Allergy-friendly restaurants in Chicago
March 7, 2010 1:07 AM Subscribe
Where can my girlfriend and I eat during our trip to Chicago? I am allergic to peanuts, nuts, soy, and (less seriously) crustaceans.
We'd like something better than we can get in our mediocre town, but we aren't too wealthy so under $30 would be nice. I already know about the very nice Bistro 110, but something new would be wonderful.
We'd like something better than we can get in our mediocre town, but we aren't too wealthy so under $30 would be nice. I already know about the very nice Bistro 110, but something new would be wonderful.
Best answer: Holy shit yes, Chicago stuffed/deep pizza. I lived for a while in NYC and I will say without hesitation that Chicago's pizza blows NYC to little greasy cardboard bits. I personally prefer Giordano's, but Lou Malnati's is also solid. There's a Lou's in downtown Chicago.
Hot Doug's is the bestest hot dog place I've ever been to. There's always a line outside. It's worth it.
Chicago is the CITY OF FOOD, practically.
posted by secret about box at 1:26 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hot Doug's is the bestest hot dog place I've ever been to. There's always a line outside. It's worth it.
Chicago is the CITY OF FOOD, practically.
posted by secret about box at 1:26 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Burt's Place is great for deep dish.
It was featured on No Reservations Chicago and random connection...Burt is my gf's cousin.
Also check out Heaven on Seven downtown.
posted by Elminster24 at 2:26 AM on March 7, 2010
It was featured on No Reservations Chicago and random connection...Burt is my gf's cousin.
Also check out Heaven on Seven downtown.
posted by Elminster24 at 2:26 AM on March 7, 2010
Isn't soy sometimes in flours/crusts? Just saying -- is it really safe to assume that pizza is 100% safe?
posted by amtho at 5:26 AM on March 7, 2010
posted by amtho at 5:26 AM on March 7, 2010
I'm allergic to all those things but I feel like I could eat at any restaurant (barring maybe korean) and just order things I'm not allergic to. Do you mean you can't go to restaurants that house those ingredients somewhere in the restaurant? Or do you mean that you can't have those in your dish?
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 5:26 AM on March 7, 2010
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 5:26 AM on March 7, 2010
Semiramis for the best (and rather cheap) Lebanese food ever! Of course there's always deep dish pizza.
posted by astapasta24 at 8:26 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by astapasta24 at 8:26 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: re: what having an allergy means to my ability to eat out, I would have to ask what (if anything) was safe at any restaurant I went to. Many places don't have anything I can eat, because of prevalence of one or more of the allergens in the kitchen. Even a small amount of peanut could put me in the emergency room, and I don't have healthcare or enough spare cash to cover that. The other allergens would at least ruin my evening. I've been eating out for a couple years at places where the menu was suitable and I could talk with the staff, so I know it's possible.
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 10:51 AM on March 7, 2010
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 10:51 AM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: Watch out for soy/peanut based oils in the dough. Home Run Inn uses corn oil, but the others might use peanut.
Semiramis is a good choice. It's byob I believe.
Any of the classic hot dog places would probably be OK, as I believe Vienna Beef doesn't use fillers in their commercial products. Could be wrong- but generally a commercial hot dog is less adulterated by fillers than the crap in the supermarket..
posted by gjc at 10:57 AM on March 7, 2010
Semiramis is a good choice. It's byob I believe.
Any of the classic hot dog places would probably be OK, as I believe Vienna Beef doesn't use fillers in their commercial products. Could be wrong- but generally a commercial hot dog is less adulterated by fillers than the crap in the supermarket..
posted by gjc at 10:57 AM on March 7, 2010
There's tons of Mexican places sprinkled throughout the city.
Nothing fancy, but Taqueria Moran is exceptionally good food.
posted by at the crossroads at 5:49 PM on March 7, 2010
Nothing fancy, but Taqueria Moran is exceptionally good food.
posted by at the crossroads at 5:49 PM on March 7, 2010
Best answer: There is a giant amount of Chicago restaurant info here.
That said, here are a few semi-new, semi-hip (I'm not that hip) places that you should google: The Publican, Big Star, The Purple Pig, Green Zebra (not new, but might be good for your allergies), Avec (not new but awesome).
The fad in Chicago right now seems to be cheap-ish gourmet "street food" -- Hot Doug's was the original, but now there is Xoco and Urban Belly, to name a couple. Google both of those - Xoco is fantastic and in your price range.
posted by Mid at 6:56 AM on March 8, 2010
That said, here are a few semi-new, semi-hip (I'm not that hip) places that you should google: The Publican, Big Star, The Purple Pig, Green Zebra (not new, but might be good for your allergies), Avec (not new but awesome).
The fad in Chicago right now seems to be cheap-ish gourmet "street food" -- Hot Doug's was the original, but now there is Xoco and Urban Belly, to name a couple. Google both of those - Xoco is fantastic and in your price range.
posted by Mid at 6:56 AM on March 8, 2010
Response by poster: I wound up doing a lot of pizza - Gino's East is phenomenal and great about allergens. Bistro 110 was great as always. Lou Malnatti's was good and also safe. We did sushi at Kyoto a couple times and that was reasonably priced, safe, and delicious.
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 12:47 AM on November 7, 2010
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 12:47 AM on November 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
The ingredients you list aren't usually included in a pizza. (However, soy may be an ingredient in sauces and the like.)
posted by spinifex23 at 1:19 AM on March 7, 2010 [1 favorite]