By The Editors By The Editors | September 2, 2022 | Lifestyle
Stretching from the Chicago River to Oak Street along Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile is 13 glorious blocks of top shops, hot dining destinations, luxury hotels and some of the city's most popular cultural attractions. Whether you're just in town for the weekend or call this area home, here's everything you need to know about the Mag Mile.
Where To Eat
444 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
This cozy, Mediterranean-inspired small-plates spot dishes up selects like squid ink chittara, roasted bone marrow and turkey leg confit by chef Jimmy Bannos.
800 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Recently reopened in the renovated Park Hyatt under Executive Chef Terence Zubieta, this restaurant focuses on ingredient-driven dishes that highlight the best products from local artisan purveyors for its French-inspired contemporary American cuisine.
120 E. Delaware Place / Website
Adorn is an American spot with international flair in a contemporary upscale atmosphere. James Beard Award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer, a Chicago native, brings elevated dining, creative presentation and local ingredients to this beloved eatery.
115 E. Chicago Ave. / Website
Appointed with fine art and handsome wood accents, RL Restaurant brings the refined world of Ralph Lauren into the hospitality realm. A see-and-be-seen spot for the city's A-list, the restaurant is renowned for its incredible service and consistently excellent fare like dover sole, calf's liver and a wagyu beef hot dog.
160 E. Pearson St., 12th floor / Website
Inside the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, this Italian steakhouse delivers for those longing for finer things from simpler times. Savor well-made steaks, stiff cocktails and a beautiful dining room and bar.
Where To Stay
108 E. Superior St. / Website
This elegant oasis just off Michigan Avenue has celebrated over 20 years in Chicago. U.S. News & World Report named The Peninsula Chicago “The Number One Hotel in U.S.A.” in 2022.
800 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Recently renovated, this iconic Chicago hotel offers the perfect home base for exploring the city. Be sure to check out the hotel's new suite categories and 23 new suite additions, including the Wellbeing Suite (complete with inroom exercise equipment).
160 E. Pearson St. / Website
With all guestrooms and suites having been completely renovated in 2020, The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago—an icon along the Magnificent Mile since 1975—has completed the final phase of its grand transformation. Guests can indulge in superior luxury accommodations and blissful experiences, from dining at Torali Italian-Steak to relaxing treatments in The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Chicago to a lavish suite overlooking Lake Michigan.
120 E. Delaware Place / Website
One of the finest hotels in downtown Chicago, this award-winning destination on the Mag Mile boasts posh accommodations, top-notch dining at Adorn, an on-site spa and luxury amenities like in-room martini service (or ice cream sundae service for the kids).
140 E. Walton Place / Website
For over a century, this iconic Italian Renaissance-style landmark (home to the Princess Diana Suite, where the late princess of Wales stayed) has delivered the red-carpet treatment.
See Also: The Ultimate River North Guide
Where To Relax
108 E. Superior St. / Website
The cozy environment of wood-paneled walls, dim lighting and soothing music play off the luxurious treatments and superior level of service that makes this spa, located in the well-appointed Peninsula Hotel, one of Chicago's finest.
120 E. Delaware Place / Website
After a long day spent exploring the Mag Mile, there's nothing better than a bit of R&R. Head to the spa at Four Seasons for a day of pampering and utter relaxation.
800 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
With a variety of restoring massages to facials for various skin types and needs, NoMI Spa at Park Hyatt Chicago is a must-visit on any trip to the Mag Mile.
909 Michigan Ave. / Website
The team at Windy City Massage has been treating visitors and locals with customized services such as massages, body treatments, facials, from a roster of hotels. They'll travel to any place you're staying at, so you can feel revitalized without the stress of leaving your hotel.
Where To Shop
520 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Covering six city blocks, The Shops at North Bridge include over 50 stores, with all the top brands including Room & Board, MCM and Nordstrom. While both casual, quick bites and three-course meals can be enjoyed here, perhaps the most fun can be had at Eataly, a multilevel Italian marketplace complete with a fresh pasta counter, wine bar and culinary education center.
900 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
The 900 Shops is an iconic Windy City retail destination, housing shops more than 70 shops like Aritzia, Gucci, Max Mara and J. Crew. Head here, at the north end of the Mag Mile, for a proper Chicago shopping spree.
835 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
This iconic eight-story shopping mecca is one of the first vertical malls in the world and is home to a vast selection of over 100 stores, including the must-see American Girl Place and Chicago-themed restaurants such as Harry Caray’s 7th Inning Stretch. After the shops close, the Broadway Playhouse theater offers fun—and often family-friendly—performances.
700 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Drop into Saks Fifth Avenue to peruse posh selects from top brands, then stop by Matthew Kenney's vegan fine dining eatery Althea on the seventh floor for a bite.
737 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Another must-visit department store on the Mag Mile is Neiman Marcus, where in-demand apparel, home, jewelry and beauty brands beckon, along with the Bar on 4, ideal for a quick lunch, as well as upscale contemporary restaurant Mariposa, also on level four.
Where To Hit The Town
108 E. Superior St. / Website
Perched above Michigan Avenue, this Peninsula Hotel hangout scores with a combination of scenery, spirits and luxuriously stylish surroundings. The carefully crafted cocktail list includes traditional favorites like Old Fashioneds and Palomas plus intriguing fare like the Patagonia Cooler, made with Träkál (pear and crabapple liqueur), cider, lime, apple and thyme. To nibble, guests will find upscale bites like daikon frites, mini Wagyu beef sliders and jumbo prawn cocktail.
140 E. Walton Place / Website
As the second restaurant in Chicago to obtain a liquor license in 1933, Coq d’Or is a tried-and-true spot to get a great cocktail. Try the Executive Pour martini, a generous two-for-one: a martini with a side of martini.
821 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Lookingglass Theatre Company, recipient of the 2011 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, inspires the imaginations of its audiences to evoke the same sense of wonder Alice experienced when she fell down the rabbit hole. In 2003, it found its home in the Water Tower Works building on Michigan Avenue.
875 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Journey to the 94th floor of the former John Hancock Center for some of the most stunning views of Chicago. Observe breathtaking panoramic views of Chicago from 1,000 feet up. Add a unique downward-facing view with TILT, one of the world’s highest thrill rides, and relax with a locally-inspired drink from Bar 94.
Cultural Experiences
435 N. Michigan Ave. / Website
Upon entering the vibrantly colorful 13,500-square-foot Museum of Ice Cream on the Mag Mile, guests are transported into a whimsical wonderland that channels the splendor of sunny summer days best spent with a cold sweet treat in hand. Enjoy an sweet drink at the bar, jump in the sprinkle pool and be sure to try the hot dog-flavored ice cream.
220 E. Chicago Ave. / Website
One of the nation’s largest facilities devoted to risk taking art of our times, MCA offers exhibitions that document visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. One of the building’s most iconic features is its outdoor staircase, inspired by the original gateway to the Acropolis. Among its greatest strengths are surrealist works from the 1940s and ’50s; minimalist works from the ’60s, and conceptual art and photography from the ’60s to the present.
Hidden Gem
430 N. Michigan Ave. at Lower Level / Website
Billy Goat Tavern is a Chicago comfort food staple and a hidden gem tucked underneath the Mag Mile. Dig in on a mouthwatering cheeseburger and an ice cold beer here to round out a day spent exploring the city.
Photography by: Photo by Andrew Harris/Pexels
