9 Chicago Restaurants To Order From Directly
Presented by
BentoBox
Now more than ever, restaurants need every penny they can get. But heated domes aren’t everyone’s idea of a good time and Chicago’s patio season still feels far away. If you’re sticking with takeout and delivery for now, by ordering directly from these restaurants, every dollar you spend will go further in helping the restaurants you love stay afloat in times of uncertainty. With BentoBox powering their delivery and website needs, restaurateurs can avoid the third-party surcharges that cut into their bottom line, and you can keep supporting small businesses without leaving your couch.
The Spots
Daisies in Logan Square serves delicious seasonal fare and excellent housemade pastas. The menu is locally sourced (local as in, one of the farms they use is owned by the chef’s brother) and vegetable-focused. Alongside those legendary pastas, we’re very partial to the sandwiches available at lunch, like the turkey pastrami, Italian lamb, and a Wagyu beef and cheddar.
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Along with the well-made drinks you’d expect from an excellent cocktail bar, Kumiko also serves up impressive bar snacks and an a la carte menu of small bites to make your at-home cocktail hour much more exciting.
photo credit: Sandy Noto
Lost Larson has locations in Andersonville and Wicker Park, meaning multiple places where you can find their excellent baked goods. From perfectly-made pastries and bread to smørrebrød to seasonally changing quiches and soups, you can’t really go wrong at Lost Larson, whichever direction you choose.
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“Engineered Dining” might bring to mind astronaut food or something out of a sci-fi movie, but that’s not what you’ll get at Machine. The impressive to-go menu features options like roasted salmon with romesco puree, and you can get a large-format cocktail kit to go with whatever your order.
There are really only two things on the menu at Moody Tongue - beer and cake. But “just” beer and cake doesn’t really tell the whole story. The beer is their own, and is excellent, and the cake is a 12-layer German chocolate cake that is the kind of thing you’ll have recurring dreams about.
It’s hard to definitively classify the food at S.K.Y., but most of it is Asian-ish, and everything is excellent. There’s fried chicken with fermented hot sauce, cornbread baked into delicate madeleines, and a Japanese caesar salad served with shiitake dressing, bottarga, and nori. All of it is perfect for any special occasion you’re celebrating at home.
Missing date night? Woodwind has your back. You’ll have to make your own 18th floor of a skyscraper view, but this spot’s impressive Feasts For Two to-go menu makes it easy to convert your dining room from WFH office to night “out”. Try the Tots N’ Caviar, with caviar, yucca tots, housemade crème fraîche, and chives with your choice of a bottle of wine or champagne.
Agreeing on where to order dinner can be an hours long, relationship impacting conversation. If you’re looking to avoid that (for one night at least), there’s always French Market, where you can order anything from this food hall in one shot. So when you’re in the mood for lobster rolls and they want pho, both parties can be happy.
Francesca’s has locations all across the city, so when you’re looking for a big plate of saucy pasta or roasted meat, plus bottles of wine to go, this is a good mainstay that checks all those boxes.