If the Sweets and Snacks Expo were a country, it would be called Awesomeland. About the size of three football fields, the Expo brings together candy manufacturers and distributors from all over the world for their biggest opportunity of the year to find new customers and reconnect with existing ones. The best part? Every single one of them brings samples. More
For thirty years, visitors to Ann Arbor, Michigan, have gone home a little sad because they know their hometown doesn't have anything quite like Zingerman's Deli. Well, Zingerman's Roadhouse might be even better. More
In a world where so many pizza creation stories are debatable (if not outright myths), the history of Detroit-style pizza is surprisingly clear. There is no dispute that Gus Gurra introduced the city to its signature pizza style when he added pizza to the menu of his bar, Buddy's. Guerra sold his business in the early 1950s, but went on to found Cloverleaf. More
Early every Friday night all summer, both locations of Marczyk Fine Foods—Denver's premier gourmet food shop and deli—give their respective neighborhoods a little burger gift. Much more "elevated backyard cookout" than "fancy-pants burger" offering, it's a tradition the people of Denver are lucky to have. More
In the food world, Garfield Ridge on the southwest side of Chicago is fairly unexplored territory. But the locals there swear by Obbie's Pizza, a delivery and carry-out only hole in the wall that's been making customers happy since 1977. While my hope that I'd stumble on a place that should be a city-wide legend did not materialize, I did have some good pizza a couple of tweaks away from greatness. More
Back before "slider" became a term to describe any small burger made out of any kind of meat, the word referred to small beef patties, steamed and seared on a griddle and served with a grilled onions on a cheap white bun. These delicious bits of nostalgia are all too rare in most of the country, but the tradition lives on in Detroit. More
Each time I go to Baconfest Chicago, I'm blown away by the enthusiasm and creativity shown by chefs from throughout Chicagoland. Over 100 chefs spent part of their Saturday to serve up food to 3000 of the most devoted bacon lovers ever gathered in one place. It was over the top, obscenely gluttonous, and magnificent in every way. More
Since 1980, Piero's Pizza has been satisfying pizza cravings in the northern suburb of Highland Park. After trying two of the five styles of pizza on the menu, I was left wondering if there's something about the place I just didn't get. More
Take a blend of short rib, sirloin and skirt steak, grind it in-house, allow a thick crust to form without overcooking, top it with some excellent bacon from Gunthorp Farms, a robust cheddar from Wales, and some lightly fried onions, and you're going to understand what kind of quality justifies a Michelin star. More
With a location steps from the Magnificent Mile and across the street from Water Tower, Chef Tony Mantuano's Bar Toma would be doing extraordinarily well based on his star power and the location, even if the restaurant served frozen dinners. Fortunately, Mantuano did not rest on his laurels, delivering some seriously delicious pizzas that should have locals fighting tourists for tables. More
Under normal circumstances, a bait and switch is a terrible thing. But when you order an egg sandwich and end up with a pulled pork sandwich with a couple of eggs on top, all is right in the world. More
From the extraordinary blend of flavorful quality beef to the house-made bun to perhaps the best cheddar available on a burger anywhere, everything about the hamburgers at Owen & Engine is unimpeachable. In the ongoing debate over who has the best burger in Chicago, this one has to be part of the discussion. More
A visit to St. Petersburg, Florida is not complete without trying at least one grouper sandwich. The only challenge is figuring out where to go since seemingly every restaurant in town sells them. Let me make it easy for you; go to Mid Peninsula Seafood Market & Restaurant. More
Without some help, brie is too mild to be the centerpiece of a delicious sandwich. But as the grilled brie at Southport Grocery shows, when joined by sauteed mushrooms and served on outstanding focaccia, the creamy delight can be a critical component of something pretty special. More
Q's Restaurant & Pizzeria has served the people of Hillside for well over 50 years and exudes old school pizzeria charm. But Q's is an exemplar of how legendary suburban pizzerias can live on in greatness due to nostalgia more than the pizza. More
Bongo Room is, rightfully, known for having some of the best pancakes in Chicago. But if you find yourself there and in a mood for something savory, this beef tenderloin and portobello sandwich is eagerly waiting to be eaten. More
Most of the week, Inovasi is merely a very well-received restaurant serving up an ever-changing menu of innovative contemporary American cuisine. But every Tuesday, an extra menu appears and the restaurant transforms into destination dining for any burger lover in Chicago. More
No restaurant in the ever-expanding empire of Scott Harris has gotten more praise than Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy. The hype means that two hour waits are fairly common on weekend nights. The food just might be worth it. More
Park Burger became a Denver institution almost immediately after opening its doors less than three years ago. Based on my visit, I'd have to say it definitely lives up to the hype. More
