For every taste bud and every gut!
We are officially counting down to the Chicago Marathon! For those running their fall marathons in the Windy City, we wanted to share some favorite spots to carb load before the Sunday race. Chicago is a foodie destination, and there are plenty of options for bagels, pastas, and pizzas – perfect for those looking to carb load for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Bagels
We like to start the day with a carb-y breakfast and bagels are a great way to get 50 to 60 grams of carbs in. As a native New Yorker, I must admit that I am a bit of a bagel snob. My bagels have to have a soft yet chewy interior, with a slightly ‘barky’ exterior. I am not a fan of ‘breagels’ – circular shaped bread disguised as bagels.
There are a few Chicago spots that have true bagels. Corey’s NY Bagel Deli does a New York style bagel that is chewier than most. They have several locations – including one in River North on Dearborn Street and one in Lincoln Park. They have all the traditional flavors – plain, sesame, cinnamon raisin, everything, poppy seed, pretzel salt, whole wheat etc. It is an order-and-pickup location with just 3-4 bar stools inside should you choose to eat there. Like classic bagel delis, they also offer egg sandwiches and lunch sandwiches.
Gotham Bagels also offers a NY-style bagel, though these are slightly bigger/fluffier bagels. They have a variety of bagel sandwiches with fun NY-location names like ‘Brighton Beach’, ‘The Long Island’, and ‘The Amagansett’. You order your bagels online and go to pick them up at one of the several locations – Gold Coast, South Loop, and Lakeview. They also offer a vegan cream cheese option.
Schneider Deli is a new Jewish delicatessen that recently opened in the iconic Ohio House Motel in River North. Schneider Deli is a cozy space with a few small tables and some counter seating. The bagels here are plump, soft and chewy, and are offered with classic fillings like cream cheese, nova and smoked whitefish salad. For lunch options, there are corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, as well as more creative, veggie-forward sandwich options like ‘eggplant’ and ‘pickled mushrooms.’
Pancakes & Waffles
Pancakes and waffles are a sweet, delicious way to carb-load at breakfast. While nearly every breakfast diner offers pancakes and waffles on their menu, we are recommending some locations in downtown Chicago near the Chicago Marathon route.
Honey Berry Cafe is a brunch haven located in the South Loop, on State Street, just a few blocks west of Grant Park. In addition to breakfast favorites like egg skillets and omelettes, Honey Berry also offers an extensive pancake menu with decadent and dessert-inspired flavors like Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter, Red Velvet, Key Lime Pie, and Creamy Nutella. Pancakes can be topped with a variety of classic toppings like fruits, chocolate chips, and nuts, and there are also gluten-free options. The space is large, but it is always filled up on weekends, so we recommend making reservation on Yelp first to minimize the wait time.
Chicago Waffles is another spot in the South Loop on Michigan Avenue, a couple blocks south of Grant Park. As the name denotes, they specialize in waffles, and their menu features classics like Belgian Waffles and Chicken & Waffles. For the more adventurous, there are also Green Tea Waffles, Cookies & Ice Cream Waffles, and even Waffle Sandwiches (egg, bacon and cheese in between waffles!)
The Original Pancake House is a bit further up north in the Gold Coast neighborhood, and is a classic fave that has been around for years. Service is fast and they serve up giant fluffy pancakes and enormous portions. Their specialties include apple pancakes and Dutch Babies – oven-baked German pancakes served with whipped butter and powdered sugar. Swedish pancakes, potato pancakes, crepes, and of course, classic buttermilk pancakes with a variety of toppings are also on the menu.
Pastas
Pasta is the classic carb-load dish and we runners love to load up the night before a race with a spaghetti meal! Chicago has no shortage of great Italian restaurants to choose from. Here are some of our favorites.
Torchio Pasta Bar is a cozy Italian spot in the River North neighborhood and specializing in house made pastas. They have an extensive pasta menu with perennial favorites like Cacio e Pepe and Rigatoni Alla Vodka. They shine in the more robust dishes featuring seafood and braised short rub. My personal favorite is the Seafood Fra Diavolo – a dish packed with jumbo shrimp, calamari and mussels atop perfectly cooked pasta in a lightly spiced tomato sauce. Lighter options include the Fresh Vegetable Pappardelle, which can also be made vegan upon request.
