Crosstown Food Mashups for Baseball Season

It seemed like it would never come, but spring has arrived and with it the onset of Major League Baseball. I never thought I'd be so happy to hear the riotous roar of inebriated Cubs fans, but I'll happily take drunken antics over incessant snow and cold any day. In honor of baseball season and home openers this week for the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, it's time to round up some stadium-inspired dishes on both the north and south sides. No matter what team you root for, there's something for everyone to hanker for.


Haute Sausage
(Photo: Haute Sausage)


Hot Dogs

The most quintessential of Americana baseball foods is the almighty hot dog, especially in Chicago, land of encased meat. There's certainly no shortage of hot dogs in the city, and you can't swing a baseball bat without hitting a hot dog spot pretty much anywhere in town, but it takes a special frank to stand out from the herd. It's technically on the south side by a few blocks, and that's good enough for me to recommend Haute Sausage as a definitive destination for hot dog supremacy in Chicago. What originated as a food truck has blossomed into a full-fledged gourmet hot dog shop in the Loop, complete with uncommon sausage varieties such as bison, turkey confit, and smoked alligator. Rarely is food this adventurous in the Loop. A similar destination on the north side is also one of the most revered hot dog spots in Chicago. Hot Doug's continues to draw long lines for good reason. The atypical sausages run the gamut from rattlesnack to ostrich, with elaborate toppings to match. The vibe is pure kitsch, the namesake Doug Sohn is a charmer, and the food is worth the wait.


Pretzels

There's just something so buttery, so salty, and so mustard-friendly about pretzels that make them the ideal baseball accompaniment. From pretzel bread pudding to pretzel buns, Chicago has seen a surge in pretzel creativity over the past few years, but still nothing really touches a classic, well made pretzel. Case in point, the glorious stuffed pretzel with beer mustard at Dusek's Board and Beer in Pilsen, a veritable magnet for booze-friendly fare on the south side. On the north side, mustard and beer cheese round out one of the most massive, decadent pretzels in town at Revolution Brewing Company. This hulking beast is essentially the size of a loaf of bread, excellent when unfurled and dunked into the adjoining piquant Dusseldorf mustard or soupy beer cheese, which you pretty much just want to eat with a spoon.


Beer

Craft beer is everywhere in Chicago, but it takes a special bar to stand out with a worthwhile selection, ambience, and overall experience. In Bridgeport, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar is that destination. With almost 500 varieties of beers on hand from the U.S. and afar, there is something for everybody at this elevated dive. Part liquor store, part hip bar, Maria's is a prime drinking den on the south side, complete with one of the most comprehensive libraries of craft beer in the city. With an infinite array of masterful beer bars on the north side, it can be tough to narrow down to the best, but one surefire bet remains Goose Island Clybourn. One of the grandfathers of the craft beer explosion in Chicago, it's still one of the greats, deserving of all the accolades and adoration. The Goose Island hub continues to churn out interesting seasonal ales in addition to perpetual staples, making it a crowd-pleaser year round.


- Matt Kirouac

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