Dine in the Chicago Footsteps of FX's Hit Series, 'The Bear'

If you've recently binged season 2 of The Bear on Hulu, you're probably still drooling over all the crave-worthy dishes that Carmy, Syd and the rest of the gang either cooked or consumed. Want to follow their culinary lead? Here's how to fill up a Chicago trip with delicious stops at some of the Windy City restaurants featured on the show. Unless you're a competitive eater, it would be impossible to tackle them all in a day, but a weekend of feasting is certainly feasible.

A quick synopsis of the series: Carmen Berzatto, a young chef working in New York's fine-dining world, returns to his hometown of Chicago to run the family's chaotic Italian beef sandwich shop after the suicide of his brother. Main characters include restaurant manager Richie Jerimovich, chef/baker Marcus Brooks and sous-chef Sydney Adamu.

It All Started With The Italian Beef Sandwich

The first season basically revolved around one dish: The iconic Italian beef sandwich—tender meat piled onto soft French bread topped with peppers, sweet or hot giardiniera and, if you ask for it, served "wet" or "dipped." Chicago claims a deep collection of no-frills establishments dedicated to the cause, each offering its own interpretation. The definitive version is, of course, a matter of personal opinion, but Al's #1 Italian Beef, Johnnie's Beef, Tony's Italian Beef and Luke's Italian Beef are all good bets. Exteriors of The Bear and front-of-house scenes were filmed at Mr. Beef in River North, the OG that reportedly inspired the whole series. If you don't want to stand in line that long, it's fairly easy to find Portillo's locations throughout the city. Assume the stance—step back from the counter and lean forward with your elbows out before biting in—to avoid dripping the tasty debris onto your clothes.

Deep-Dish Pizza Debates

As the series progresses, its locations move beyond just Mr. Beef—and more and more Chicago restaurants are featured. Like Italian beef, the best Chicago deep-dish pizza remains an ongoing and often heated debate. Richie's choice? Pequod's in Lincoln Park, as evidenced by his mad Season 2, Episode 7 dash to pick up a pie he delivers into the capable hands of a chef at Curtis Duffy's Michelin-starred Ever. The humble slices of pizza are then elevated to fine-dining perfection for a table of delighted out-of-towners. (P.S. The scenes of Marcus honing his dessert chops weren't actually filmed in Copenhagen, as the series suggests, but at After, Ever's swanky partnered cocktail lounge.) For something a little more casual, or if deep-dish just isn't your jam, snag a New York-style slice of pepperoni from the walk-up window at Pizza Lobo in Logan Square like Chef Syd does instead.

Going Global in Chicago

Searching for menu inspiration, Sydney visits a variety of the city's restaurants on Season 2, covering a diversity of cuisines and neighborhoods. Kasama in Ukrainian Village just south of Wicker Park creates Filipino-inspired fare and exquisite pastries under the direction of James Beard-recognized chef-owners Tim Flores and Genie Kwon. Another Ukrainian Village entry, cozy Lao Peng You, dishes dan dan noodles, dumplings and soups for slurping, along with Beef Rou Jia Mo (beef shank sandwich) and Dou Hua (sweet or savory tofu pudding).

Sydney also visits Avec and Publican Quality Meats, sister shop to The Publican—and during the show, she speaks to Donnie Madia, a restaurateur with One Off Hospitality, which is behind both Avec and Publican. Within a sleek cedar-paneled dining room, intimate Avec in the West Loop offers an array of Midwest-meets-Mediterranean plates like shakshuka, crispy short rib hummus, and signature chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.

Meat, meanwhile, is Publican's claim to fame. Check out the thoughtfully vetted selection of chops, steaks and poultry behind the counter at the Fulton Market butcher shop, then wander across the street to dine on oysters, charcuterie and porky main dishes at the flagship restaurant.

In "Fishes," the penultimate Berzatto family Christmas dinner episode, Uncle Jimmy reminisces about eating chocolate-covered bananas with his dad. Look hard enough, and you may be able to find locally produced Diana's Bananas in the freezer section of select Chicago grocery stores. Cap off your Chicago Bear food journey by indulging like Syd in an old-fashioned ice cream sundae with all the trimmings at Margie's Candies, a nostalgic local dining institution.

The Bear hasn't been officially renewed for Season 3, but there's plenty to check out in Chicago while you're waiting for the news.