Best restaurants in Logan Square, Chicago

Jason Hammel's farm-to-table restaurant essentially kickstarted the culinary scene in Logan Square when it opened in 1999. Since then, it has continued to offer approachable, delectable dishes with an emphasis on seasonality. You'll find a mix of standard diner fare and more experimental dishes on the menu, but the prices are reasonable and servers can always point you in the right direction. You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with a scone or cookie from executive pastry chef Emily Spurlin.

Chef Diana Davila’s extensive travels through Mexico with her family inspire the menu at Mi Tocaya Antojeria, which offers excellent versions of favorites like a grilled steak burrito plus more unusual dishes such as queso fundido with goat birria and fried oyster tacos made with hand-pressed squid ink tortillas. The drink menu spotlights natural and biodynamic wines alongside cocktails that blend Mexican spirits with Middle Eastern and African flavors such as the Tukmaria, a mix of mezcal, lime, ginger, pomegranate and basil seeds.

You'll need a reservation (well in advance) to grab one of the 44 seats at chef Jason Vincent's diminutive Logan Square restaurant. Though space is tight, Giant realizes its ambitions through shared plates of “simple, unpretentious Midwestern fare.” The menu is accessible yet adventurous, including saffron tagliatelle with king crab and chili butter and sweet and spicy peppers with aged provolone and anchovy bread. Accompanied by a glass of wine, Giant offers the kind of meal that should live up to your huge expectations.

Owners Tony Bezsylko and Ethan Pikas change the dinner menu at Cellar Door Provisions frequently, so you never know exactly what you’ll find. The focus is always on natural wine, complimented by many fermentation and preservation techniques, and plenty of fresh veggies. The restaurant makes its own fish sauce, miso and vinegar to use in dishes like marinated olives and bread with briny butter and fermented eggplant dip.

The sibling spot to Osteria Langhe serves a mix of Italian staples from executive chef Jacob Solomon such as bucatini carbonara and orecchiette di cacio e pepe, plus traditional Roman dishes such as whole branzino with capers, olives and charred lemon cooked in a wood-burning oven. A rotating list of more than 35 Mediterranean wines includes varieties made in amphoras (tall ceramic jugs), though you can also opt for a cocktail like the Kykeon, a blend of gin, Greek yogurt, apricot liqueur, lemon and honey.

After eight years of contract brewing, Middle Brow Beer Co. finally has a home of its own on a bustling stretch of Armitage Avenue in Logan Square. Sporting rustic brick walls, a trio of foeders (giant wooden barrels used to age beer) looming over the dining area and a spacious bar, Bungalow tries to create a welcoming environment for guests to sample Middle Brow's experimental brews. In the morning, toast topped with cream cheese, fruit and honey is the main attraction, served alongside coffee and beer. Thin crust pizzas piled with toppings fill tables in the evening, with the action spilling out onto the patio when the weather cooperates.

Chef Chris Thompson sources whole animals from Midwestern farmers for his charcuterie-focused menu, making gourmet sandwiches like the Frenchie with house-cured ham, country pork pate, brie, Dijon mustard and cornichon mayo. You can build your own meat and cheese plate or just opt for recommended pairings. The spot also features coffee and pastries from Aya Patisserie in the morning and a grab-and-go deli starting at 11am. A dinner menu features French bistro fare, including steak frites and crispy duck leg confit with roasted plums.

With some three dozen rotating custard and plant-based ice cream novelties, this colorful Logan Square shop deliciously melds imagination and nostalgia on a stick. Starring cream from Lamers Dairy in Wisconsin and an ever-shifting cast of fruits sourced via Local Foods, the pops stand out most for their beautiful density and texture. Our go-to favorites are the tangy, chewy buttermilk bars and the Smurf-hued blue moon, a vegan homage to the Midwestern ice cream flavor.

Truth is, you can't go wrong with Longman & Eagle. No matter the occasion or time of day, this Logan Square restaurant serves stellar fare and cocktails. If you're going for dinner, arrive ready to eat something adventurous (yes, this probably involves organ meat). Whiskey lovers can join the Flight Club, which gets you a monthly guided tasting of rare pours plus a signature dish or a preview of a bite that hasn’t hit the menu yet. If you really fall in love with the place, you can stay the night in one of the six rooms upstairs.

You'll find lines of people in front of this popular Logan Square shop waiting for two things: pie and biscuits. While the pie list is streamlined (around six slices a day, that's it), the biscuit menu is much bigger, with biscuit sandwiches, biscuits drowning in gravy and biscuits piled with eggs and candied bacon, among other iterations. Enjoy a biscuit (and some dessert, naturally) on the outdoor patio if the weather is decent—and if you need caffeinating you can pair it with a cup of coffee or tea.

Beyond a handful of day-one dishes, the menu at Daisies in Logan Square is constantly changing. That's mostly thanks to Frillman Farms, operated by chef and owner Joe Frillman's brother, Tim. The restaurant and farm work together to put the freshest produce in front of diners. Taste the difference in seasonal dishes like the squash salad with brown butter and pecans. No trip to Daisies is complete without a bowl of handmade pasta: try tortellini with lentils and Italian sausage or pappardelle with mushroom ragu, basil and Parmesan.

