'I explored city full of infamous crime scenes, landmarks and mobster hangouts'
With its blockbuster movie skyline, fabulous food options and notorious crime history, Chicago has plenty to enthrall curious city-breakers. And there's every type of tour led by clued-up locals to whisk time-pressed travellers straight to the best bits.
Fancy sampling the best deep-dish Chicago pizza? Want to see the church where mob funerals took place? How about gazing at one of the world's most diverse and shapeshifting skylines while cruising the Chicago River?
Be it by bike, bus, boat or on foot, there are routes carefully crafted by experts and insiders to let the Windy City blow visitors away with the stories of the people who put it on the map.
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Chicago is one giant eating adventure with endless famous foods to tick off. With limited time to seek out the prize picks, I took the Tacos and Tequila street-food tour of Pilsen, one of Chicago's most colourful and culturally rich neighbourhoods.
The three-hour tour, run by Chicago Food Tours Company and led by a local guide, spreads out across 1.5 miles taking in the very best Mexican drinks and dishes.
For £60 you'll get to make your own tamales – spicy fillings wrapped in corn dough – sample steak tacos, Mexican pork and the most irresistible churros dipped in icing sugar and chocolate, all while admiring the many murals inspired by Mexican culture in the neighbourhood. You'll also get the all-important lowdown on the best spots to sip margarita cocktails. My kind of town…
I also couldn't resist delving into its dark underworld with Chicago Crime Tours. The two-hour, £30, bus tour takes you to some of the most infamous crime scenes, landmarks and mobster hangouts, including the site of the Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929.
Plus you'll get to hear the true crime stories of Al Capone, The Untouchables, Frank 'The Enforcer' Nitti, and the Prohibition era along the way.
If you fancy seeing the sights on two wheels, as well as loading up on food and drink, book on to the Bikes, Bites and Brews tour with Bobby's Bike Hire.
Working up an appetite is not a problem on this four-and-a-half-hour tour which stretches through the popular neighbourhoods of Streeterville, the Gold Coast, Lake View, Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park. Between riding through the very bike-friendly streets, you'll stop off for Chicago's signature deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati's.
Lou got his start in the 1940s working in Chicago's first deep-dish pizzeria. He then took his pizza expertise to Lincolnwood, a northern suburb of Chicago, where he and his wife Jean opened the first Lou Malnati's Pizzeria in 1971.
Hot dogs Chicago-style at Wrigleyville Dogs are served with seven toppings of yellow mustard, chopped white onions, sweet pickle relish, usually neon green, tomato slices, dill pickle spear, pickled sport peppers and celery salt and come with – shock-horror – no ketchup!
The tour also took in some of the finest cupcakes in the area at Molly's – try the creme brulee or blueberry cheesecake ones. It then finished with samples of the very refreshing and Chicago-brewed Goose Island beer. After 13 miles on two wheels, I felt like I'd earned every mouthful.
Cruising the Chicago River has to be the most chilled way to take in the city. Chicago's First Lady Architecture Cruise is a 90-minute boat tour with commentary from knowledgeable guides. You'll hear compelling accounts of Chicago's architectural styles from Art Deco masterpieces and hulking Brutalist buildings to sleek glass towers, and of the legendary figures who designed them.
Sailing all three branches of the Chicago River, you'll get to see dozens of the buildings including the neo-gothic Tribune Tower and the 65-storey cylindrical towers of Brutalist Marina City. You also get to learn about the Chicago fire of 1871 and how the city rose, quite literally, from the ashes. Sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan, America's third biggest city looks spectacular from every angle.
But you can have your own Ferris Bueller moment enjoying the view from The Willis Tower observation deck, Skydeck. Sitting on the 103rd floor, and 1,353ft above ground level, for £23 you are whisked to the top to take in the vista which spans 50 miles across four states – native Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, on a clear day. Don't despair if it's cloudy. As the locals say: if you don't like the weather in Chicago, wait an hour.
For some extra guidance, download the CityPass app – it lists all the top attractions and you can buy tickets and keep them all in one place too.
Meanwhile, spectator sports in Chicago, including American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey, provide a thrilling way to see the city and mingle with their fan base.
If you're just flying in for a few days, you'll want a hotel close to the action. I stayed at the L7 Lotte Hotel, a brand new Korean-inspired hotel overlooking the Chicago River in downtown Loop, so very convenient for the Magnificent Mile district, Millennium Park, Art Institute of Chicago and Navy Pier. In the bedrooms, sage walls set off contemporary artworks, funky retro headboards and lamps.
