Gene & Jude's in River Grove is the 1946 hot-dog stand on River Road, west of Chicago: no ketchup, no tomato, no cheese, no chairs, just dogs, fries and drinks.
Signature dishes: Hot dog with everything (no tomato, no cheese)
Must order: Double dog with the works (mustard, relish, onion, sport pepper) and the hand-cut fries.
Tip: Fries are tucked into the same paper as the dog. Eat them off the dog as you go, that is the point of the design.
Address: 2720 N River Rd, River Grove, IL 60171, Chicago
Big Star in Chicago is the One Off Hospitality taco room at Six Corners on Damen, with an outdoor patio, a frozen margarita machine and tacos al pastor on a trompo.
Signature: Al pastor taco, Frozen margarita
Order: Three al pastor tacos, a frozen margarita, chips with the smoky tomato salsa.
Tip: The patio queue is long in summer. The walk-up window pays out a perfectly good takeaway dinner in five minutes.
La Chaparrita in Chicago is the Little Village taqueria off 26th Street with handmade-tortilla tacos from a small storefront counter, run by the Loera family.
Signature: Suadero taco, Tripa taco
Order: Suadero and tripa tacos, with a sip of agua de jamaica.
Tip: Cash only. The salsas at the counter are unmarked; ask which is the hottest and start there.
Hopleaf in Chicago is the Andersonville Belgian beer bar on Clark since 1992, with moules frites, a 200-bottle Belgian list and the cashew-butter-and-fig sandwich.
Signature: Moules frites, Belgian beer flight, CB&J (cashew butter, fig jam)
Order: Moules frites with the Belgian-frites mayo. CB&J sandwich for the table.
Tip: The back dining room takes walk-ups only. Aim for 17:00 on Sunday to land it for dinner without waiting.
Calumet Fisheries in Chicago is the East Side smokehouse on the 95th Street bridge since 1948, with smoked chub, fried perch and shrimp wrapped in butcher paper.
Signature: Smoked chub, Fried lake perch
Order: Smoked chub by the piece and a fried perch fillet plate.
Tip: Cash only, no seating. Walk to the bridge and eat the chub on the railing watching the boats; that is the meal.
Greek Islands in Chicago is the Greektown standard on South Halsted since 1971, with the flaming saganaki tableside-presentation that the neighbourhood made famous.
Signature: Saganaki (flaming cheese), Lamb on the spit, Gyros
Order: Saganaki (Opa!), lamb on the spit, gyros plate to share.
Tip: Sunday lunch with the family is the room's natural use. Book a long table and a bottle of Boutari.
Lou Malnati's in Chicago is the Lincoln Park branch of the deep-dish chain founded 1971 by Lou (Rudy Malnati Sr.'s son), butter-crust pies with The Lou as flagship.
Signature: Chicago deep-dish pizza, The Lou (spinach, mushroom, tomato)
Order: The Lou with sausage, plus a small Malnati Salad first, with sweet vinaigrette.
Tip: Order the pizza when you sit; baking takes 45 minutes. Otherwise you wait twice.