We had one of the best pasta dishes ever at Monteverde in the West Loop, which is incredibly good but also incredibly difficult to get into (so try to book very early or go for lunch!) This Michelin Guide restaurant from Top Chef alum and James Beard award winner Sarah Greuneberg offers pastas that are fresh and handmade throughout the day. The menu features fresh & seasonal ingredients like Sweet Corn Agnolotti, Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Ravioli, and a star vegetable of the month. Grab a seat at the bar and watch the pasta-making magic happen!
There are several Riccardo’s restaurants throughout Chicago. You can go to the OG Riccardo Trattoria in Lincoln Park - an intimate space serving up North Italian fare; Riccardo Enoteca – the cozy wine across the street from the Trattoria, serving up small plates and pizza; and the latest, Riccardo Osteria – a casual spot with large windows in trendy West Loop, serving up yummy plates of pasta and antipasti. Riccardo Trattoria had the fluffiest, lightest gnocchi with truffles we have ever tasted!
For pasta options in the South Loop that are close to Grant Park, we recommend Armand's Victory Tap and Il Culaccino. Both are reliably good neighborhood restaurants that offer a large array of pastas and pizzas. For group dinners and fun ambiance, check out Ciccio Mio (a dark, trendy place with delicious vodka pasta), Piccolo Sogno (with a great outdoor terrace), and Alla Vita (large beautiful space popular with groups.)
Pizza
There is an endless debate in Chicago about which place has the best pizza, but also, which style of pizza prevails - thin crust, deep dish, NY style, Detroit style, or tavern style?
Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. offers brick-oven baked artisanal pies with a variety of creative topping combinations. It is a thin crust pizza that is chewy yet crackly when folded in half. The dough is so good that we would happily eat just the crust. Toppings include high quality gourmet ingredients like house made fennel sausage, truffle cream with wild mushrooms, and duck prosciutto. The restaurant is located in Streeterville along the riverfront, with ample indoor and outdoor seating – the perfect place for lunch!
Lou Malnati’s is a Chicago classic owned by the oldest pizza family in Chicago. The Malnati family also opened Pizzeria Uno in 1943 and Pizano’s in 1941. Lou Malnati’s is known for its deep dish pizza, which many Chicagoans claim to be their favorite. However, it also offers a thin crust tavern style pizza. The pizza crust is flaky and buttery, topped with a sweet and tangy sauce.
Pequod's Pizza is renowned for its unique and delicious style of deep-dish pizza. What sets it apart is the signature caramelized crust, achieved by baking cheese along the edges of the pan, creating a crispy, golden ring that encases the delectable toppings and rich tomato sauce. This iconic pizzeria offers a mouthwatering dining experience that captures the essence of Chicago's deep-dish tradition.
Zazas Pizzeria is a relative newcomer to the Chicago Pizza scene, but it has already won a huge following. Serving up NY style pizza by the slice and whole pie, Zazas frequently sells out of its slices by late afternoon. The pizza is NY style thin but slightly thinner and crispier (at least when compared to traditional Brooklyn pizzerias) and with a puffy, slightly charred crust. Toppings range from traditional pepperoni to a more gourmet Truffle Mushroom to the creative Bacon Jam Pie. Zazas also offers a grandma style pie before 4pm.
Rice & Noodles
Carb-ing up does not always have to be about pasta and pizza, as some runners are gluten-free or simply prefer carbs like rice and noodles. Sometimes, we like to mix it up so we are not having the same meals everyday for lunch and dinner over the course of 2-3 days. Here are some of our favorite spots to get rice and noodles.
For sushi lovers, Sushi-san and Momotaro are our go-to spots for reliably good sushi in Chicago. If you are nervous about eating raw fish the day before the race (though we hear Molly Seidel had sushi the week leading up to the Tokyo Olympic Marathon!), go for cooked options like shiitake rolls, California rolls, or futomaki rolls. Momotaro also offers a large menu of robata (grilled skewers) as well as a range of hot dishes like spaghetti, udon, and chicken yakitori over rice. Sushi San has a focus on sushi but also offers hot menu items like Vietnamese Pork and several varieties of Sizzling Rice Bowls. Located in the West Loop, Momotaro offers a more refined, upscale dining experience. Sushi San in River North has more of a fun vibe with communal tables and a blasting soundtrack.