There are countless average to above average pizzerias that get the designation, "it's good for the neighborhood." But as I discovered at Fornetto Mei, when the neighborhood is packed with excellent pizza options, decidedly mediocre pizzas aren't going to elicit much more than a shrug. More
We live in an era when people are willing to get out of bed just to go stand in line for an hour or more to eat breakfast. When diners show that kind of commitment to getting a good meal, expectations rise accordingly. Fortunately, when it comes to pancakes, Chicago's restaurants are up for the challenge. More
Few will seriously dispute the claim that The Greenhouse Tavern is one of the best restaurants in Cleveland. And the build-your-own four-course meal might be the best value I've experienced at a higher end restaurant. If you're fortunate enough to check out chef Jonathan Sawyer's downtown establishment, it's definitely worth exploring the menu as much as possible, but passing over the burgers would be a huge mistake. More
Trattorria Porretta & Pizza has grown from tiny pizzeria to a full-service Italian restaurant and banquet hall over the years in Portage Park. The family operation maintains the regional status quo in the Chicago thin crust department, but the carry-out only stuffed crust is worth sacrificing the comforts of a sit-down meal. More
Michael Symon had already made it as a serious culinary and television star before he opened B Spot, his fast casual burger mini-chain in his hometown of Cleveland. As far as I'm concerned, these burgers are his crowning achievement. More
I'm not going to toss all my food writing street cred out the window and tell anyone to get the grilled cheese at Edzo's instead of the burgers. But if you are in the mood for a grilled cheese, Edzo's dishes up a fun and delicious version. More
@Summerfield: I'm much more surprised that you had a bad burger at the Roadhouse than a great one at Motz's. Give it another shot and make sure you try the fried chicken. And bring someone with you who will share the food; it's the only way to get through a meal like that.
@Summerfield: I would have loved to have checked out Supino's but I was in Detroit on a Sunday and Monday, the two days the restaurant is closed. Next trip!
@dmcavanagh: At the time of my visit, Randozzo had won the title but he was still operating his restaurants as Cloverleafs and was, apparently, still bound to sell pizzas as required under his agreement with them. So rather than try a pizza that may or may not have been Cloverleaf's ideal or Randozzo's ideal, I decided to go with the original rather than the possibly but maybe not tweaked version at what were still franchise locations.
@Summerfield: Me giving the Monday morning excuse for Motz's was more along the lines of thinking that the woman cooking the sliders might not have been too excited about being at work at that hour. There was a towel used, but it was haphazardly placed on top of just some of the sliders. Not sure if mine got any towel coverage, but I am sure my burger was chewy.
@Kenji: I'm okay with a well-executed slider without any crispness, just like a little bit of textural contrast. If it comes from onion bits, that works too. I do have a question about your experience at Motz's. From the pics in your review, it looks like you were also handed a slider with the top part of the bun not on the burger. Can there really be any excuse for that practice?
@KingT: I went to Mike's and loved everything about the place. Look for a Sandwich post in the near future.
@DavidPD: Yeah, toasted was the wrong word choice there so I took it out. I'm not sure I'd call it steamed either since there's nothing put on top to keep the heat in. One of the many disappointing details at Motz's was the top bun was actually served next to the burger - it spent zero time on the burger while it was on griddle.
@Summerfield: I was shocked at Motz's. The meats was chewy and the bun was room temperature. There was no effort made to steam anything. I'm sure I'll get back to give it another shot at some point just because I think so many people loving it can't be wrong. Maybe next time I won't go at 10 in the morning on a Monday.
@FredipusRex: You're right about the cheese. My friend I ate lunch with actually thought it was blue cheese at the time. I'm still loyal to Burke's - the beef there is just too good, but this is definitely a special burger. I think the only thing that stopped me from over-the-top raving was that it came on the heels of my review of Owen & Engine, and I think that one was even better. Have you been?
@John Wozniak: A couple corrections regarding the flour that I've made to the main post. There was a miscommunication and it's a General Mills flour that is not from its Pillsbury subsidiary. Still, not gourmet stuff but it was found to work best when the recipe was developed and based on what I've had, I can't disagree. In getting that detail cleared up, I learned something new - there's also some wheat germ in there.
@Lindsey Becker and jlewfoodie: I'm definitely in the minority in my anti-pepperoni stance, but I'm a proud member of that minority. I've written somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 reviews for Slice and there's no way I've had commercial pepperoni more than 10 times. Probably less than 5. I think it tastes like fake meat that's been infused with salt.
@Brent and John Wozniak: I want in when that happens.
