If you’re in Chicago for Lollapalooza, then you’re not likely to stray far from Grant Park. But a kid’s gotta eat, even if it’s on the cheap. Here are 10 tasty options to keep your belly full, most for $15 or less:
BEST CASUAL BREAKFAST
Caffe Baci (332 S. Michigan Ave.) serves numerous Italian options including pasta and panini with both the quiet, comfortable atmosphere of a cafe and the bright friendliness of a deli. Breakfast not only includes the average bagels, muffins and croissants but also hot items like eggs, bacon and hash browns.
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun.
Price range: $8-15
BEST FORMAL BREAKFAST
The French Quarter Restaurant, located within the Palmer House hotel (17 E. Monroe St.), offers casual American and Italian food in a fine-dining atmosphere. Breakfast includes a self-serve buffet of eggs, cereal, fresh fruits, bacon, sausage, hash browns, coffee and juice.
Hours: 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Price range: $8-$15 ($14.50 for breakfast buffet)
BEST BAYOU EXPERIENCE
From the Mardi Gras beads to the 1,320 hot sauce bottles on the wall, the cozy, family-owned Heaven on Seven (111 N. Wabash Ave.) brings the flavor of the Bayou to Chicago. Breakfast favorites include pecan French toast, poached eggs on crab cakes and cheese grits. Cajun classics like gumbo and jambalaya are available throughout the day.
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.
Price range: $8-$15
BEST VEGETARIAN OPTION
Gourmand Coffee and Teas (728 S. Dearborn St.) offers a wide array of sandwiches and wraps. Besides several meatless salads, the vegetarian chili, veggie-hummus sandwich and bean burger provide choices for vegetarians as well. The service is helpful, fast and remarkably friendly, and the smoothies pack a highly recommended punch.
Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat.-Sun.
Price range: Less than $8
MOST VERSATILE EXPERIENCE
Ada’s Famous Deli (14 S. Wabash Ave.) offers a section of smaller tables befitting a deli plus formal, wood-back cushioned seats for a finer dining experience. Open early until late, the menu ranges from bagels and pastries to sandwiches and soups.
Hours: 6 a.m.-noon daily
Price range: Less than $8
BEST SMOKERS’ OPTION
J. Randolph’s Bar & Grill (155 N. Michigan Ave.) is a basement spot that serves burgers and other American favorites in a relaxed, smoky atmosphere. Visitors can also watch sporting events on a television in the small dining area.
Hours: 11 a.m.-noon Mon.-Sat.
Price range: Less than $8
BEST BAR FOR WATCHING TV
Although a little out of the way, the South Loop Club (701 S. State St.) is open later than most (5 a.m. on Saturday) and offers American food, plenty of beer, and sports on several large televisions, including a 70-inch monster screen.
Hours: 11-4 a.m. Sun.-Fri.; 11-5 a.m. Sat.
Price range: $8-$15
BEST ALMOST ALL-NIGHTER
One of the most popular stops in town, Miller’s Pub (134 S. Wabash Ave.) seamlessly blends its bar and restaurant halves together into a relaxed, comfortable whole. Go for late-night ribs, chops or steak, but check out the walls covered with signed celebrity photographs of famous entertainers, athletes, and other celebrities, each testifying to the pub’s colorful 70-plus year history.
Hours: 11-1:30 a.m. daily; bar until 4 a.m.
Price range: $8-$15
BEST UNDERGROUND TAVERN
Made famous in a 1978 Saturday Night Live skit, the Billy Goat Tavern (430 N. Michigan Ave.) tucked below Michigan Avenue has spawned several other locations around the city. The tavern has been servings its beer and “cheezborgers” from its “Lower Michigan” location since 1934.
Hours: 7-2 a.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10-3 a.m. Sat.; 11-2 a.m. Sun.
Price range: Less than $8
MOST DISTINCTLY CHICAGO
Featuring city specials like State Street sandwiches and the Windy City quesadilla, the Big Downtown (124 S. Wabash Ave.) bar and restaurant offers an experience unique to Chicago, with small, motorized trains running on an overhead track that’s reminiscent of the “L.” .
Hours: 11-1 a.m. daily
Price range: $15-$25