Some rooms come with built-in window seats to admire the views – all have all-natural Apotheke toiletries, Nespresso machines and access to the 24-hour fitness centre. The hotel is also home to Perilla, a Korean steak restaurant, renowned for its theatrical table-side grills performed by chefs, which make for a truly memorable meal.
Chicago has a long history of performing close-up magic at restaurant tables and behind bars, with a few jokes and tall tales thrown in while the drinks flow.
At the Chicago Magic Lounge, you can experience this easy-going style of trickery, becoming part of the fun yourself entering through a secret laundry side-door to the part-speakeasy, part-magic theatre. Decorated in Art Deco style, with velvet curtains and gold trims, the bar serves up everything from classic highballs to cocktails like the Magic Bean Martini and How Houdini Died, while magicians perform miracles using coins, cards and anything the audience might have on them.
Fast, funny, and utterly absorbing, it's an evening that will leave you spellbound and wondering. Chicago may be considered America's second city, but the appeal of the place that gave the world the skyscraper continues to soar.
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Time Out
2 hours ago
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25 discontinued Taco Bell menu items we miss, and what you should order instead
No fast food franchise evokes emotions quite like Taco Bell. It's part teenage/twentysomething nostalgia for late-night bad decisions, sure. But it's also because Taco Bell knows its place, trading on its reputation as late-night drunk and stoner food with a beautiful, self-effecting wit. And rather than trying to get people to take it seriously, Taco Bell leans hard into innovating the kinds of things people who are hungry at 2am might crave. Its endless mission to blend convenience store snacks and Mexican food has resulted in countless mind-blowing, viral sensations. With each new menu addition comes a legion of devoted fans, who are equally as crushed when that item is discontinued in favor of some newer, crazier idea. So, as a tribute to the menu items of yesteryear, and to remind you of the good times you had with them, here's a look at all of Taco Bell's discontinued menu items. Plus, some suggestions for what you should indulge in instead. Bell Beefer Once upon a time, even taco spots felt like they needed to have a burger on the menu. Taco Bell's version was around from the '60s to the '90s, with taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese on a bun. Why we loved it: If you weren't feeling tacos, it was a great option for a hamburger-obsessed kid. Discontinued: Mid-1990s, with a brief limited-time resurgence in the 2010s. What to order instead: Crunchwrap Supreme gets the handheld/beefy part of this long-gone favorite. Chicken Club Burrito Today, Taco Bell pushes the boundaries of late-night food by combining previously unimaginable flavors in one delicious taco. But in the '90s, it stretched its limits by trying takes on more-traditional foods, like this stab they took at the club sandwich. It didn't last long, barely outliving its mid-90s limited-time status. Why we loved it: Taco Bell did the classic club decent, with all the delicious chicken, bacon, and veggies we love. Discontinued: Mid-1990s What to order instead: Stuffed with fried chicken strips and fresh greens and tomatoes, the Avocado Ranch Crispy Chicken Burrito is a good option. Be warned: it's only available for a limited time. Seafood Salad Yeah, we're as confused by this one as you probably are, because shellfish at Taco Bell just sounds like a recipe for a regrettable next morning. It was supposed to be the Bell's answer to the Filet-o-Fish, but the combination of shrimp, whitefish, snow crab, and various veggies in a fried taco shell just never took off. It also made Taco Bells smell even weirder. Why we loved it: Frankly, we didn't. And neither did most people as the seafood salad never made it out of 1986 Discontinued: 1986 What to order instead: A cheese roll-up. You have no business ordering a protein at Taco Bell if you think fish is a good idea. Texas Taco Sandwich Cashing in on his City Slickers resurgence as a badass cowboy, the late Jack Palace rode into town on a horse to introduce Taco Bell's short-lived Texas Taco Sandwich. The ad was great, but the sandwich—taco meat or chicken, southwest sauce, lettuce, tomato, and cheese—never really caught on. Why we loved it: It was essentially the precursor to the gordita, a thicker-shelled, pita-like version of the taco. So while the TTS left us, its legacy lives on. Discontinued: 1996 What to order instead: The Cheesy Gordita Crunch is better than a Texas sando any day. Bacon Cheeseburger Burrito If you believe a fast food brand can foreshadow, then this mid-'90s smash was a look into the Taco Bell of the future, mixing two beloved late-night fast foods into one genius burrito. It basically took all your favorite parts of a bacon cheeseburger and threw them in a tortilla, a