@forzapizza: That's a pretty selective reading of what I wrote. First, one of the pizzas was very slightly unbalanced to my tastes due to lack of sauce. Second, the unsatisfying had nothing to do with the quality of the pizza, but everything to do with some fancy white pizzas not, as I said, being able to "scratch that pizza itch." Third, I didn't say Mantuano was the best pizzaiolo in town, only that he's in the discussion. The guy is responsible for three very different styles of pizza, all done from good to great. The only other person I can think of who's done that in Chicago is Leo Spizziri, former head chef at Dough Boys, but he's not there anymore and the restaurant stopped selling stuffed pizza. If Spizziri were still doing his thing at Dough Boys, he'd be in the discussion as well (and he'd rank higher than Mantuano). Hell, most restaurants that try two styles of pizza tend to screw one up. So anyone who pulls off three and does it well is going to win me over no matter what their name.
@Nerdpita, Becka K-S, rustyshwartz, and, most importantly, the good people of Lincoln Square, I apologize profusely for the inexcusable error.
Sincerely,
A big fan of Lincoln Square who occasionally goes to Logan Square to eat
This list is woefully out of date. #1 remains the same but none of the others would make my Top 10. And other than Kuma's, none would be in consideration for my Top 20. It's not that these places have gotten worse (well, Hackney's has), it's more that a ton of places have started selling outstanding burgers in the last few years. Well, that and I simply screwed up by not including Top Notch (which still might not be in my top five but definitely would be #2 on the list above).
@es888: I did a massive feast at Jitlada last time I was in town and there's no way I could go in there and just get one thing. Mexicali looks like it might be a required stop and Baco Mercat looks pretty special too. Thanks!
@Rob88: I'm long gone but I did make it to Ted Peters and tried the mullet and the salmon. My salmon was a little dry but the mullet was outstanding.
@sdfishtaco: I appreciate your constant stream of negativity as much as anyone, but I'm afraid you didn't read this one all that carefully. The Hobo burger is the only one of 8 different burgers offered in which the customers do not decide ahead of time what toppings are included. And in that one case, customers are choosing to have a little fun and encourage creativity in the kitchen. As far as choice in doneness goes, it is 100% up to diners when it comes to the thick grilled burgers. But on the griddled ones, at Inovasi, like many other top purveyors of griddled patties (see, e.g. Edzo's, DMK, and countless other places around the country), the burgers are always cooked to medium. Given the frequency with which you complain on this site about burgers being too rare, I'd think a place that cooked to medium would be something you'd embrace.
@ texas blues: "straight up rock n roll with only a smattering of fu fu" Brilliant!
@Nick Kindelsperger: Yes, that was in the introduction. And there were reports but nothing that quoted President Obama. And if you read further in the same article, you see, "That said, I'm not certain that Barack Obama fans will actually be that much closer to their hero by eating pizza from Italian Fiesta. See, while Michelle Obama has proclaimed her love of Italian Fiesta, I haven't found a quote from the president-elect himself sharing her enthusiasm. In fact, the owner admits that Obama has never been seen in the restaurant. There is, however, a story out of St. Louis that offers some insight into his pizza palate."
I feel compelled to defend President Obama here. As far as I can tell, he's never been quoted as saying anything at all about Italian Fiesta. The First Lady has said she's loved it since childhood, but the President has remained silent on the matter. He did reportedly say that Pi Pizzeria in St. Louis (which has since expanded into DC) served him the best pizza he's ever had. And that's a perfectly respectable choice (though it should be noted that he said it while campaigning in the swing state of Missouri in 2008).
So on the plus side, sugar-based Dr. Pepper is going to be available nationally and, if Pepsi Throwback is the model, for substantially less money than the Dublin version is. And on the negative side, the bottle isn't going to say Dublin on it? Seems like a massive win for most of us.
Had this burger again tonight and it was exceptional. Cooked perfectly to rare with a nice crust and a hint of smoke flavor from the pecan wood it's cooked over, I'd put this in my top 10 burgers in Chicago.
Normally when people complain about the lack of inclusion of south side options in lists like these, I think they're placing neighborhood pride over food reality. But barbecue? This list kind of hurts my feelings. Oh, the West Side needs love too. Here's a partial list off the top of my head:
Barbara Ann's (included in the tags but inexplicably not in the article or map)
Mary's Bar BQ
Ribs n Bibs
Exsenator's BBQ
Best Bar B Que
I-57 Rib House
And at the opposite end of the geographic spectrum, north of the north suburbs is Big Ed's, which is easily among the best in the area.
Normally when people complain about the lack of inclusion of south side options in lists like these, I think they're placing neighborhood pride over food reality. But barbecue? This list kind of hurts my feelings. Oh, the West Side needs love too. Here's a partial list off the top of my head:
Barbara Ann's (included in the tags but inexplicably not in the article or map)
Mary's Bar BQ
Ribs n Bibs
Exsenator's BBQ
Best Bar B Que
I-57 Rib House
And at the opposite end of the geographic spectrum, north of the north suburbs is Big Ed's, which is easily among the best in the area.
