Restaurants near the United Center

With the United Center located fantastically in the middle of Chicago, there are plenty of places to enjoy some food before or after the game! While many of Chi Town’s cracking sports bars offer up some fantastic food and great Happy Hour specials, there are some plenty of restaurants if you fancy a bit more of a sit down meal.

Belly Q

If you have indulged too much in Chicago’s famous pizza, you may be craving something a little different. As such Belly Q offers a fantastic alternative! Think Korean BBQ but elevated to almost a fine dining experience. The menu is rich and varied and just reading it will make you ravenous! They enable you to have a sampling experience and order many smaller versions of the dishes so you can try as much as you want! Believe me, you’ll want to try them all!

Coalfire Pizza

Think pizza in Chicago and what do you imagine? Deep Dish – more a lasagne than a pasta. So, if the thought of that much indulgence is too much for you, then Coalfire’s delightfully thin crust pizza might just do the trick. They stick to the basics here and do them splendidly well! You can load up your pizza with as many toppings as you can handle – but if you are to believe the staff here, then it’s best to only choose around three to really enjoy the taste! The pizzas are all made with fresh dough produced daily and with the freshest ingredients – and you really can taste the difference.

Athena

The Greek area of Chicago is just around the corner from the United Center and as such, tantalisingly tempting dishes are just a few steps away both before and after the game! Athena is one of the top restaurants in the area, and it serves up some delicious food! Make sure you order the restaurant’s signature dish—lamb and artichokes in lemon sauce as well as other signatures, such as the taramasalata or the charbroiled. If you dine in summer make sure to eat out on the patio and enjoy the views if the Chicago skyline.

The Little Goat Diner

Since 2012 this amazing restaurant has been delighting customers for breakfast, lunch and dinner! It’s not a high end dining experience with people sharing tables but the food is something else. In fact, if you suggested having all three main meals here, as well as a coffee and a snack – I would be right on board! There are some wonderfully creative breakfast dishes such as ‘This Little Piggy Went to China’ – consisting of a Sesame cheddar biscuit, sunny side eggs, a Szechuan pork sausage with a chili garlic chive sauce and blackberries. The Sandwich, Burger and Entrée Menu is just as fun and mouth-watering! Make sure you book a table in advance though, especially if you go on a weekend. Better yet, why not head there early and grab a coffee next door!

Image: A pepperoni & whipped ricotta pizza at Coalfire pizza