Logan Square Is Where Chicago Learns to Cook

Stripped-down rustic cafe in Logan Square from the Metropolis Coffee lineage. Donuts, solid coffee, and enough food options to make it a real all-day stop. The baristas are variable but the baseline is good. Nothing here will blow you away and nothing will disappoint you. A reliable neighborhood option for working or catching up with someone.

Five locations around Chicago. The cappuccino is oversized, the milk runs too hot, and the espresso is over-extracted. When a barista asks what size you want for a cappuccino, that tells you what you need to know. The baristas are trying. The training isn't there. A local Starbucks, for better or worse. Spend your money somewhere else if you have the option.

Independent Logan Square microbrewery with a fusion-leaning kitchen and one of the better rooftops in the neighborhood. The concept is fun and the space is genuinely great. The food is uneven — the ssam plate earns its spot, other dishes don't leave much of an impression. Solid for a group that wants to drink good house-brewed beer in a big, open room. The N/A list needs work.

Small Cheval is the focused, casual offshoot of Au Cheval, and the burger might be better. Double patty, medium rare, house pickles, sauce, and a perfect bun. Order at the window, grab a patio seat, eat it immediately. The custard concretes are not optional. Oreo or peanut butter cup is a decision you'll need to make on your own.

Longman & Eagle held a Michelin star from 2011 to 2017 while serving PBR and whiskey shots in a rustic neighborhood bar. It still has a Bib Gourmand and nothing has changed, which is the whole point. Snout to tail, ironic, rich, and deeply comforting. Brunch is the anchor — donuts, chicken and waffles, a sloppy joe. Dinner brings fresh pasta and pig heart tartare. Extensive whiskey list. Excellent NA options too. A Logan Square institution.

Paulie Gee's Logan Square is the Brooklyn transplant's sit-down location, with tin ceilings, warm wood, and a garage door that opens onto the street when the weather allows. The Neapolitan crust is chewy, charred at the edges, and consistently right. The Hellboy is the move. Detroit style is available if that's the mood. A reliable, enjoyable Logan Square pizza night.

Some of the best ramen in Chicago, and it has been since 2010. Ramen Wasabi built its reputation on a tonkotsu broth made by boiling Berkshire pork bones for 45 continuous hours with no shortcuts and no powders. The result is rich, velvety, and the best version of tonkotsu in the city. Get the tonkotsu ramen. Get the buns. The NA beer list is excellent if you need one. No reservations, line moves, worth every minute of it.

Named after the small Oaxacan village whose recipes it honors, Kei-Gol-Lanee is a Michelin Bib Gourmand that started as a door-to-door tamale operation and became one of Logan Square's best restaurants. The moles are complex, the banana leaf tamales are the real thing, and the tlayudas are a must. Get the guacamole with roasted grasshoppers. Unassuming room, vibrant paintings, food that delivers on every plate.

Not fusion. Farm-to-table cooking through Indian spice geometry, and the difference is something you taste immediately. Superkhana has held its Michelin Bib Gourmand since opening in 2019 and delivers consistently without the hype that once surrounded it, which means you can actually get in now. The naan program alone is worth the trip. The rotating mains are seasonal and sharp. Weekend brunch is excellent and easy to get into. Walk-up window available. One of Logan Square's best.

Lula Cafe opened in 1999 and helped invent the cheffy brunch and casual farm-to-table dining before either was a trend. Logan Square as a restaurant neighborhood owes a meaningful debt to this place. The interior is worn in and feels exactly right. The brunch is still excellent, the dinner pastas hold up, and the rotating seasonal menu gives you a reason to keep coming back. No reservations for brunch. Two hour wait on weekends. Worth it. 2024 James Beard Outstanding Hospitality winner.