Suggestions for health eating in Chicago?

hethro760
hethro760 Posts: 28
in Chit-Chat
I will be travelling to Chicago for business the end of next month

This will be my first business trip since starting my health-eating and fitness plan

Business trips are notoriously bad for me, because I tend to just grab dinner at the first place I see since I don't know the area (which usually ends up being pizza or burgers)

Anybody who has any recommendations for places to get good nourishment for dinner with a healthy menu on or near South Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, please let me know..

Replies

  • Taramotto
    Taramotto Posts: 17
    I can't reccommend any healthy joints to check out but I can emphatically say stay away from the Chicago deep dish pizza!! I'm sure there are some nifty apps you can download to your phone to steer you towards healthy restaraunts while there. Have a safe trip!:)
  • jmankin2012
    jmankin2012 Posts: 10
    Highly recommended

    http://www.theproteinbar.com/

    it's not south lake shore but there are a number of them around the loop area

    enjoy
  • lrichardson2360
    lrichardson2360 Posts: 225 Member
    Um, yeah, I live in the Chicago area and we have the BEST food that is the worst for you. Stick to salads. Good luck!
  • HarleyQuinn_12
    HarleyQuinn_12 Posts: 363 Member
    There are tons of places to eat healthy here in Chicago.
    Even pubs offer healthy options now. Trust me, you will do just fine, especially near Lake Shore Drive. There are so many options in the area.
  • mdbs2004
    mdbs2004 Posts: 220 Member
    PORTILLO'S!!!!!!!!
  • girlykate143
    girlykate143 Posts: 220 Member
    It all depends. What do you want to spend? Do you get a stipend? Chicago is known for really great restaurants. There are fantastic Italian places where you can get great, healthy fare, fantastic steak joints, fantastic everything down by where Oprah's studios used to be. I'm not a Chicagoan, but visited there recently and boy did we eat well! My bro lives there and raves about the food, but he's also a runner, so burns it off.
    Ask your concierge or anyone at the desk for recommendations. Also, walk along the lakeshore or go for a run. It's pretty great.
  • larosita57
    larosita57 Posts: 60 Member
    Where on S. Michigan will you be staying? If it's near the South Loop, there's a lot of options. There are a couple of sushi restaurants in that area, and if you want to stock up, you can take a cab to the South Loop Whole Foods and grab some fresh food (incl sushi, great salad bar, cut fruit) there.

    I'm afraid Chicago is not exactly a mecca of healthy eating. Faves here include the totally delish but heart attack-inducing Italian Beef, the famous Polish sausage, numerous greasy Chicago pizza and rib places...you catch my drift. You can avoid all that, though.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    Freshii, Protein Bar, Hannah's Bretzel, Pret A Manger, Whole Foods, Mariano's

    There's plenty of places to get "healthy food". Just stay away from all the pizza joints. Yes, there's the Chicago style pizza, but there's also a million other types of pizza places that aren't healthy for you.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    I'm sure there's plenty of healthy eating options in Chicago. I am going to go the complete opposite.

    Take one night, forget your healthy eating habits. Go to David Burke's Primehouse. Yes, the one that's been on Travel Channel's Steak Paradise. Get whatever steak you want. (Now, here's the key to this suggestion):

    GET THE MACARONI AND CHEESE AS YOUR SIDE.

    You'll thank me afterward then curse me when you're exercising off the calories. I would go and order the side of mac and cheese by itself. It's that damned good.

    Or go to Ditka's, if for no other reason than to say you've been and to pay too much for a Ditka cigar. NFL season has started, so he's probably in Bristol, CT, filming for ESPN, but if you time it right, the man and legend himself may actually be in the restaurant.

    OK. I'll stop being a bad influence now. Carry on.

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