lower-carb innovation before low-carb was a thing. Why we loved it: It was the sort of thing that made you stare at a drive-thru menu and say, 'Wait, Taco Bell has a cheeseburger now? Oh we gotta try that.' And they totally pulled it off. Discontinued: Mid-'90s. What to order instead: The pork-less Beefy 5-Layer Burrito still hits the spot when you want something meaty and cheesy. Enchirito If you're a lifelong Taco Bell aficionado, you no doubt remember the Enchirito, which took the Bell's standard burrito, cooked it enchilada style, then covered it in red sauce and cheddar. Its initial menu removal in 1993 led to massive customer upheaval, as much as Taco Bell clientele can upheave, and it made a comeback six years later. Why we loved it: It was like a heartier take on the enchilada, an early Taco Bell effort at giving guests the best of both worlds. Discontinued: 1993. Returned 1999-2013. Brief comeback in 2023-2024. What to order instead: The Chicken Enchilada Burrito is the newers, handheld version, keeping everything contained. Meximelt Meximelt was a bona fide drive-thru stalwart, the kind of after-hours satisfier whose mere mention launched thousands of impromptu runs for the border. In essence, it was a soft taco filled with pico de gallo, heated to melt the cheese, similar to a quesadilla. Taco Bell even trademarked the name in 1988, lest anyone try to copy its genius. Why we loved it: It was spicy, Mexican comfort food at its best, the warm, gooey cheese reminding us of mom's makeshift quesadillas of childhood. Discontinued: 2019, though it made a comeback during the 2024 Decades Menu campaign. What to order instead: We'll take a Mexican Pizza over a Meximelt any day. Spicy Tostada Though it was never on the top of anyone's Taco Bell order, this OG menu item held strong from Taco Bell's founding in 1962. Its beauty was in its simplicity—red sauce, refried beans, lettuce, and cheese atop a crispy taco shell—never blowing your mind but never disappointing either. Why we loved it: It was a fun change of pace when you were tired of getting straight tacos, but didn't want to venture into bigger stuff like burritos and Meximelts. Discontinued: 2020. Returned on 2024's Decades Menu. What to order instead: The Spicy Potato Soft Taco satisfies the craving for innovation with a spicy kick. Grilled Stuft Nacho As handhelds go, it was hard to beat the Grilled Stuft Nacho. The easy-to-grasp right triangle was packed with beef, cheese sauce, red sauce, and tortilla strips, pressed together so it rarely fell apart. It was part of the same family that gave us the Grilled Stuft Burrito, an equally lamented menu loss. Why we loved it: It was crunch, cream, and the soft give of a flour tortilla all in one perfect bite, and was the rare Taco Bell item you could eat while driving. Not that we ever tried, that would be dangerous. Discontinued: 2014. Returned briefly in 2015. What to order instead: Nachos BellGrande forever—period. 7-Layer Burrito Much like Blockbuster and BlackBerry, the 7-Layer Burrito serves as a reminder that nothing is too big to fail. Or, at least be discontinued because of poor profit margins. This novel burrito was released to great fanfare in 1993, touting its variety of ingredients: Beans (black or refried), rice, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, and guac. It was an immediate smash among vegetarians, offering one of the first fast-food items they could enjoy as a meal. Why we loved it: The 7-Layer was a straight-up deal, costing less than a buck when it was introduced. It was the poster child for broke kids trying to stretch their money, and is remembered with the same kind of nostalgia reserved for sleeping on a twin mattress. Discontinued: 2020 What to order instead: Who needs 7 layers when the 5-Layer Burrito is just as satisfying? Loaded Grillers Promoted as 'roll ups,' the Loaded Grillers were more like mini grilled burritos, packed with hearty fillings like beef and potato, nacho beef, and buffalo chicken. They passed for a light snack if you were dining at Taco Bell and didn't want to gorge yourself, and at a dollar a piece they were also a bargain. Why we loved them: They satisfied that 'I need Taco Bell and I can't explain why' craving without weighing you down. Discontinued: 2020 What to order instead: The Cheesy Roll Ups do the trick and are just as snackable. Cinnamon Crispas We're all familiar with Taco Bell's beloved Cinnamon Twists, an airier churro that's become Taco Bell's de facto dessert. But did you know it was preceded by the Cinnamon Crispas? Yep. The original was more like a flour tortilla chip deep fried and covered in cinnamon and sugar, and when the Twists replaced them, many loyalists were not so pleased. Why we loved them: Not gonna lie, these predated pretty much everyone we know in terms of Taco Bell eating. But from what we've read, they were richer and sweeter than the current cinnamon offerings, the cane sugar soda of the fast food dessert world. Discontinued: 1988 What to order instead: Cinnamon Twists, a tried and true classic. Fiesta