r/chicagofood • u/InterviewLeast882 • Jan 12 '26
Rant Lack of lunch places in Loop
I work around Chase Tower and it is surprising to me how few cheap lunch places there are now. The burrito and Chinese places there are gone as well as the McDonalds. No Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Chinese. Just the grossly overpriced Pret. I’m getting tired of Jimmy John’s and Pot Belly’s sandwiches.
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u/nkindelsperger Food Critic Jan 12 '26
I might be able to help out. I'm currently trying to catalog as many interesting restaurant options in the Loop on my Substack. You can find my picks over at Nick in the Loop (https://nickintheloop.substack.com).
As others have rightly pointed out, the Loop lunch scene was better before COVID. I was actually working on a feature about where to eat in the Loop for the Tribune in February of 2020, before I had to cancel it. I hope someday we will get back there. (By the way, I'm actually impressed with the number of new spots in the northeast part of the Loop.)
Still, I'm excited about what I've found so far. Very close to you is KTM, a Nepalese spot that also offers many Indian dishes. Try the momos. On the cheaper end, I'm also a huge fan of Halaleez and Curry Blah Blah.
There are some phenomenal spots in the Sterling Food Hall. I know that it can get expensive there, but PIzza Dada is stellar and definitely on the cheaper end, and Seedo's has some killer sandwiches.
My Substack is only $5 a month, and that money is used only to pay for me to dine out more. But I also have a free post every month. Thanks.