Traveler Spotlight

I had the pleasure of meeting Hirotaka at the information desk this morning while he was seeking advice on where to eat the best BBQ in Chicago. In my opinion, trying new food is half the fun of traveling, and judging by the conversation we had, I think Hirotaka feels the same way.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, he spent this past school year as an exchange student in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. After school ended, he decided to spend about two months travelling throughout the United States by Amtrak. Before Chicago, he visited New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon, New Orleans, and many more places. That‘s a lot to see in two months!

When asked about Chicago, Hirotaka only had wonderful things to say. He said that he loves the architecture and the vibrant atmosphere of the city. But more than anything, he has really enjoyed the food! His favorite experience so far was eating deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s. According to him, it was the most delicious pizza he has ever eaten! He also had great things to say about the hostel. He has met some great people and had a great time at our “Boom Boom Blues” night.

Good luck with the rest or your travels Hirotaka and I hope you loved the BBQ!

written by intern Maggie Flynn

Resource links:

Chicago Architecture Foundation: CAF offers in-depth architecture tours & hostel guests receive $3 off walking tours. caf.architecture.org

Lou Malnati’s Pizza: http://www.loumalnatis.com/

BBQ, Smoke Daddy: http://www.thesmokedaddy.com/

Dig Into Chicago-style Pizza

No visit to Chicago is complete without trying one of our most famous food delicacies – Chicago-style pizza.

Chicago-style pizza is a deep-dish pizza style that was developed in Chicago in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno. It has a buttery crust and is usually two to three inches thick at the edge. The order of ingredients on a Chicago style deep-dish pizza is “backwards” from a traditional think crust pizza. First, slices of mozzarella cheese are placed directly on the dough, and then additional ingredients such as mushrooms or onions are spread over the cheese. Finally, the pizza is then topped with fresh, chunky tomato sauce and topped off with a sprinkling of grated cheese and spices. Because it is so tall, Chicago-style pizza is generally eaten with a knife and fork. However, if you’re intimidated by the looks of this pizza and prefer think crust instead, you can definitely find that in Chicago too!

Be sure not to miss out on this tasty pizza during your visit to Chicago. Every restaurant has its own slightly different style of deep-dish pizza, but no matter where you go, you’re sure to get a great taste of Chicago. Here are some of our favorite options nearby!

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria – South Loop

805 South State Street

Directions from the hostel:

1. Head West on East Congress Parkway toward State Street
2. Turn left on State Street
3. Walk straight for 3 blocks and it’s on the corner of State Street and 8^th Street

Gino’s East of Chicago

633 N. Wells Street

Directions from the hostel:

1.  Head West on East Congress Parkway toward State Street
2. Turn right on State Street and walk one block to the Harold Washing Library stop
3. Take the Brown line towards Kimball and get off at Merchandise Mart stop (8 minutes, 6 stops)
4. Walk straight on North Wells Street for 5 blocks and it’s on the corner of North Wells Street and West Ontario Street

Giordano’s

223 West Jackson Boulevard

Directions from the hostel:

1. Head West on East Congress Parkway toward State Street
2. Turn right on State Street and walk one block to the Harold Washing Library stop
3. Take either the Pink line towards 54/Cermak OR Orange line towards Midway and get off at the Washington/Wells stop (4 minutes, 3 stops).
4. Head North on Wells Street
5.  Turn left on West Randolph

Pizzeria Uno

29 East Ohio Street

Directions from the hostel:

1. Head West on East Congress Parkway toward State Street
2. Turn left on State Street and walk one block to the Harrison subway stop
3. Take the Red line towards Howard (6 minutes, 4 stops)
4. Get off at the Grand-Red stop
5. Walk North on State Street for one block and turn right on Ohio Street