We go to Ramen-san even when we are not carb-loading because it’s just that delicious! Ramen-san is a sister restaurant to Sushi-san (both are owned by the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group) and has a similar fun vibe. Ramen-san offers a variety of ramen with something for everyone - from pork based 10-hour Tonkotsu, to chicken based Chicken Shio, to vegetable based Tantan-san, full of umami flavor and spice. The ramen bowls are hearty but not overwhelming, and a menu of add-ons (like molten egg, bokchoy, tofu, chashu pork) allow you to customize your ramen to your own liking. Ramen-san is so popular that it has grown to 4 locations in Chicago - River North, Streeterville, West Loop, and Lincoln Park. Other great places for ramen in Chicago include Strings Ramen, High Five Ramen, and Ramen Takeya.
Noble Thai is a minimalist-modern Thai restaurant located in the West Town area with excellent and authentic Thai food. We love the spring rolls with peanut sauce and the chicken satay for appetizers. Pad Thai noodles are a must and their curries are savory and delicious (best eaten with giant mounds of rice of course!)
Pho is rice-based noodle that we like to carb-load with because rice noodles are easy on the stomach and the broths are light yet flavorful. Some great places for pho include Saigon Sisters in River North and PhoDega in Wicker Park. If you are willing to travel further uptown, head to Argyle Street for a large selection of Vietnamese restaurants like Tank Noodle and Pho777. Closer to Grant Park is Chinatown, which also is home to Pho Cafe and well-loved noodle spot Joy Yee Noodles (for all kinds of Asian noodles.) Within the South Loop, Asian Outpost offers a pan-Asian menu that encompasses Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese cuisines. Minghin offers numerous carb-load options including dimsum, rice and stir-fried noodles.
Sweets & Pastries
Who can forget dessert? We love a good cookie or pastry as an afternoon snack, for breakfast, after dinner, or anytime really!
Paris Baguette is a bakery cafe that recently opened in the South Loops right across the street from Grant Park. Walking in, you are met with a smorgasbord of breads, donuts, pastries , sandwiches, and desserts - everything from chocolate and almond croissants, to a variety of fruit tarts, to cronuts and donuts. Fancy decorative cakes are also available by the slice. While it is a global chain with many locations, Paris Baguette has been a welcome addition in the South Loop as a place to carb up or reload after a long run.
Levain Bakery is THE carb-loading cookie. Created by two women who were looking for a delicious way to carb-load, this NYC bakery opened up in Chicago earlier this year to long lines and rave reviews. The cookies are hefty (the size of a baseball!) but they have the perfect texture - crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with a gooey dose of chocolate chips. We love the original Chocolate Chip Walnut combo and the ultra-decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. Levain also offers breads and pastries, but we can never really get past the cookies!
Crumbl Cookies is the Instagram darling of cookies, with their distinctive pink boxes and sizzle videos that reveal the cookie of the week in the most crave-worthy way. Crumbl Cookies are large cookies that are pre-baked but reheated when you place the order, so the cookies you get will be slightly warm and deliciously gooey. Crumbl releases new cookie flavors every Sunday, with inspiration from desserts, breakfast, or candies like Snickerdoodle Cupcake, Caramel Popcorn, or Apple Strudel; however, the Milk Chocolate Chip and Chilled Pink Sugar cookies are always available. Crumbl has a couple locations in Chicago - Wells St in Old Town and on Michigan Ave.
La Fournette is an authentically french bakery located on busy Wells Street in Old Town. Go there for their perfectly flaky, buttery croissants and brioche. Freshly baked baguettes and artisanal bread loaves line the walls. It is a small space with only a few tables and they only open in the mornings, but it is well worth the trip for what I think is the best almond croissant in the city!
For lovers of donuts, Donut Vault is a must-visit for gourmet donuts. Their hand-crafted donuts are created in small batches to preserve quality - which means they will run out by 1pm! Each day features special flavors like Masala Chai Cake or Honey Bun, but the classic old fashioned donuts are cakey and delicious. Part of the Hogsalt restaurant group, Donut Vault is a small pickup window located just around the corner from the other famed Hogsalt restaurants Bavettes, Ciccio Mio and Gilt Bar.
Other donut favorites in Chicago include Stan's Donuts, Do Rite Donuts, and Firecakes Donuts. Stan's Donuts is the neighborhood donut shop with a variety of locations throughout Chicago offering classic and creative donuts like Cap'n Crunch and caramel marshmallow. Do Rite Donuts offers both hearty donuts and fried chicken sandwiches. Firecakes Donuts offer artisanal small batch donuts with seasonal flavors like meyer lemon and apple-spiced.
Chicago is a wonderful town for foodies and there are so many options for carbing up both before and after the marathon. There is a place for every taste bud and every gut! Enjoy eating your way around town!
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