The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on Chicago's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Chicago.
La Michoacana Premium in Chicago is the Pilsen paleteria on 18th Street with fresh-fruit paletas, elote in a cup, raspados and mangonadas at a painted counter.
Try: Paletas, elote in a cup, raspados
Tip: Order the elote in a cup with Tajin and butter; pair it with a tamarind paleta for the after-walk down 18th.
The Wieners Circle in Chicago is the Lincoln Park late-night hot dog counter on Clark Street, with char dogs, cheese fries and customer banter past 02:00.
Try: Char dogs, cheese fries
Tip: Char dog with everything; the chocolate milkshake is the closing order for the walk back up Clark.
Harold's Chicken Shack in Chicago is the South Side fried chicken chain founded by Harold Pierce in 1950, with mild sauce and a white-bread plate in a paper bag.
Try: Fried chicken, mild sauce, white bread
Tip: Ask for mild sauce on the side, not poured on, or the bread soaks before you eat. Order the four-wing plate.
Tamale Spaceship in Chicago is the lucha-libre-masked tamale operation that began as a food truck in 2011 and now runs from a Pilsen storefront on Blue Island Avenue plus a roving truck.
Try: Tamales (regional Mexican)
Tip: Order the lemongrass-tofu vegan tamale and the chicken mole verde to balance; both are on the truck and the market.
Garrett Popcorn Shops in Chicago is the Loop popcorn counter on Randolph since 1949, with the Garrett Mix (cheese-and-caramel) bag in a gold tin to take home.
Try: Garrett Mix (cheese and caramel popcorn)
Tip: Order the small bag mixed, eaten warm out of the bag before the cheese cools. The gallon tin is for the airport.
Kuma's Corner in Chicago is the Avondale burger bar on Belmont, with a heavy-metal-named burger menu and a 90-minute weekend wait for a 10-ounce pretzel-bun patty.
Try: Heavy-metal burger menu
Tip: Order the Kuma burger (egg, bacon, cheese, pretzel bun); the side fries are large enough for two.
El Milagro Tortilleria in Chicago is the Pilsen tortilla shop on Blue Island Avenue, with stone-ground masa tortillas pressed for the neighbourhood taquerias.
Try: Hand-pressed tortillas, taco fillings
Tip: Buy a dozen of the white-corn fresh tortillas; eat one at the counter with the bag-side salsa to test the day's masa.
The Fish Keg in Chicago is the Rogers Park no-frills fish-fry counter on Howard Street, with deep-fried smelt by the cup and perch by the fillet for under $10.
Try: Fried smelt, perch, catfish
Tip: The smelt is the order; they fry it crisp and salty, eat the whole fish with the cornmeal crust.
Peak food season in Chicago is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Chicago rewards trust.