Chicago’s Longtime Icon 🍷 The Purple Pig

This restaurant has been popular since opening in 2009 — and they have a great motto: 👉 “At The Purple Pig, we insist on doing things that are unusual or unexpected, which makes eating here such an enjoyable experience.” And they truly deliver on that “unexpected” promise ✨. What we ordered: 🐙 Grilled Octopus — Well-seasoned, crispy outside & tender inside. The potatoes and sauce were perfect. Only downside: the octopus was on the thinner side, so the portion felt a bit small for a main in the U.S. (good thing I saved room for dessert 😋). 🥦 Roasted Broccoli — A nice surprise! Paired with raw apple — a creative touch that added freshness and depth to this veggie dish. 🍝 Squid Ink Pasta — Pasta was slightly firm (maybe intentionally al dente), but the seafood was fresh and the flavor was still solid. 🥥 Coconut Ice Cream — Rich coconut flavor topped with shredded coconut — loved it from the first bite! ☕ Affogato (my favorite! 💖) — Not your usual “coffee over ice cream.” They made a little hole in the ice cream and hid the coffee inside, like ice fishing! Playful presentation, and the addition of Baileys made it even more fun — a perfect finish. 🍷 Vibe Lively but not too loud — great for catching up with friends. The owner has an impressive wine selection. You could also just drop in for a drink and a snack. 📍 Location: Right in downtown Chicago — convenient, and you can take a nice evening walk by the river afterward. 💡 Tip: It’s popular for a reason — we went at 4 PM and it was already almost full. #Food #NoRegretsOrdering #RestaurantRecommendation #HiddenGem #ChicagoFood