Former Blackbird chef Ryan Pfeiffer teamed up with Mason Hereford of New Orleans’ Turkey and the Wolf to open this creative sandwich shop, where the menu changes wildly depending on when you visit. You’ll find ticketed tasting menus on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while Friday and Saturday bring complex sandwiches like a Chicago-style Philly cheesesteak made with caramelized beef jus, giardiniera and garlic mayo. The space goes more lowbrow from 8pm to midnight on weekends and all day on Monday, dishing out smash burgers, spiced tater tots and $1 Old Milwaukee cans.

Former RPM chef Doug Psaltis and his wife pastry chef Hsing Chen are behind this popular Greek restaurant that emphasizes traditional dishes made with sustainably sourced meat and seafood. Start with a selection of mezze, such as roasted calamari or a charred eggplant spread, then feast on whole grilled sea bass cooked in a wood-burning oven. Dine inside to watch your meal being cooked in the open kitchen or take advantage of the enclosed outdoor patio that stays open throughout the winter.

The trifecta of carbohydrates that is the base of Reno—bagels, pasta and pizza—commands fanaticism on its own. It's the execution of each dish that makes this a place worth coming back to (perhaps multiple times a day, if you can stomach all that gluten). The vegan Montreal-style bagels are chewy and savory, and can be topped with housemade jam or a variety of schmears including whipped feta and garlic hummus. Woodfired pizzas arrive covered with fresh toppings on a thin, not-too-hearty crust—and you can score two for $25 on Tuesdays. Leave room for some house-made pasta such as cavatelli topped with truffle oil, gouda, cream and bagel crumbs.

Regional Piedmontese cuisine is Osteria Langhe's focus, and that means ingredients like truffles, cream and eggy pastas appear on this streamlined menu. The plin, miniature agnolotti filled with cheese, are beautiful and light; the beef tartare is impeccably seasoned; and a rotating selection of salads are fresh and well-dressed. Osteria Langhe has quietly elevated Logan Square's Italian restaurant scene.

Imported from Brooklyn, Paulie Gee's boasts two massive Stefano Ferrara ovens from Napoli, Italy. That's where the magic happens. Choose from the restaurant's iconic bubbly, thin-crust pies or try one of the "Logan Squares," a Detroit-style pizza that has a caramelized crust. With creative ingredients like maple syrup, house-pickled pineapple, bacon jam and kimchi, these pies are some of the best in Chicago.

On a stretch of Armitage Avenue, Topolobampo alums Brian Enyart and Jennifer Jones Enyart deliver inventive Mexican fare like salmon tartare with guacamole and tacos stuffed with grilled vegetables, carnitas, carne asada and Baha-style fish. Try all that the restaurant has to offer from 5-7pm Tuesday through Saturday, when you can also enjoy happy hour specials including $7 house margaritas and a $2 discount on all beers.

Housed in a space that formerly hosted a dry cleaner (hence the name), the centerpiece of Same Day Cafe’s menu is the grilled cheese, served on thick rosemary bread—it's accompanied by a cup of rich tomato soup. A soda fountain offers a variety of sodas concoctions, like a lemon lavender phosphate and On the Beach, a blend of grapefruit, jalapeno and lime. For something even more decadent opt for a shake, malt or ice cream sundae.

From the folks who brought us Parson's Chicken & Fish, Lost Lake and Longman & Eagle comes this bubbly, light-filled café that specializes in Tex-Mex fare. Offering margaritas by the pitcher, Baja fish tacos, burritos, big bowls of queso and horchata soft serve, Lonesome Rose is an easy-to-love spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh, and don't forget about the killer weekend brunch!

This sibling location of Clybourn Avenue’s popular Cuban carryout joint is nearly a spitting image of the original—same toasted Cuban sandwiches, same flaky empanadas, same garlicky yuca chips, same potent café con leche. But even if the tiny interior, with its newspaper-covered walls, elicits the same claustrophobia, the big draws here are the spacious front and back patios, tropical ambience and mixers to turn BYO liquor into mojitos.

This cafe offers a huge selection of chai ranging from traditional masala chai to dark chocolate and caramel sea salt. Enjoy your tea with a curried kale and potato hand pie, curry bowl, momo dumplings, naan or other Indian and Nepalese dishes that will leave you feeling equally warm. If you’re not a fan of chai, there are a variety of other teas available as well as espresso drinks—and if you prefer something boozy, you can also enjoy the Indian spices in a bourbon ginger masala cocktail. Chiya Chai also boasts a location in the Loop, serving many of the same drinks and dishes downtown.

A casual, affordable spot in west Logan Square, Wyler Road is a sandwich place/bar from the team behind nearby The Burlington. This place is adorable, with tall mint green bar stools, lots of wood and windows for light, plus dishes served on mismatched china that you can’t help but photograph before diving in. Opt for deli staples like a turkey club with champagne aioli or a reuben made with corned beef or seitan, adding on a side like cheese curds with housemade ranch. A weekend brunch menu features hearty eats like corned beef hash and a liege waffle sandwich with sausage, cheddar, egg and honey butter.