Visiting Chicago for the first time

[ricekrispy]

I will be traveling to Chicago with my husband for the first time in April. I am a huge foodie, and am looking for some good places for us to eat while we are there. We enjoy a variety of cuisines, but Italian is one of our favorites. We are also looking for a real "Chicago" style pizza to try. We will only be there for 5 days. We would like to keep the cost reasonable, at $25-30 per person for dinner. We would also like somewhere close to where we are staying, on N. Columbus Drive (near Navy Pier).

Any suggestions? I'm sure there are other threads on this topic - if there are any other good posts on here to check out, let me know!

TIA

[nsxtasy]

Sounds like you're staying at or near the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers.

For real Chicago deep-dish pizza, the two places where it all started - Uno (in 1943) and Due (1955) - are the closest to the hotel, about three blocks north and five blocks west. Unlike their franchised locations, the two locations in River North kept the original recipe, and are still among our very best.

You're also very close to Fox & Obel, our premier gourmet food store, with the best of everything - prepared foods, meats, fish, etc. Their baked goods are phenomenal, particularly their rich cinnamon swirl rolls, croissants, etc. In the rear is a cafe where you can get anything from a cup of coffee to a full meal, prepared to order; it's a great place to have breakfast (I like their cobb omelet).

Good moderately-priced restaurants near the Sheraton include Emilio's Sol y Nieve for tapas, Sayat Nova for Armenian, and Coco Pazzo Cafe for Italian.

Here are links to two discussions that will give you an overview of what Chicago has to offer. This discussion tells what foods and places are unique or specialties in Chicago, foods that Chicago is particularly good at:

first time Chicago - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/693477

This discussion has an overview listing some of our best in various food categories, as well as advice for getting the best value for your dining dollar:

Where are the best Chicago dinner *values* - the hidden gems? - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/697829

You'll also find some specific recommendations for inexpensive food near the Hyatt Regency (which is right across the river from the Sheraton) in this discussion:

Doc student Chicago trip - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/387291

Feel free to ask more questions, and enjoy your visit!