The best food and drink in Illinois

Whether you refer to it as the “Land of Lincoln” or as “the Prairie State,” you have to admit - Illinois cannot be beat. Whether you’re looking for waving expanses of corn, suburban grottos, or a bustling city, Illinois has it all. It’s the home of Abraham Lincoln, Cindy Crawford, John and Joan Cusack, Chance the Rapper, Barack and Michelle Obama, and Bill Murray. It houses some of the best chefs, pizza, hot dogs, and restaurants in the entire country. Once you browse our first annual guide to the best food and drink in every state, you’ll know that no other state can compare.

The Best Food and Drink in Every State for 2018: Illinois (Gallery)

While restaurant powerhouse Chicago hosts such crown jewels as Grant Achatz’s The Aviary and Alinea, Brendan Sodikoff’s Au Cheval, and Maurie Berman’s legacy Superdawg, southern and central Illinois are home to the country’s best chili, ribs, and spaghetti and meatballs.

After comprehensive and wide-ranging lists and rankings, compiled through extensive research and with input from a wide network of site contributors, bloggers, journalists, and chefs, we’ve been able to make definitive slideshows celebrating the best food and drink in every state, and you can find our Illinois slideshow here.

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More Best in Every State

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• The Best Beer in Every State
• The Best Italian Restaurant in Every State