Well, there’s no shortage of delicious food in Chicago! I am stuffed!!
Once the Healthy Living Summit ended for the day, I attended the Tastebud Food Tour, hosted by Arnold and Oroweat, with a group of about 15 other bloggers.
On the tour, we walked through the heart of Chicago and stopped at six different restaurants and food specialty shops where we tasted lots of goodies. Along the way, we listen to entertaining historical stories and fun facts about Chicago and its cuisine.
At the first stop, we enjoyed bratwurst and potato salad from Berghoff’s, which was the same place where I ate lunch yesterday.
Then, we visited the Palmer House.
It was breathtaking inside!!
Rumor has it that the brownie was invented in Chicago!?!
Adventures in Babysitting, anyone? 
Ok, let’s talk about Chicago Mix popcorn. It’s cheddar popcorn and caramel mixed together, which sounds totally weird and not-so-tasty, but it’s amazing in so many ways. Who would have guessed!?
After munching on popcorn and exploring the city, we stopped into Halsted Street Deli for Chicago-style hot dogs.
Tonight, I learned that a typical Chicago-style hot dog is steamed, served on a poppy seed bun, and topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, sweet pickle relish (often a dyed neon-green), a dill pickle, and tomato slices with a dash of celery salt. I don’t usually love hotdogs, but this one was awesome! I almost ate the entire thing!
Our final stop of the evening was the Billy Goat Tavern, which has a fun/interesting history and is now a great Chicago legend.
Good times!! 
I was pretty full at this point in the tour, but I managed to eat half of a cheeseburger and drink a beer.
After the tour, I headed to a dinner/cocktail party hosted by Angela of Oh She Glows at Karyn’s On Green.
From the website:
Contemporary. Stylish. Vegan. With delicious food and a vibrant bar scene, Karyn’s on Green is making vegan sexy in the midst of Chicago’s traditional Greektown neighborhood. Serving lunch, dinner and drinks seven days a week in an atmosphere so chic you’ll forget it’s good for you… and the planet.
Karyn’s was quite swanky. Good thing I showed up in stinky flip-flops and dirty feet! 
I couldn’t fit an ounce more of food into my stomach, so I passed on dinner and ordered a couple of drinks at the event. I started with a dirty vodka martini.
And then drank 3/4 of a glass of Chardonnay. (My 6-mile run in the morning reminded me to behave myself!)
So tired. Need bed. Night.
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
Chicago is such a fun city! What a way to end the day. See you in the morning!
Perhaps they thought your stinky feet was the smell of the cheese
Oh wait, it was vegan! So bummed I didn’t get a spot for the food tour!!
I love Chicago. A really good eating city!
So great to meet you! Next time you’re here, you’ll have to let me take you for dessert at my sister’s restaurant…
Don’t worry about the dirty feet, I was sweating enough for about 10 people! Have a safe trip home!
Those hot dogs look intense! I’m not sure about the dyed relish, but it still looks awesome. I still haven’t eaten a real hotdog since my run in with carnivorous bees that ate our hotdogs last summer when I was camping though… haha.
Wow, I don’t even know what to say except that I’m so JEALOUS! Chicago seems like so much fun!
Wei-Wei
I LOVE The Billy Goat Tavern!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chi-Town is SO much fun!! Was the second vacation my hubby and I ever took together when we were dating. I am SUPER JEAL that I am not bonding, exploring, and summiting it up this weekend
There’s always next year….if there’s no babies on the way…
You Americans sure know how to rock the salty+sweet combo! Somehow I’ve got to single-handedly bring that to the Aussie palate
Another amazing day – thank you for showing us!
you are all so beautiful!
well that popcorn just sounds AMAZING and i want some. just finished a crazy foodie event myself and i feel you on the stuffed to the gills thing. only there’s no way i’m doing a 6- mile ANYTHING tomorrow. sleep well!
What a great tour.
I’d love to try that hot dog.
nice tour…i feel like i’m touring chicago, too
The food tour looked like so much fun! Isn’t Chicago a wonderful city?
Looks like a great day and tons of great food! I love walking tours of cities, and I am a big fan of Chicago + food, so I’m sure I would’ve loved this one!
My husband and I have done 2 food tours in Chicago. They were both wonderful! It’s a great way to learn about the city.
wow, what a fun day! i’ve never been to chicago, but i’m so wanting to go now! and your adventures in babysitting comment made me laugh out loud…what’s a movie without the on-top-of-a-skyscraper climax scene?
Food tours look awesome. I love discovering an area through the food! I always go to markets when I go somewhere new just because it says so much about the people and the place. Glad you are enjoying yourself!
Looks like you had a good time – I’m not a fan of hot dogs either, but when I used to eat them, Portillo’s in Chicago is one of the best places to get a chicago style hot dog!
I’ve spent a lot of time in Chicago and it’s so great to see all of these amazing Chicago traditions being acknowledged in the blog world! Palmer House is beautiful- stayed there many many times, love the Billy Goat Tavern- they get very upset if you ask for fries
, and would that be Garrett’s popcorn??
I love the Halsted Street Deli. Not only do they have good hotdogs but the sandwiches they make are delicious as well.
I didn’t understand the mix of cheddar and caramel popcorn when I first moved to the city. Once I had my first taste it was love. Something about the sweet and the salty makes it a fantastic combo!
It looks like such a fun evening. I can’t wait to go to the next one!
I love the cheese and caramel mixture—-was that from Garrett’s? I always have to hit that place up when I go to Chicago.
I’ve seen those food tasting tours around the city and when I found out where they take you I thought it was a great opportunity for tourists with limited time in the city. Glad you got to experience some of Chicago’s bests. And the thing about the brownie?? I’ve never heard that before.
That sounds like so much fun!! I love Chicago and being able to explore in the city sounds amazing! And speaking of amazing, all that food you got to eat looks really good. I usually don’t eat hot dogs but when I do they’re always good! How do you get invited to things like this??? I want to go!
you look so happpy and beautiful! i love the sweater you have on – do you mind saying where it came from?
Next time our family is discussing vacation plans I am going to bring up Chicago – It looks like there is a lot to do!
PS – I am gonna have to try mixing cheddar and caramel popcorn – Sweet & Savory!
Ooh the popcorn! I dont like the sound of the caramel and cheese, but I did have some fab stuff with nuts in it- only got a small bag and the two of us couldnt finish it- so filling but so tasty!
LOVE Billy Goat! Sooo divey, yet such a Chicago institution. Looks like ou guys are having so much fun!
Chicago Mix popcorn is definitely the most amazing popcorn ever! We get some every time we’re in Chicago. We contemplated ordering some and having it shipped to us, but that gets a little pricey. But it’s just so good
The food continues to look fabulous! I totally have to come to this some year!
the tour looks fun
Whenever we were in Chicago, we always made time for Ann Sather’s and Nookie’s Tree on Halstead. It’s been forever since I was there, and it looks like Nookie’s has really changed. It used to be a little diner type place, and now I’m seeing hardwood floors and leather booth-type seating.
I love that popcorn! My sister’s in laws are from Chicago, so I just had some the other day. Yum.
I love eating my way through Chicago! I’ve never had a traditional Chicago dog before….and I LOVE hot dogs!
wonderful info. Really enjoyed reading your blog posts.