Chicago Food Tour

Experience all the city's biggest everyman food hits, many of which have roots in the Italian immigrant experience. This moving feast incorporates a walk through some of the city's world-renowned architecture and public art in the famed "Chicago Loop." Get a taste for just how influential the immigrants that built this city have been on the food scene.

We begin with one of Chicago's most iconic foods and one that sets us apart from New York: deep dish pizza, a marvel of both flavor and engineering built "upside down" for the 45 minutes it takes to bake. We next take a lakeside stroll to Buckingham Fountain to begin what is a wide-ranging historical and architectural introduction to one of the most important US cities.

Next, we head to the original purveyor of another iconic Chicago food: the Italian Beef. There are many ways to order a beef: our will be sweet, hot and dipped, like the locals do! Next up, yet another icon: the Chicago dog. By the end you'll not only be able to name the seven essential toppings on a Chicago dog; you'll know which immigrant group contributed each.

Prohibition famously fueled the rise of Al Capone's bootlegging, machine-gunning empire here in Chicago. We stop in an 1898-founded bar and restaurant that made it through the dry times serving near-beer. We drop in for a root beer brewed with their own recipe.

Many cities boast about their public art. How many have a Chagall, a Miro and a Picasso sculpture on display within three blocks of one another? We'll stop for photos and a quick chat about them. Next up is a sweet and salty secret food beloved by Chicago commoners and celebrities alike.

Here's where we begin to "move on up," as the City's immigrant founders eventually did, passing through an important cultural building to take a peek at a Tiffany masterpiece: the largest skylight ever designed by the glassmaker. Break out your cameras for the next leg of our journey through Millennium Park, with several selfie-worthy stops, including the iconic reflective "Cloud Gate" sculpture (otherwise known as 'The Bean.'). A magnificent bridge offering skyline views brings us to the Art Institute, where we will enjoy a rich sweet and salty chocolate dessert while feasting our eyes on the cityscape from a chic outdoor terrace.