OyChicago articles

Passover is almost here, which means Jews everywhere are about to embark on their annual religiously mandated Atkins diet. We know parting with sweet, sweet gluten for eight days can lead to agonizing, salad-filled melancholy – especially in a foodie city like Chicago – so now is the time to load up, friends.

Last year, Oy! blogger Lauren Schmidt listed her recommendations for enjoying those final meals before total grain abstinence, so we thought we'd come up with a definitive list of Chicago's top bread-based goodies.

Happy carb-cramming, Oy!sters! (Oh, and chag sameach too.)

1. Deep dish pizza from just about anywhere

Let's start with the obvious. Whether you're a Lou's, Gino's, Gio's, Peaquod's, etc. guy or gal, Chicago pizza is the biggest loss we morn each and every Pesach.

2. Mac 'n Cheese Pizza – Dimo's

What's better than pizza? Pizza topped with more carbs. Oh, and if you love Dimo's, you should read our interview with him. – Wrigleyville, Bucktown

3. Mac 'n Cheese Grilled Cheese – Cheesie's

While we're adding macaroni to everything … -Lakeview

4. Brick oven pizza – Spacca Napoli

Not a deep-dish fan? It's like they smuggled this place out of Italy and slapped it in Ravenswood. And if they have the burrata cheese, GET THE BURRATA. - Ravenswood

5. Pasta – Maggiano's

Mama mia! This-a place has everything! - City and suburblocations

6. Pad Thai – Penny's Noodle Shop

Pesach Thai is here! … well, more like pre-Pesach Thai. - Lakeview, Wicker Park

7. Ramen – Oiistar

You'll have to pass over Ramen too, so slurp's up! - Wicker Park

8. Biscuits – Bang Bang Pie Shop

SO FLUFFY. And oh yea, there's pie too -Logan Square

9. Dutch Baby and Apple pancakes – Walker Bros. Original Pancake House

Holy Moses! – Suburb locations

10. French toast – The Bongo Room

Breakfast – the most decadent meal of the day! (Bonus points if it's made from challah.) -Wicker Park, Andersonville

11. Doughnuts – The Doughnut Vault

We donut know what we're going to do for eight days … - Near North, Near West Side

12. Chocolate chip coffee cake – Leonard's Bakery

Try it, you'll like it … - Northbrook

13. Pie – First Slice

Bye, bye, miss quite glutinous pie – Andersonville, Ravenswood, Albany Park

14. Chocolate cake – Portillo's

By which all chocolate cakes are measured. – City and suburb locations

15. Cupcakes – Molly's Cupcakes

Nom-aste. – Lincoln Park

16. Bread – Pastoral

And then there's plain delicious golden bread. (With a side of not-Manischewitz please) –Lakeview, The Loop, West Loop

17. Beer – Hop Leaf

How dare you assume we forgot about liquid bread! And only the finest, please. You should probably also order a sandwich while you're at it - Andersonville

18. Bagels - New York Bagel & Bialy

And of course, the bubbe of all carbohydrates. – Lincolnwood, and wherever amazing bagels in Chicago are sold, including Chicago Bagel Authority and Beans and Bagels.