4.5
Culinary history
A short food history of Chicago
In the 19th century Chicago became the rail hub of the United States, and its Union Stock Yards, open from 1865 to 1971, made it the meatpacking capital of the country.
Polish, Italian, Greek, Mexican and Chinese neighborhoods each left their mark. Out of them came a set of local foods found almost nowhere else, alongside a serious steakhouse tradition and an ambitious fine-dining scene.
Food quarters
- 01GreektownGyros and flaming saganaki on Halsted Street.
- 02PilsenMexican bakeries, taquerias and carnicerías.
- 03Fulton MarketFormer meatpacking district, now a restaurant row.
- 04ChinatownCantonese and Sichuan kitchens on the South Side.