Memo to WGN's Greg Jarrett: A list of don't-miss restaurants

Re: Greg, a table awaits
Holy Cow, Phil, you misspelled Chicken Vesuvio! Misspelled Versuvio in the Harry Caray photograph, but spelled correctly in your article. A Chicago original from 1930s Vesuvio's Restaurant, 15 E. Wacker Drive.
Also, Phil, you give San Francisco too much credit - Yountville, California is better.
Mike Fahy

There is a southside (Worth, IL, actually) steak place called Krepil's which is out of this world. It compares with Gene & Georgetti's. Check it out!

I think some pablum is in order. So far, that's what the new host's show seems to be.

Uno's is disgusting. As stated Malnati's, Giordano's, and the painfully commercialized Edwardo's and Gino's are far superior. Uno's franchises across America make Chicago pizza a punch line. I wish they would all close. Reza's is awesome for Persian and Middle Eastern.

No meal of any kind anywhere in the world is worth $200+ per person.

Bayvaz,

The Uno's Chicago Grill nationwide is nowhere near the quality of Uno's on Wabbash. It's decidedly a knockoff... case in point, they don't cook it for 45 mins like they do here 'cause people elsewhere won't wait for good food!

I agree with Bill_H too. There are starving people in this city, let alone the rest of the world. You can get amazingly good food for under $100 for two at so many places...!

Phil, thank you for an excellent list of restaurants. Regardless if most of the readers agree or disagree with your opinion, the list is very appreciated.

Adam wrote:

Phil, thank you for an excellent list of restaurants. Regardless if most of the readers agree or disagree with your opinion, the list is very appreciated.

PHIL VETTEL REPLIES:

Thank you. But in stories like these, disagreeing with me is half the fun. I've learned a lot from the emails and posts I've gotten so far...

It seems that missing from this list are Chicago hot dogs. Take your pick amongst the standard fare to get the feel of a "regular" Chicago style dog, and then Greg should leave the Tower after his show and head to Hot Doug's for a long lunch of encased meats.

Also missing seems to be casual (cheap) Mexican. La Pasadita seems like a must for somebody eating their way through Chicago. But a trip to Pilsen for Nuevo Leon is highly recommended. And wandering through the new Maxwell Street Market will yield a more than satisfying fill of Mexican. Once Greg has brushed up on his Spanish head to the original La Condesa at 26th & Kedzie for some tongue tacos. I could go on...

Lastly, visiting a couple of resto-pubs is in order: Hopleaf (moule frite and Kwak goes down easy) and Goose Island (darn good food to go with even better local brews).

Tortilla Soup (called Azteca)- Cafe El Tapatillo

Chicken Parm/Osso Bucco - Hole in the Wall (Nortbrook)

Hot Dog - Hot Dougs or Gene n Jude's

Sushi - Sushi Wabi or Toro

Thin Crust Pizza - Cafe Luigi

Naples Style Pizza - Pizza DOC

Cheap ($5) Mediterranean - Pita Inn

Breakfast - Walker Bros.

Seafood - Joe's Stone Crab

In a town where eating is a passtime, the list of suggestions can be endless. Most suggestions made so far (and I agree with the Unos comment) pass my muster, I will offer a suggestion that no one has brought up.

Thin Crust Pizza - Vito and Nick's in the southside (8435 S. Pulaski). Pain to get to and Cash only, but worth driving down the obstacle course that is Pulaski for their pizza.