Carnivores salivate at the juicy meat here, served boneless and under the sweet drippings of the famed honey butter. They also go gaga over the pimento mac ‘n’ cheese side dish and wee, bee-embossed corn muffins. Craft beer and zesty cocktails add to the casual deliciousness. The queue is typically out the door, but it moves fast. In warm weather,...

Can’t get a reservation at chef Stephanie Izard’s high-falutin’ restaurant, Girl and the Goat? Then mosey across the street to Little Goat, her diner for foodies. Grab a seat in one of the high-backed booths or on a twirly stool at the counter. Order something decadent – say the Fat Elvis peanut butter waffles – off the all-day breakfast menu....

Everyone from Al Capone to the Beatles has sunk a spoon into Margie’s ice cream sundaes. The retro, neon-lit soda fountain has been scooping since 1921; the wall photos show who has slid into the booths for a dip or three. Fantastically thick, rich, voluminous hot fudge – served in its own silver pot – is the draw. Burgers and...

Valois has such a long-standing, diverse clientele that there’s a book about it, called Slim’s Table, by a University of Chicago sociology prof. For years, neighborhood folks – including a gent named Barack Obama – have gathered to gossip while forking into Southern-style French toast, biscuits, pot pies and patty melts. It’s a genuine cafeteria, so grab a tray and...