Adrian Kane

Chicago Senior Editor at The Infatuation

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Articles

Iconic Dishes That Define Chicago

1 month ago | theinfatuation.com | Nick Allen |John Ringor |Adrian Kane

The pizza pot pie is the epitome of what we imagine coastal elites think of Chicago food—a buttery tub of bread surrounding a vat of cheese, sausage, and tomato sauce. Sure, it’s ugly like a pizza teleportation gone wrong a la The Fly, but it’s delicious. RESERVE A TABLEYes, bacon-wrapped dates are now as common at restaurants as being told to “order two to three small plates per person.” But Avec’s chorizo-stuffed dates were ahead of the trend 20 years ago, and remain a standout.
20 Classic Restaurants In Chicago

1 month ago | theinfatuation.com | Nick Allen |John Ringor |Adrian Kane

Birrieria Zaragoza reels you in right away with its carving station and the smell of pressed-to-order tortillas. This tiny taqueria has been specializing in Jalisco-style birria since 2007, and even though the menu is small, they set the standard for birria citywide. Their stewed goat basically melts on impact, and the meat's funk is nicely balanced out by smoky arbol consomé. Sun Wah is the Peking duck king of Chicago.
WG Pizzas - Review - Avondale - Chicago - The Infatuation

Jan 24, 2025 | theinfatuation.com | Adrian Kane

Chicago’s streets are practically paved with tavern-style pizza. To stand out, a spot needs to be pretty special. WG, a suburban transplant operating out of a takeout-only kitchen in Avondale, is good, but not great. You won’t be disappointed if one of these pies shows up at your house, but they’re not worth going out of your way for. WG’s pizza has a buttery cracker crust that holds up well to toppings.
Wagyu House By The X Pot

Jan 16, 2025 | theinfatuation.com | Adrian Kane

As its name suggests, this futuristic all-you-can-eat shabu shabu restaurant in the South Loop has a penchant for wagyu. What makes it futuristic? Robot servers, along with elaborate light projections and thematic soundscapes. So yes, this place is a rather absurd production, but it's also fun and the broths are good.
The 11 Best Tasting Menus In Chicago - Chicago - The Infatuation

Jan 10, 2025 | theinfatuation.com | Adrian Kane |John Ringor |Sam Faye

Some words of advice before you part with several hundred dollars.
Oriole - Review - Fulton Market - Chicago - The Infatuation

Jan 10, 2025 | theinfatuation.com | Adrian Kane

Oriole is an outstanding tasting-menu-only spot in the West Loop.
All The Christkindlmarket Food Stalls, Ranked

Nov 26, 2024 | theinfatuation.com | John Ringor |Veda Kilaru |Nick Allen |Adrian Kane

Most of the food at Christkindlmarket is “good for a pop-up holiday market in the middle of downtown.” But DönerMen is flat-out tasty. The currywurst has an excellent tangy sauce and a hefty dusting of curry powder. And the juicy chicken doner is well-seasoned, complemented by tart tzatziki. Get both over fries—they’re the ideal sponge for all the sauce. Helmut’s flaky strudel pastry is stuffed with lightly spiced apple chunks and studded with raisins.
The Best Hot Chocolate In Chicago

Oct 24, 2024 | theinfatuation.com | Veda Kilaru |Adrian Kane

Like indoor plumbing and couches in the "As Is" sale section at Ikea, excellent hot chocolate is highly underrated. The good news is Chicago is home to plenty of chocolate shops and cafes serving incredible cups of cocoa that deserve their own hot beverage award. Here are 11 reasons to never settle for Swiss Miss again. Many places offer their hot chocolate seasonally, so check back for the latest updates as the weather gets colder.
The Best Bars In The West Loop

Oct 4, 2024 | theinfatuation.com | Nick Allen |John Ringor |Adrian Kane

The West Loop has its fair share of overstuffed bars and questionable scenes. So if you’re not careful, you could end up surrounded by loafered people obsessed with “splitting the G.” But there are plenty of places to drink great Old Fashioneds, make a new friend in an old-school dive, or take a date to one of the city's best speakeasies. And if you're looking for some food along the way, check out our guide to the best restaurants in the West Loop.
The West Loop Italian Restaurant Power Rankings

Oct 1, 2024 | theinfatuation.com | Nick Allen |Adrian Kane |Veda Kilaru

Italian food is a big deal in the West Loop. Restaurants serving spaghetti and pizzas even outnumber steakhouses and relatively safe pedestrian crosswalks. You could have a solid red sauce lunch at an old-school spot steps away from the city’s best cacio e pepe. But with so many options, it’s important to know which places to prioritize. That’s where our ranking of the West Loop's Italian restaurants comes in handy.