@monopod: Pizzeria Locale is next on my list. Tentative plan is to be back in the area in April. Hopefully I'll make it to Boulder.
@bartonkt: Yeah, I love that everything goes in the wood-burning oven. I tried the woodfired vanilla bean ice cream which they make by sticking smoldering wood into the cream before freezing it. It was more cool than delicious, but I'm glad i tried it.
@Phunnyfarm: The problem with just listing the courses is that they don't give a good feel of how much goes into each one. For example, if I just said hamburger for this one, you'd have no good idea what that involved. With that major caveat aside, I'll list the names of the courses and a little detail, which gives you a good feel for the theme of the evening, were PB&J, Chicken Soup (noodles were made of chicken - cool concept but my least favorite course of the night), Fish-n-Chips, Mac & Cheese (with about 6 different garnishes around the edge), Autumn Scene, Hamburger, Lunch Box (included nutella snack pack, wagyu jerky, apple-brandy leather, truffled oreo, and homemade funyun), Foie-sting and Donuts (the frosting was made with foie gras and was served on beaters), and Sweet Potato Pie served with Hot Chocolate.
@Rodzilla: Thanks for the kind words. I really loved the meal. Just in terms of taste, several of the courses (burger, peanut butter and jelly, Mac & Cheese, and Autumn Scene) were spectacular. But the whole experience was so much more than the food. The amount of skill and work that went into the meal was impressive, but it was clear that a whole lot of fun was had in the kitchen as well. And I thought that attitude affected the diners as well. I ate the meal with a friend of mine and two friends of his, one of whom I'd met a couple of times and one of whom I'd never met (the other two had also never met each other). Despite our lack of familiarity, the meal inspired a very comfortable conversation, including each of us talking about some of our own childhood memories, that I thought enhanced the experience.
As far as pictures go, other than the burger course, I left my camera in my pocket and enjoyed the meal. But there are some good pics out there. This post on the Chicago food message board LTH shows a pretty similar meal to what I had. This set on flickr includes pics from Childhood and Tour of Thailand. And this flickr stream has pictures from the more elaborate meal served at the Kitchen Table.
@monopod and itadakimasu!: I think you guys are imagining that this is something more elaborate than it is, an understandable assumption given the known skill of the chef and the fact that I left off the price (since fixed). This is as simple as a sandwich can get. It's ordinary bologna, not remotely close to housemade. Think of it more as a guilty pleasure than anything else.
@gabagool: Yeah, I was surprised at the contrast between appearances and quality as well. As for the name of the place, is it possible your mother's "e nu macello" was the Italian equivalent of an American mother (like mine) describing their child's room as a pigsty? In other words, using a hyperbole to give the phrase a second meaning? Take it for what it's worth, but the first thing that comes up when googline macello transate was this site which indicates macello means both a slaughterhouse and a mess.
@jjchampion: First of all, welcome back to one of my favorite commenters on this site! Second, I can see confused customers happening a fair amount though it wasn't a problem in either of my visits. Hopefully most people will spend the inevitable waits that will be a daily thing at this place to study the menu and order. That sucks about the attitude and that would definitely have turned me off on the place. When I've gone, an older guy with a big bushy white beard has been taking the orders and he's been extremely friendly.
Here's a list of all the burger styles we could think of--fast-food, fast-food style, sliders, mini burgers (yes, there's a distinction between diminutive burgers), steakhouse, fancypants, and many, many more. More
I come back often to Rick Bayless and his fantastic Mexican Everyday. Before he gets into ingenious tacos, slow-cooker beans, and the perfect rice, he has a short section of salad dressings. It may seem like he personally created these... More
The newest addition to the line up of sweet fried dough at Doughnut Plant on the Lower East Side is none other than a crème brûlée-inspired creation. The doughnut was first brought to note in mid-November in the New... More
In the world of charcoal grilling, there's no more fundamental and fiercely debated topic than lump charcoal vs. briquettes. Being the building block for everything you grill, it's no wonder that grill masters around the world will defend their choice with extreme passion. So, you might ask, "Which is the reigning champ?" Well, there really is no easy answer. More
@KingDiamond: I'm secure in my happiness the American colonies succeeded in their revolutionary efforts but you've given me another in a long list of candy-related doubts. Canadians really have a sweet deal with their unfettered access to British candies. What makes the non-veggie ones better? Usually I like gelatin in gummy candy for the extra chewiness, but I really loved the soft chewy foam-like texture of these things.
@RobertaJ: That's a good question and I think the answer is unknown at this point. I asked the Hershey's people about it and they told me to ask the people working at the Brookside booth. At the Brookside booth, they said no decisions have been made regarding how this will affect production or if it will at all.