Bar Toma with gelato made in-house using fresh ingredients like blueberries, basil, and imported chocolate. Be sure to come back to Bar Toma for their New York-style wood fired pizza, named best in the country by Esquire and Food and Wine.