What to eat in Chicago? / The Purple Pig: cheese, pork, and wine at their finest.
Located on Chicago’s most important and glamorous avenue, this pork-focused restaurant is one of the best in the United States.
By Alejandro Pohlenz
It’s intriguing that the main street in the city of Chicago is called “Michigan Avenue” and not “Illinois Avenue.” Of course, the city sits right next to Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes bordering Canada. In the 1940s, a developer named Arthur Rubloff (involved in many of the city’s parks and pedestrian walkways) decided to name part of Michigan Avenue (which begins at the Chicago River) the “Magnificent Mile” or “Mag Mile.” It’s the equivalent of Fifth Avenue in New York or the Champs-Élysées in Paris. You’ll find the most non-plus-ultra shops (including a Harry Potter store that gets lines upon lines), shopping centers, and a famous building called the Hancock, which has a hair-raising attraction: on the 95th floor, the glass tilts outward and leaves you “floating” over the void… for the brave only.
What’s the place like?
Closer to the river is, in my opinion, one of the best restaurants in the world. It’s called The Purple Pig, founded in 2009 by chef Jimmy Bannos Jr. and his father, Jimmy Bannos Sr. In 2019, they moved to a bigger location. The décor is modern, full of wood and light, with a visible bar and booths along the sides.
Exquisite pork
What’s truly exquisite here is the pig. I tried two types of heavenly creations: the ribs (perfect BBQ sauce level, soft texture that falls apart) and the pork belly, which is the crowning achievement of Homo sapiens sapiens.
Order for the table
They recommend ordering to share, and so we did (there were eight of us at the table). I asked the kind waitress for a tuna tartare (served in a sort of cookie-like cylinder), the patatas bravas (though I recommend the smoked pork tongue and the duck croquettes), and the aforementioned ribs and pork belly. The menu also includes fish, of course (I didn’t try it because I only like raw fish), and pasta (they ordered the tagliatelle and reported it was excellent). There’s filet mignon, duck, and lamb as well.
When I ordered for everyone, I assumed food would be left over. Wrong: they polished off even the crumbs. Highly recommended! Bon Appétit ranks it among the 10 best new restaurants in the U.S., and it holds the Bib Gourmand distinction from the Michelin Guide.
- What we love and you must try: the pork belly.
- What we’re not huge fans of: personally, I’m not a fan of the risotto.
- Address: 444 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
- Hours:
Mon–Wed: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Thu: 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Fri: 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Sat: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Sun: 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. - Ideal for: lunch and dinner.
- Payment: cash and cards.
- Accessibility: yes.
- Phone: +1 312-464-1744
- Reservations: essential.
- Pet friendly: no.
- Good for kids: yes.
