MATT CHIERA
CHICAGO, IL

I just don't want to look back and think "I could've eaten that."

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Chicago Mexican

L’Patron Tacos (Chicago)

on
July 20, 2024

After going to all of the top-rated taco spots in Logan Square, I can now definitively say that L’Patron has THE best tacos in Logan Square. In fact, you should skip this post and just GO. Like, now.

Sweet Rice
Sweet Rice
Chicago Japanese Korean Thai

Sweet Rice (Chicago)

on
May 21, 2024

If you live in Bucktown you’ve probably walked past Sweet Rice a zillion times and didn’t think twice about it. It’s easy to miss, nestled underneath the Western Blue Line tracks. Don’t ignore it next time. Go in and be as impressed as I was.

I’ll admit that maybe the…

Italian Chicago

Monteverde (Chicago)

on
February 18, 2023

As I walked into Monteverde, I couldn’t resist sneaking a peek into the kitchen—and my jaw dropped. Under the heat lamps at the expediting station was a stunning array of yet-to-be-prepared Italian ingredients. There were sliced meats, cheeses glistening on plates, fresh pasta, a variety of herbs, and a…

Grilled sandwich with cheese, diced vegetables, and meat on a tray. A pink pick holds the sandwich together. Two small sauce containers, one empty and one with sauce, are on the side.
Chicago Coffee Shop

Cafe Urbano (Chicago)

on
March 7, 2022

Lots of locals, from young people to retirees, come here for a quiet cup of coffee. There’s low ambient noise…quiet conversations and maybe some lofi music piping quietly through the speakers. The aromas of freshly baked pastries and boiling coffee wafts through the air.  It’s like wrapping yourself up…


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Chicago Pizza

Pequod’s Pizza (Chicago)

on
February 13, 2022

Here’s the clincher with Pequod’s Pizza: they have this awesome way of burning the crust on the edges so that the crust caramelizes, you eat it, and then your taste buds simultaneously implode and explode.

This is the pizza place you take out-of-towners to when they ask you to present…

Bar Chicago Pizza

Pizza Lobo (Chicago)

on
July 10, 2021

Summertime Chi is in full swing in Chicago (if you know, you know!) The dogs are out, people are getting sunburnt, and most importantly, patio season is in full swing.

If you’re like me, you like a nice cold beer or a stiff icy cocktail on a warm summer day….

Japanese Chicago

Gaijin (Chicago)

on
February 2, 2020

If there’s a better way to consume shaved ice than the Kakigori at Gaijin, I don’t want to know about it.

I’d never ever heard of Kakigori before going to Gaijin and I’ve eaten my weight in Japanese desserts…in Japan.

Kakigori is…

Chicago Steakhouse

Penumbra (Chicago)

on
January 23, 2020

Dollar for dollar, I don’t think there’s a better steakhouse in Chicago.

Where else can you get a high-quality steak dinner for under 30 bucks? Your choice of a New York Strip, Rib Eye, or Flat Iron dinner for $29. That includes a side, a salad, and a complimentary soup ‘appetizer.’

[caption…

Chicago Brewery Pizza

Middle Brow Beer Co. (Chicago)

on
November 27, 2019

Middle Brow Beer Co. recently claimed the #1 spot in Chicago Magazine’s ranking of the top pizza places in Chicago. Now that I’ve been to Middle Brow a few times, I understand why.

Here are a…

Pizza Chicago

Paulie Gee’s (Chicago)

on
September 15, 2019

I feel a little strange writing about Paulie Gees. It’s not because I just whoofed down an entire pizza…and a few slices of my wife’s pizza. That’s a normal Tuesday afternoon.

It’s because while writing about Paulie Gees I feel I’m caught in a betrayal. Not to a person, but…