Taco Salad Not that anyone would describe the bulk of Taco Bell's menu as 'healthy,' but this standby taco salad at least made you think you were eating well. Then you realized it came served in a deep-fried taco shell, and was filled with beef, refried beans, cheese, sour cream, and a couple of vegetables. But it was still technically a salad, and who goes to Taco Bell to argue semantics? Why we loved it: It really did feel like a healthy move when you ordered one, and you could look down your nose at all your gluttonous friends feeding on burritos. Until someone pulled up the nutrition facts. Discontinued: 2017 What to order instead: Order your bean burrito "Fresco Style" for a pseudo-healthy substitute. Green Burrito Taco Bell's foray into tomatillo salsa was mostly confined to the 1970s. The Green Burrito was a basic bean burrito, but rather than the usual red sauce, it offered salsa verde. Much like avocado-colored appliances, it didn't survive the decade. Why we loved it: When it reappeared on the 2024 Decades Menu, it was an intriguing novelty compared to Taco Bell's wealth of red sauces. Discontinued: 1970s, returned on 2024 Decades Menu. What to order instead: Green sauce lovers, you're kind of on your own here. Gordita Supreme The abundance of the 1990s was perfectly symbolized in this massive flatbread taco, a bigger, doughier take on the Taco Supreme. That meant beef, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and lettuce, but more of it. Why we loved it: Like all the Gorditas, it was great because it filled you up with the big, bready 'tortillas,' so you only had to order, like, two to feel full. Discontinued: 2019. Returned on the 2024 Decades Menu. What to order instead: This one stings, luckily, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch still exists and you can always add your own sour cream at home. Volcano Taco (and Volcano Menu) Around 2008, Taco Bell decided to get into the 'How Spicy can you handle it?' game with an entire menu meant to evoke villagers running from a lava-spewing mountain. The tacos were red, the 'hot' sauce was a creamy orange cheese sauce that muted the spice, and while the name was cool it never really delivered on its promises of extreme heat. Why we loved it: For a brief moment, it kept us from having to stockpile Fire sauce in the car. Discontinued: 2012-13, returned briefly in 2023. What to order instead: Extra spicy sauce, you masochist. Black Jack Taco A short-lived Halloween promotion in 2009, the Black Jack taco was a regular taco with a black shell, doused with a little pepper jack cheese sauce. Why we loved it: The Black Jack was actually fairly polarizing, some saying it was an unnecessary promotion, others welcoming the novelty. For our part, the pepper jack cheese was a highly underrated addition. Discontinued: 2009. What to order instead: Keep an eye out for limited-time items that fit the bill. Double Decker Taco When it was first released in 1995, the Double Decker Taco was billed as the menu item for the indecisive. Those who couldn't pick between soft and hard shells could opt for this beauty, where the hard shell was stuck to a soft tortilla via a refried bean adhesive. Why we loved it: The Double Decker was a true two-for-one, giving you a bean taco and a regular hard taco in one paper-wrapped slice of heaven. Discontinued: 2019. Limited time comeback in 2023. What to order instead: The Double Stacked Taco is an obvious, solid choice. Grilled Steak Soft Taco If you were pulling up to the Taco Bell Drive Thru and feeling a little fancy, you didn't ask for Grey Poupon. Instead, you ordered grilled steak instead of the usual ground beef, and its most glorious presentation was the steak soft taco. It came topped with a creamy lime sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese, and it somehow felt too good to be served in a fast-food window. Why we loved it: The steak was actually decent. Not steakhouse quality, but it tasted like grilled beef and was arguably the best meat Taco Bell's ever served. Discontinued: 2020 What to order instead: Steak is a tough one to come by at Taco Bell, but the ground beef taco is always an option. Beefy Crunch Burrito Putting Fritos inside a burrito dates all the way to the early 2010s and this adaptation of the classic beef burrito. It was one of Taco Bell's top sellers for over a year until one day it just vanished, leaving late-night diners both sad and confused. Why we loved it: The idea of stuffing Flaming Hot Fritos inside a burrito was the kind of thing we were surprised we'd never thought of. Thank god Taco Bell did. Discontinued: 2011, then returned in 2023. What to order instead: Try the BBQ Chicken Topped Fries for something just as wacky. Smothered Burrito In an attempt to get back the fans it lost when it discontinued the Enchirito, Taco Bell introduced this even-bigger burrito, which also came covered in red sauce and sour cream. Fans weren't buying it, and the item didn't last a year. Why we loved it: This thing was so big and covered in so much sauce, it felt like