This Is Why We Run

A Nebraska gal and a Carolina gent. Eating our way through life in Chicago! Running so we can keep eating! And making sure our families and friends know just the right places to hit up when they come to visit!!

[thisiswhywerun]

Slurping Turtle

Real ramen - not a 10 cent block of noodles - is a thing. And man does Chicago have some places that do it well. Real well. My favorite is Slurping Turtle. If you're craving something warm, or just want to try out some really good ramen, I highly suggest hitting this place up.  It's a cute little place right in the heart of downtown Chicago.

I like my ramen spicy. My favorite is the Tan Tan Ramen (pictured below). Will is actually not completely sold on the whole ramen thing, so he usually gets the Chahan Stir Fry bowl and it's incredible.

Trust me when I say this... get a pork belly bao (pictured below). They're amazing. Priced individually or for three! 

[thisiswhywerun]

Siena Tavern

Siena is currently my #1 reco when we have visitors or anyone (myself included) are looking for restaurant suggestions. This place does everything fantastically. Their lunch/dinner is amazing and I've recently come to learn that their weekend brunch is equally amazing!

The atmosphere is fun and lively. They have a great bar for drinks (and great cocktails!) while waiting for your table or if you can snag a table in the bar it's first come first serve.

Lunch/dinner is usually recommended as family style, which trust me is best because you're going to want to try a bunch of things!

Favorites. Coccoli (pictured below - dough balls, prosciutto, burata and truffle honey - to.die.for.) Pizzas (burnt pepperoni is my favorite) Gnocchi

And don't forget to save room for dessert because you MUST try the Bomboloni (cinnamon and sugar donuts with bottles of chocolate, raspberry and salted carmel to inject - also to die for). 

Brunch.

This isn't your average eggs and bacon type of restaurant. From their savory to sweet menu, you can still find something for everyone and each item has their own little take on it. 

Our favorites? Eggs Benedict with pesto hollandaise and Apple cheesecake stuffed brioche french toast (pictured below). 

[thisiswhywerun]

Celeste

Celeste is a fantastic place for pre or post-dinner craft cocktails. It's downtown nestled in close to several great restaurants and other bars. "The Bar serves up classic and progressive cocktails that shine with the spectrum of specially selected spirits." They also have a great small bites offering if you're looking for something to munch on before dinner. 

I hear that in the evenings they also bring in a DJ and the place gets hoppin'!

His: Manhattan Hers: White Flower (Beefeater Gin, St. Germain, Citrus, Sparkling Wine)

[thisiswhywerun]

Big Star

Big Star is another of our go-to, top of the list lunch places. It's located in Wicker Park and on a nice day in Chicago, you will find their huge outdoor patio packed to the brim with people. (I find this place to be the BEST during warmer months. But they do also have indoor seating). Click here for menu. 

They're known for their (gourmet) street tacos. They also have fantastic guacamole, a great beer list and yummy margaritas!

My favorites? The Taco Al Pastor (pork shoulder and grilled pineapple) and the Taco De Panza (pork belly).

[thisiswhywerun]

Jerry's Deli

Whenever we're trying to think of somewhere to go for lunch, Jerry's Deli is always at the top of our list. Click here for menu. 

Their menu is filled with endless sandwich choices (literally) and you honestly just can't go wrong. They also have a great beer selection and delicious homemade sides (such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy... my favorites!). 

My two favorites? Eli W (Turkey, avocado, applewood bacon, lettuce and sweet & hot mustard on a pretzel roll - pictured below)

And Ansel A (Fried chicken in buffalo sauce, avocado, american cheese, lettuce and southwest mayo on a pretzel roll - pictured below)

[thisiswhywerun]

Toast

Toast is always one of my favorite brunch spots in Chicago, despite how many new places (that are also great) open up. Click here for the menu.

My favorite brunch dish is traditional eggs benedict and Toast is my favorite in the city. I just haven't found a hollandaise that's as good as theirs! And they use prosciutto instead of canadian bacon. Their breakfast potatoes are also delicious! They also have a few other renditions of eggs benedict (veggie, crabby, beef tenderloin) if you're into something else!

Other notable menu items (that I've tried) include the pesto scramble with prosciutto and gruyere and the (mascarpone) stuffed french toast with puree strawberry and chocolate. YUM!

A breakfast bonus... they also serve breakfast cocktails.

There are two locations. The original in Lincoln Park and a newer location in Wicker Park. 

[thisiswhywerun]

Au Cheval

We love cheeseburgers. And that's an understatement.

Au Cheval is hands down the best cheeseburger I've ever eaten. This restaurant opened on Chicago's Restaurant Row in late 2012. It's small but adorable and you should be prepared to wait if you are there on a weekend (you can go across the street and grab a drink while you wait. they'll text you when your table is ready!). Trust me, it's worth the wait. Click here for the menu. 

The Burger.

There is only one on the menu. It's plain and simple. Bun, meat, cheese, onion, tomato, pickle and their special sauce. You can add bacon. You can add a fried egg. That's it. And that's all you need. (Note: A "single" is two patties, a "double" is three)

What else to order. 

Don't ask questions, just order the blueberry muffin. You will be surprised, delighted and will not have regrets. It's grilled and served with a side of butter, homemade jam and hot fudge. They run out of them on the weekends. I'm not even a huge blueberry muffin fan, and this is one of the best things I've ever eaten. 

Get an order of the crispy fries with mornay sauce, garlic aioli and a fried egg. Enough for four to share. The aioli and the fries are amazing. 

And then you gotta try the fried house-made bologna sandwich. I don't even know what bologna is (who does?!). It was not something I was interested in trying. But everyone swears by it. So we tried it. And I will never badmouth bologna again. Ever.