Even Chicagoans get the blues, especially in the midst of a pandemic winter with grey skies and snowy sidewalks in need of shoveling. Fortunately, the city is equipped with many countermeasures and antidotes in the form of comfort food: dishes that tickle a nostalgic thread in the subconscious or generally produce a sunnier disposition. Or, folks can just cut to the chase and send themselves (or a loved one) a 9-inch heart-shaped deep-dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s — available for shipping nationwide.
The exact definition of comfort food is tricky to pin down, and largely depends on family, heritage, and native region. Still, even those who didn’t grow up eating carbonara or congee can find solace in a warm meal made with love.
As of January 23, Chicago restaurants are permitted to serve customers indoors with a 25 percent maximum capacity per room, or 25 people — whichever is fewer. At the same time, despite winter weather, a number of Chicago restaurants continue to offer outdoor seating. Regardless, the state requires reservations for indoor and outdoor dining. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as an endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. For updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.
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