something you'd get at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. Discontinued: 2013 What to order instead: The 3 Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt with a crap-load of sauce, if that's your thing. Caramel Apple Empanada Refusing to let the golden arches have a monopoly on the fast-food head-held apple pie game, Taco Bell introduced these deep-fried desserts filled with apples and caramel sauce. They didn't blend with the rest of the Mexican-inspired menu, but no one who ordered one ever cared. Why we loved it: It gave those of us with a sweet tooth something other than cinnamon twists and Mountain Dew Blast to finish off the meal. Discontinued: 2019 What to order instead: The Dulce de Leche Cinnamon Delights are—dare I say it—so much better. The Boss Wrap If a Crunchwrap Supreme just wasn't enough to satisfy your Taco Bell urges, there was The Boss Wrap. It came with double portions of everything, and though it was a limited-time offering on the menu, its time in your stomach felt like an eternity. Why we loved it: You only needed one, and sometimes it lasted two meals. Discontinued: 2015 What to order instead: The Crunchwrap Supreme—you don't need all that food. Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadillas Some may recall that for the first two decades of this century, Taco Bell offered braised, shredded chicken that was substantially heartier than its grilled counterpart. Its best dish was these mini quesadillas, pressed together with a three-cheese blend and spicy sauce. Why we loved it: The flavors blended perfectly, as the braised juices from the chicken ran into the cheese and creamy sauce.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
Are online travel agents cleaning up their acts?
On Thursday I will fly on British Airways from London to Denver. The return trip cost £621. But I could have bought the same flights for around £30 cheaper going through an online travel agent (OTA). Odd though it may seem, the practice of selling some seats at deep discounts through a middleman has some merit from the airlines' point of view. The roots of the practice lie in the bad old days of heavily regulated fares. On many routes airlines could not be seen to sell tickets cheaper than the official fares. So they sold through companies called 'consolidators' who punted out cheap seats though retail agencies known as 'bucket shops'. Often the ticket would show an official fare that bore no relation to the amount paid – eg £1,200 for a trip that actually cost £500. That maintained the fiction that every airline was adhering to super-high fares. Thankfully, these days – in most circumstances – airlines can charge what they like. Yet they still often pay a modest commission to online agents who undercut them. Airlines use intermediaries to provide additional sales power. They want to be relevant in the intensely fare-sensitive part of the market, such as people who search on Skyscanner and other price-comparison sites. Take my flight from London to Denver this week. BA knows that there are plenty of us who will book direct, in order to minimise problems when things go wrong – and, in the case of buying on the benefit of a cooling-off spell of 24 hours in which to cancel for a full refund. To meet this demand, the airline can apply a modest premium. But for those who are simply interested in the lowest fare, BA seats are likely to be available more cheaply through an OTA. My rule is only to use an online travel agent if the saving is 10 per cent or more. In this case, it was under five per cent. Not enough to persuade me to agree to the online agent's terms and conditions. The OTA reserves the right to apply credit card surcharges, and has a 'confirmed quotation' stage – after which point, fares could be increased, with little choice but to pay the extra. What if the airline cancels the flight? The online agent doesn't even mention the word 'refund', even though this is the traveller's legal right in the event of a cancellation. As we discovered during the Covid pandemic, many OTAs took a cut of the airline's refund (and some just hung on to the customer's cash, blaming the carrier). In the EU, though, the rules are being redrawn in the traveller's favour. This week, the European Commission said that it had agreement from two giants, Expedia and that money will be handed back in full within two weeks of the cancellation. Similar undertakings have been made by other big OTAs, including Etraveli. You may not know this Swedish firm, but its brands include GoToGate and MyTrip. I used the latter to buy a ticket for a JetStar flight from Singapore to Melbourne earlier this year – which was cancelled at the gate. The cash took 17 days to come back. In contrast, still holds some of my money for a booking that fell victim to Covid five years ago. I shall revisit that transaction and see if the new agreement works to my advantage. It may be that UK travellers get a windfall from the EU's work – despite our bold decision to reap the many benefits of Brexit that we are now enjoying.
