Teagan Hough is a River North resident, former collegiate athlete and Chicago food blogger with her @foodbyteg instagram account . Read her interview below and of course give her a follow!
How long have you lived in Chicago and what brought you here?
I have lived in Chicago since I attended College (about 6 years now). I went to school at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was coming from the Northwest Suburbs. After I graduated, I decided to keep my job search in the city because I knew I didn’t want to leave!
What do you like best about living in River North?
For me, what I like best about River North is how you have a mix of residential but still that city vibe. I live in an area where I am next to a dog park, tons of high rises but only a short cab ride away from all the nightlife on Hubbard Street.
Why did you choose to call Chicago home?
Since graduating I decided to call Chicago my home because it’s one of the only cities I have been to where you have every area has a different feel/vibe. For example, you can get a hipster vibe in Wicker Park and 15 Minutes down the road you can be eating some of the best cuisine in the city over in the West Loop. Whether you’re looking for a great happy hour, small bites, a dance party, Chicago has everything you could possibly be looking for.
What are your favorite local hangouts/spots/events?
Every summer Chicago hosts Lollapooloza where all the best, big name artists play in Millennium Park. This 4- day music festival brings people from all over the world to the Windy City. You can find DJ’s here at the bumpin Perry’s stage or cool, classic mainstream artists at the ‘Bud light’ stage. Lolla has 5 stages and over 100,000 people attend this festival. I haven’t missed this event in 8 years and I recommend this to anyone who loves music of all different genres and is in Chicago in early August.
My favorite thing to do after work is find the best happy hours in the city. I love trying new places and checking out the specials they have. One of my local hangouts is Henry’s which is located on Hubbard St. You can find one of the best bartenders and GREAT friend of mine behind the bar, Ali. Monday- Friday (5-8PM) enjoy $5 tallboys, $5 well drinks and $6 wine by the glass, definitely a MUST when ballin on a budget ?
• One of my go-to’s in River North would also be Bub City. If you love a good country bar I recommend checking it out. Tuesday nights they have live karaoke where some of the BEST low-key singers come out to belt a tune. I am also obsessed with Nashville- so it’s a great bar to go to when you want to take a stroll down memory lane.
When you’re not in River North, what neighborhoods do you frequent and why?
When I am not in River North you can typically find me in either Wicker Park or Logan Square. Logan Square has some of the best, new restaurants in the city. One of my favorite places to brunch at is Park and Field. They have all you can drink and eat for $29.99 on the weekends. The ambiance is also to die for! In the warmer months they have a huge patio with fire pits, bags for playing and picnic tables for all your hangout needs.
Wicker park on the other hand has all your typical Dr. Marten, beanie lookin hipsters running around with some of the trendiest bars in Chicago. Tons of spots to shop and walk around. One of my favorite spots to go to is Flat Iron. Here you can find pool, shuffleboard, darts and skee-ball. If you’re looking for a low-key spot with entertainment…this is your place!
For someone new to Chicago, what place or event would you suggest they check out?
A place I recommend for any new bee’s would be Cindy’s Rooftop in the Loop. It is a converted gym that is located at the Chicago Athletic Association. Downstairs you have, Shake Shack (a burger place) that originated in NY, some claim that they are the best burgers in the city, I think they are average. Venture up to the second floor where you can find a mix of a coffee shops and a place to relax in the library. Here you can find people working from laptops, congregating or checking into the hotel. Continue through and you will see the bar and game room, complete with shuffleboard and libations to clench your thirst! Now the real treat is the top floor, that’s where you will find Cindy’s! A little-known treasure with breathtaking views of Chicago’s beautiful skyline. Come for the view, stay for the drinks!
Why did you start @foodbyteg?
Very good question! I started foodbyteg because I found myself trying a lot of new places in the city and I wanted to document them. I always found it interesting to look through other ‘foodgrammers’ feeds and see what they were trying. I love reading reviews and people’s opinions that way I can try new places and have a good idea on what type of food it’ll be and what not.
What do you like most about it?
What I like most about having my foodgram is when I post a photo of my meal and the restaurant reposts it. I think it’s super flattering to see these different restaurants engaging with my photos and giving me recognition all over the city. This really helps my page as well because it allows a bigger audience to check out my thoughts and reviews on the places I have tried.
What are your favorite restaurants that you have featured?
One of my favorite restaurants that I have featured is Glaze Teriyaki. This california vibed restaurant is located in Lake View and has some of the best food in the city. Everything is cooked in house and fresh. I usually order half salmon, half chicken teriyaki with brown rice and a side sesame salad. If you’re extra hungry I recommend the gyoza as well!
And finally… You’re on death row (not sure what you did to get there), but what are you requesting for your last meal?
My last meal is pineapple and onion pizza from Pizanos! Weird… I know, but don’t knock it till you try it!
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