HOME OF ALE CAPONE
City of Chicago’s gangster-ridden, prohibition history is firmly in the past as new culture of craft beers and cuisine flourishes
IT’S fair to say that a visit to Chicago drove me to drink – but in a good way.
Booze runs through the Illinois city’s history and it’s still a hugely important part of its culture.
During prohibition in the 20s and early 30s, when gangsters Al Capone and George “Bugs” Moran brought bloody battles to the streets, Chicago was famous for its speakeasies – illegal drinking joints. Today, the city has a wealth of elegant wine and cocktail bars, welcoming taverns and friendly local pubs.
There’s also an expanding craft beer scene, with trendy brewpubs offering an extraordinary variety of ales.
It’s no wonder Chicago was named the Greatest Drinking City in America by GQ magazine.
I visited the Windy City for a culinary and craft beer-themed break and, while I was enthusiastic about the food, as a wine drinker, I had reservations about the beer. It didn’t take long to convert me.
In Chicago, beer is treated with the same reverence as wine.
In restaurants, it is paired with food so a different variety is suggested for each course.
I sampled all sorts of sour beers, wheat beers and pale ales, among others, and, over the course of a few days, began to get a feeling of what would work best with whatever I was eating.
Ale with flavours of Thai jasmine rice, basil and lemongrass is all very well but in my book, the less sophisticated-sounding Zombie Dust came out on top.
My sense of bon viveur wasn’t just about the beer.
Chicago is a fantastic city. It’s set on Lake Michigan and there are 26 shimmering miles of shoreline, with a wealth of beachfront areas, walkways and marinas stacked with thousands of boats. Navy Pier, on the lake, is the Midwest’s top attraction, with parks, restaurants, shops, entertainment and boat tours.
The pier, like so much of Chicago, is family-friendly.
In the Loop area on the lakefront is Millennium Park – a vast, exquisitely landscaped green space with incredible statues and smart modern architecture.
At its heart is the bold Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where locals and tourists of all ages alike gather on Saturday mornings for mass outdoor keep-fit sessions or on summer evenings to enjoy the free classical music concerts.
The park is the setting for one of Chicago’s most famous landmarks – a 110-ton metal bean-shaped statue. Its official name is Cloud Gate but everyone calls it The Bean.
Then there’s the jaw-dropping architecture. Chicago is the home of the skyscraper and the skyline is stunning.
A narrated architecture boat tour along the Chicago River with Shoreline Sightseeing is a great way to appreciate the sleek feats of engineering that rise up into the
sky. In a city that overwhelmingly voted Democrat in the presidential election, the Trump Tower stands out defiantly.
Speaking of skyscrapers, we visited Skydeck Chicago at the top of the Willis Tower. The views of the city were stunning and we even dared to step (briefly) into the glass boxes that hover 1353ft above the ground.
For eats, I would highly recommend the Chicago Food Planet 3-1-Chew Tour.
It’s a guided walk round the hip neighbourhoods of Bucktown and Wicker Park, stopping to sample food at six locations, from sandwiches at Jay’s Beef to mouth-watering treats at Stan’s Donuts.
At the other end of the spectrum, we enjoyed fine dining at The Signature Room at the 95th on top of the John Hancock Centre, a delicious lunch – with beer selected for every course – at Columbus Tap in our luxurious hotel, the Fairmont, authentic Italian pizza at the Quarantino Ristorante and brunch at the Summer House Santa Monica.
The culinary highlight for me, though, was the achingly cool Band of Bohemia.
It’s a Michelin-rated brewpub with sublime, innovative food, a trendy but relaxed vibe and beer recommendations from people who really know their stuff.
Where else would dessert be a white chocolate-covered foie gras popsicle served in a miniature garden – accompanied, of course, by beer?
I’d also thoroughly recommend a guided walk with History On Tap, who explore the culture and history of Chicago through the lens of alcohol.
We met their founder Liz Garibay in the Twin Anchors, a former speakeasy which was a favourite of Frank Sinatra.
She talked us through Chicago’s alcohol-soaked past as we sampled local brews.
Over four days, I fell in love with Chicago. It felt safe, friendly and welcoming. As well as being a great destination for foodies and beer enthusiasts, it’s fantastic for families, sightseers, beach lovers and, with more than 200 theatres and museums, culture buffs.
In one afternoon, I gazed at a Van Gogh in the Art Institute of Chicago, sipped on a Zombie Dust in a pub where Sinatra ate ribs and dipped my feet in Lake Michigan.
Chicago is simply intoxicating – and that’s not just the drink talking.