The hit FX show “The Bear” dropped its second season last month and Chicago watchers likely recognized a number of the city’s beloved eateries featured in multiple episodes.
While the restaurant the show is centered on doesn’t actually exist, many of the restaurants highlighted throughout the season are very real and, in some cases, iconic to the city.
One episode in particular stood out as a tour of Chicago’s foodie scene, as Chef Sydney, played by Ayo Edebiri, goes on a quest for menu inspiration.
In the episode, she makes her way through several well-known city spots. Here’s a look at restaurants featured in Season 2 of “The Bear”:
Kasama
Recently awarded a James Beard Award for the Best Chef- Great Lakes, Kasama, the product of a husband and wife duo, is a Filipino restaurant in the city’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood.
It was the first stop on Chef Sydney’s list.
Avec and Publican Quality Meats
A West Loop staple and consistently ranked among the city’s best, Mediterranean spot Avec gets one of the bigger features in Syd’s Chicago food marathon.
She even speaks to owner Donnie Madia in the show, who is also an actual restaurateur with One Off Hospitality, which is behind both Avec and another featured spot in the episode, Publican Quality Meats.
Lao Peng You
Another Ukrainian Village hotspot, Lao Peng You is where Sydney enjoys some noodles and dumplings. And it’s not just any noodles, it is the Chinese restaurant’s signature noodles.
Giant
Contrary to its name, the small Logan Square restaurant named Giant has an equally small but still recognizable cameo in the show.
Pizza Lobo
Logan Square’s Pizza Lobo makes a cameo in the episode as Sydney grabs a slice of thin crust pizza to-go.
Margie’s Candies
For an episode titled, Sundae, it is only fitting that Syd’s tour includes a stop at the beloved Margie’s Candies.
The show features the eatery’s Bucktown location. Margie’s has been dishing out ice cream, milk shakes, candies and more for more than 100 years in the city.
Pequod’s
While not in Syd’s tour, Pequod’s Pizza gets a special feature as Richie Jerimovich, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, brings his favorite deep dish pizza to a customer who expressed disappointment that they didn’t get to try Chicago deep dish during her trip.
Ever
The world’s best restaurant “Carmy” sends Richie to work at for a week is actually Chicago’s Ever, though more of a fictional version in the show.
The episode is filmed inside Ever and the shirts feature the restaurant’s name, but no, Olivia Coleman does not work there.
Elske
Chef Sydney spends time in a new kitchen as she works to create her menu ideas. Turns out, that kitchen is Chicago’s own Elske.
If you are a fan of “The Bear,” or even just a fan of great Chicago food, a dinner at any of these places is sure worth the trip.
