Chicago Food Planet Food Tours offer a taste of the city and its culture

September 2, 8:43 AMChicago Dining ExaminerEmily Szopa

Previous Next

4 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Chicago Dining Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Click on the above image to check out the entire photo slideshow of the tour

Everyone has a go-to spot in the morning for picking up a cup of coffee, or a place they drop by after work because they love the ambiance, or a special restaurant where a good dinner and great service create the perfect date setting, but after the lustre of discovery has worn off, it's easy to forget that not everyone else is aware of these coveted spaces.

Not everyone has experienced the delight of a homemade marshmallow from Hot Chocolate, and not everyone knows that they can pick up a good sized falafel sandwich at Sultan's Market for a mere $3.50. When it's in your own backyard, it's easy to lose perspective.

Having lived in Ukrainian Village for awhile, I'm no stranger to the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods. I have been to Hot Chocolate, and Sultan's Market is a frequent stop on the way home from work. I know what to expect at these places, and I know it's good. When I was invited to take a walking food tour of the area with Chicago Food Planet Food Tours, I accepted, but with a hint of prejudice. What was there to learn, what new things could I possibly experience along the streets I walk so often?

I talked to Shane Kost, Vice President of Operations at Chicago Food Planet Food Tours, and asked how it was that they decided which places to visit along the tour, which he explained is not an exact science:

"Let's say I came to visit you and I asked you which restaurants to go to--would you know what to tell me? Of course [you] would. And I would say, how? And you [wouldn't] really know; it's just because you live in the area and you know the area...and over time you get to know the places to go to.

It's a combination of places that have been around the longest and...new places that we think are exciting and we think are going to stick around awhile. For instance, today we're going to go to iCream and, you know, that could be a fad, but right now we think they're amazing."

So, it's not any more definitive than determining where to get the best Italian beef or Chicago-style pizza, or even where to get a good cup of coffee in your neck of the woods, it's just what feels right.

Our tour consisted of six stops, starting at George's Hot Dogs and then moving on to Hot Chocolate, The Goddess and Grocer, Piece, Sultan's Market and ending at iCream. Click here to check out a photo slideshow of our tour, as seen through the lens of Chicago Food Photography Examiner, Steven Johnson.

Let's start the tour already!

• Chicago Food Planet Food Tours part 1
• Chicago Food Planet Food Tours part 2
• Follow the whole series, photos and stories
  

To get a general idea of what you're in for, check out the video below: