Craving: Munchies — Chicago’s most indulgent bites to satisfy the hunger, whether marijuana-induced or not

Munchies make the ultimate “Craving” topic. The word itself means you’re craving something, as well as describing what you eat to satisfy that craving. With the legalization of recreational marijuana in Illinois this month, munchies make the perfect focus of our “Craving” series. Whether you choose to partake in cannabis or not, we all get the munchies sometimes. So to help with that, we’re searching out the best foods for late-night snacking, game-watching and munchies in general — from puffed beef rind to soul food egg rolls to elote-topped toast, and on and on. Follow along every weekday as we update with more munchies. — Joe Gray

Chicken nuggets at Parson’s Chicken & Fish

For me, a munchie needs crunch, that satisfying textural experience wherein teeth meet and break through crackly substance. The food needs to stay crunchy throughout the relationship, which entices you to crunch again and again until it’s gone. (This is why we binge eat?) The chicken nuggets at Parson’s Chicken & Fish answer that need beautifully. Thickly coated and aggressively crunchy, enveloping real pieces of tender white meat, instead of pureed mystery whatever, you know you can trust them until the last one. Choose from six dipping sauces, but for me, it’s buttermillk ranch. And yes, you’re eating like a kid, but that’s the point of a munchie. $6. 2435 N. Halsted St., 773-661-6016; 2952 W. Armitage Ave., 773-384-3333; parsonschickenandfish.com — Joe Gray

Breakfast for dinner at Jeri’s Grill

Munchies can strike at any time, but such cravings are decidedly more common in the late night hours. Most Chicago restaurant kitchens, however, are not open late. What to do? Enter Jeri’s, situated at the corner of Western and Montrose, where the doors are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With a classic, everything-under-the-sun diner menu, it can satisfy almost any hankering, and at a price that can’t be beat — at least not anywhere else in Chicago. I got breakfast for dinner (a little on the nose, perhaps), including two eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, toast and French toast, plus coffee and a milkshake. It was simple, tasty and about $15 all together. Jeri’s feels like the type of place you don’t think exists anymore, but are very glad it still does. Two fried eggs with sausage, hashbrowns and toast $5.90; French toast with butter and syrup $4.50. 4357 N. Western Ave., 773-604-8775 — Adam Lukach

Nachos at Craft Urban Kitchen

Nachos are ideal munchies — plentiful, shareable, no cutlery required — and out by the Fox River, Bernie Laskowski (formerly of Park Grill, in Millennium Park) takes the concept up a notch. His Not Your Average Nachos” includes pulled pork, pickled peppers and chipotle cheese sauce along with plenty of chips, cherry tomatoes and cilantro. The chipotle-cheese sauce is on the mild side (I’d like it better with a stronger kick), but the slow-cooked pork adds a savory richness that borders on umami. Dig in. $11. 211 James St., Geneva, 331-248-8161, crafturban.com — Phil Vettel

[ MORE NACHOS: 11 restaurants with great nachos to try from roasted sprouted nachos at Broken Barrel Bar to BBQ nachos at Twisted Spoke. ]

Latke grilled cheese at Manny’s

Perhaps you’ve noticed about midway through the line you stand in at Manny’s deli, there’s a handwritten sign promising they will make you a grilled cheese out of anything. I never gave the sign much thought — until, earlier this month, when someone on Manny’s Instagram account posted a picture of Manny’s muscular, oily latkes serving as bread in a makeshift grilled cheese. As of this writing, the response has had nearly 4,500 likes and more than 60 comments, most of them along the lines of “God bless you.” So recently, I tried one. Manny’s latke grilled cheese is not on the menu and the cook said he hadn’t actually made one yet and the cashier wasn’t entirely sure how to ring it up (she settled for $7). But the taste — starchy, satisfying, like a mound of crisp hash browns squashed between a sandwich press and coagulating from yards of cheese (your choice) — gives us renewed hope in Instagram. It’s not all a fantasy. 1141 S. Jefferson St., 312-939-2855, mannysdeli.com — Chris Borrelli

Smashburger at The Region

A juicy, well-cooked burger satisfies almost any case of the munchies. If it’s got a little something extra —spice, texture, some added decadence — then all the better. At The Region in Roscoe Village, there are options to check all of those boxes, but the essential part of the burger is, somewhat refreshingly, the patty. Region’s smashburgers are, literally, smashed down on the griddle, which causes the patty to hang over the sides of the bun in thin, crispy, crunchy pieces. The everything option boasts sweet relish, onion and a house-made In-N-Out-style sauce. Of course, you can get it any way you want. They’re your munchies. 7-ounce single with cheese $8.95, 14-ounce double with cheese $12.95; 2057 W. Roscoe St., 773-857-2874, theregionburgers.com — Adam Lukach

House Cheezits at Vistro

When chef Paul Virant isn’t producing fine-dining magic at Vie (Western Springs) or whipping up okonomayaki at his new Gaijin (Fulton Market), he’s overseeing the family-friendly Vistro in Hinsdale, whose American-bistro menu includes the eminently munchable House Cheezits ($5), a food-lover’s take on the boxed-crackers classic. “Elissa Narow, our original pastry chef at Vie, came up with the idea as a salty bar snack that would be nice to serve with drinks,” Virant said. The crackers, made with Hook’s cheddar are served in a cast-iron mini-cocotte and are positively addictive. 112 S. Washington St., 630-537-1459; vistrorestaurant.com — Phil Vettel

General Tso mock chicken at Whole Foods

Whole Foods’ General Tso mock chicken only sort of approximates chicken, but you can’t really hold that against it. It acknowledges its truth right there in the name. Still, as a straight-from-the fridge snack, it scratches a certain itch: sweet and chewy, some crunch from the red and green peppers, a wisp of late spice, and, yes, even meaty (in a metaphorical sense). In a pinch, General Tso mock chicken is tasty straight from its plastic container, but it’s at its finest when warmed up. (It even almost tastes like chicken!) The true genius of General Tso mock chicken, however, is in its ubiquity. Wherever there is a Whole Foods, there is General Tso mock chicken — a hearty, ready-made comfort food snack at the ready. $11.99 per pound. — Josh Noel

Cosmic brownie at Pie, Pie My Darling

What makes a brownie a brownie? When does a brownie go from cakey to fudgy? Why are edges the best? Those are just some of the questions you might ponder under the influence of a cosmic brownie by baker Heather Bodine-Lederman, the woman behind the bakery Pie, Pie My Darling in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Let’s be clear: These are not pot brownies, there’s no cannabis in them, or butter for that matter since everything’s vegan. They hover somewhere between cakey and fudgy, out of this world chocolatey, yet delicately sweet. You may have tasted her flavor of the month cakes at Paulie Gee’s or Handlebar, snagged a cookie or pie at a pop-up, or just longed from afar as one of her more than 50,000 Instagram followers. But it wasn’t until October 2019 when she opened her own storefront that we could fully experience the scratch bakery. Do note it’s open Saturdays only from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. so go early or special order. $5. 2636 W. Chicago Ave., piepiemydarling.com — Louisa Chu

Delivery from Miso Asian Kitchen

I found Miso Asian Kitchen through Grubhub on a night when I was too tired to cook. Little did I know it would become my go-to delivery option. Its menu is pan-Asian, but I have a very specific order for very specific reasons: pad see-ew with chicken for the chewy rice noodles covered in caramelized dark soy sauce, add broccoli to trick myself into thinking I’m eating healthy ($8.25), basil fried rice for its toasty flavors and spice ($8.25), gyoza for its crispy fried shell ($5), Thai tea for its creamy sweetness ($2.95) and if I’m feeling really spendy, the crab rangoon for further crunch and creaminess ($5.25). When the order arrives, I grab a bowl to mix the pad see-ew and the herby and spicy basil fried rice together. Once sufficiently mixed, I hit it with a generous squeeze of Sriracha, for extra sweetness and heat. The best part is that the leftovers heat up wonderfully, which comes in handy should I lose the desire to cook again later in the week. 4449 N Broadway, 773-692-0212, miso-asiankitchen.com — Grace Wong

Scallion pancake at Lao Peng You

Brothers Daniel and Eric Wat opened Lao Peng You, their small storefront Chinese restaurant, not in Chinatown, but the Ukrainian Village neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago just two months ago. They hand make dumplings and noodles, not with traditional Chinese techniques but pasta makers instead. While everyone’s ordering the jiaozi dumplings and noodle soups, I say get the cong you bing, on the menu as chung yao bing ($6), when the munchies hit. Dude, it takes forever to cook, but when they slap that fat scallion pancake into a little snack sack, you’ll tear through its hot, crispy and chewy existence so fast you might forget to dip into their terrific house-made chile oil. Check their Instagram before you go, though, since they open late or close early when they sell out of the good stuff. 2020 W. Chicago Ave., 872-206-8624, oldfriendchicago.com — Louisa Chu

Panko pork tonkatsu taco at Arigato Market

Although Arigato Market has a menu that brings stoner taco dreams to life, each item is actually backed up by a story from owner Brett Suzuki’s life. While the fully loaded crushed cheeseburger taco ($5) or the crushed Parmesan-tomato meatball risotto taco ($5) may seem tempting, I would go for the panko pork tonkatsu taco ($5), inspired by the sandwiches Suzuki ate while riding the Shinkansen bullet train in Japan. It starts with a soft flour tortilla, which is loaded up with soft white rice and crunchy, golden brown panko pork loin cutlet, sliced into inch-wide pieces. Jalapeno aioli and Japanese barbecue sauce add heat, smoke, sweetness and a punch of salt, and delicate fronds of verdant baby arugula add a soft bite. The taco finishes with a slight nutty funk from a dusting of Parmesan. If you can’t manage to jump on a train yourself, Arigato Market also delivers. 1407 W. Grand Ave., 312-639-4847, arigatomarket.com — Grace Wong

Ube Fruity Pebbles doughnut at Necessary & Sufficient Coffee

Coffee shops don’t immediately sound like the best source for munchies. But along with great coffee and a delightful decor, Necessary & Sufficient Coffee brings in doughnuts from Gurnee Donuts. The excellent suburban shop makes flawless plain old fashioned doughnuts that taste great no matter what mood you’re in, but to satisfy the munchies, you’ll probably want the ube cake doughnut covered in Fruity Pebbles. My preferred childhood cereal adds a rainbow of color to the doughnut, while also lending each bite a sweet crunch. Of course, the astonishingly tender ube doughnut covered in a bright purple frosting tastes great regardless of what’s on top. $3.50. 3624 W. Wrightwood Ave., necessary-coffee.com — Nick Kindelsperger

The Big Jim Reeves at Taco in a Bag

Better known as a walking taco, a taco in a bag features bite-size corn chips stuffed in a small plastic bag and topped with whatever kind of cheese, meat or salsa you decide. I went with the Big Jim Reeves, which features a meaty chorizo country gravy, tart tomatillo sour cream, pepper jack, cilantro and green onion. Give it a stir, and all the contents get mixed up together, so that every bite is crunchy, creamy and just a tad spicy. Unlike most tacos, no bare hands are needed. All you need is a fork and dedication to keep consuming until you reach the bottom of the bag. $8. 4603 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-250-2437, tacoinabag.com — Nick Kindelsperger

Pizza slice at Dimo’s

If you could imagine, right now, your wildest slice of munchies-satisfying pizza, Dimo’s might already have it on the menu. The Chicago pizza staple, which occupies one location in each Wrigleyville and Wicker Park, has been slinging adventurous slices for years, and into the wee morning hours at that. Their hours, literally, read “Open 11 a.m.-Late” — Wrigley opens at 4 p.m. on weekdays — and, having once worked there for approximately four shifts, I can vouch that Dimo’s is generally open late. The menu also features a few seasonal options, like the South Side (left), with Italian sausage, giardiniera and mozzarella cheese. Or you can opt for one of the original favorites, like a slice of chicken-bacon-barbecue-ranch, or the mac ‘n’ cheese with scallions (right). Between the hours and the toppings, Dimo’s caters to cravings. $4.50 per slice. 3463 N Clark St., 773-525-4580 and 1615 N Damen Ave., 773-525-4580, dimospizza.com — Adam Lukach

Spicy noodle bun from The Bakery and Cafe at Fat Rice

Indomie is my instant ramen brand of choice so imagine my excitement when I found out The Bakery & Cafe at Fat Rice has a spicy bun stuffed with the noodles. But instead of the flavor packets that usually come with a package, the curly noodles are tossed in a sweet soy sauce, sambal chile and sesame oil mixture. Crunchy pickled cucumbers, carrots and watermelon radish and chopped cilantro add brightness and sour notes before a squirt of Kewpie mayo rounds out the filling with its cool creaminess. The black sesame seeds on the sweet bun add further crunch and nuttiness. As chef Abe Conlon says, “We were high when we made them and you should be high when you eat them!” I’d take his advice. $5. 2951 W. Diversey Ave., 773-661-9544, eatfatrice.com — Grace Wong

Poke crunch wrap at Big & Little’s

Big & Little’s is basically an organization dedicated to the munchie arts. From gyro burritos to banh mi tacos, the menu is crowded with dishes that showcase the kitchen’s playful ingenuity. No dish exemplifies this more than the poke crunch wrap. It takes inspiration from the Taco Bell Crunchwrap, in which meat, cheese, toppings and a crispy tostada are folded up in a flour tortilla and griddled. But at Big & Little’s instead of ground beef, you get pristine cubes of ahi tuna seasoned with sweet soy sauce and chile aioli that are wrapped up with rice, ginger and corn tortillas. Each bite still triggers the guilty-pleasure fast food sensor, yet thanks to the raw fish, it doesn’t taste like you gulped a gallon of grease. $12.99. Multiple locations, bigandlittleschicago.com — Nick Kindelsperger

The 1921 Slider at White Castle

Fictional Asian-American stoners Harold Lee and Kumar Patel began their epic munchies quest a sweet 16 years ago in the now classic film “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” They craved the simple tender little burgers with “those little itty bitty grilled onions that just explode in your mouth like flavor crystals every time you bite into one” as another character went on to profanely describe. Imagine how their minds would’ve been blown by the 1921 Slider, a surprisingly rare and budget gourmet creation. Named for the White Castle founding year, the sliders are made with fresh beef ($1.69), hit with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, or an Impossible patty ($2.49) , plus smoked cheddar, fresh tomato, a spring lettuce mix, pickle slices and those little itty bitty grilled onions, all on a brioche bun. The only trick is you’ll have to go on your own mini quest since they’re only available in the Chicago area at the location in the South Loop just outside Chinatown. 2140 S. Wabash Ave., 312-949-0717, whitecastle.com — Louisa Chu

Pop Rocks churro at The Gringo

The name of this dish says it all. Order it and you’ll get a freshly fried churro sprinkled with Pop Rocks. In case you wonder how this fine, explosive candy tastes because you last sampled it when you were an awkward pre-teen, each tiny nugget actively fizzles in your mouth, which is not a sensation I ever associate with eating churros. I’m not going to pretend this is some gourmet experience, but it is unexpected and, depending on your current state, quite fun. $2.50. 1202 W. Grand Ave., 312-265-1655, thegringochicago.com — Nick Kindelsperger

Medianoche at Bia’s Cafe Marianao

The old Cafeteria Marianao may have been best known not for its Cubans. That place is gone, as is founder Basilio “Bia” Santiago, but the sandwiches are back. These days you’ll find Santiago’s family behind the counter at Bia’s Cafe Marianao in the Kilbourn Park neighborhood, or the new location out west in Schorsch Village. Get a medianoche, the other famous Cuban sandwich that’s a midnight meal of sweet golden egg bread smashed crispy, stuffed with thin slices of roast pork and ham, melted white cheese and tart pickle slices. Both cafes open early for breakfast, but close way before your midnight munchies might hit, so order another one for the night ahead. $6. 4323 W. Addison St., 773-993-0178; 6401 W. Addison St., 773-657-3128; facebook.com/biascafemarianao — Louisa Chu

Cheetos concha at Pan Artesenal

Conchas may become the new doughnuts if pastry chef Marisol Espinoza keeps coming up with crazy delicious bakes at Pan Artesenal, the Mexican-French bakery in Logan Square she co-owns with sister Lizette Espinoza. The Cheetos concha was inspired by a mash-up of the Mexican sweet bread and Marisol’s favorite munchies. It starts with a jumbo pastry, topped with a classic cookie shell, enhanced with cheesy crunchy snack sticks then filled with cream cheese for a sweet and savory overstuffed pillow of joy. The special conchas are available weekends only so order ahead because they sell out fast. $3.50. 3724 W. Fullerton Ave., 312-286-5265, panartesanalbakery.com — Louisa Chu

Elote toast at Beetle Bar

Being a millennial, I am required to enjoy avocado toast. And I do. Part of what I enjoy most about avocado toast is dressing it in different ways. At the Beetle Bar and Grill, the elote toast doubles down on Mexican-inspired flavor, featuring roasted corn salsa and pickled onions on a dollop of guacamole, all topped with a garlic aioli and cotija cheese. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a kitchen sink maneuver, but it works. The sweet, tangy pickled onion provides a sufficient smack to combat the stack of savory richness, and the two-bite pieces of toast are the perfect size. If you’ve ever craved a more indulgent elote, this is that, piled on another carb. $10. 2532 W. Chicago Ave., 773-384-0701, thebeetlechicago.com — Adam Lukach

Soul Roll at Soul Shack

Munchies, for me, should take something comforting and familiar and turn it into something wholly new with a slightly ridiculous flair. The Soul Rolls at Soul Shack are a perfect example. Inside a neat, crispy, golden brown egg roll is a Southern dinner complete with creamy mac and cheese, slightly bitter greens and soft, sweet yams. You can even add jerk chicken to the roll, which many people did because it was sold out when I visited. The dish comes with a sweet, cinnamon-heavy dipping sauce, but I’d reach for the bottle of hot sauce at the table for an extra kick. $5. 1368 E. 53rd St., 773-891-0126, thesoul53.com — Grace Wong

Puffed beef rind at Good Measure

The puffed beef rinds at Good Measure are very similar to pork rinds or chicharron. That is, each bite is a delirious mix of crispiness and lip-smacking meatiness, albeit with an unmistakable beefy profile. Each order is lightly dusted with a dill pickle powder that can be hard to detect. No matter. Any nuances are blasted away if you dip a rind into the red habanero sauce, which delivers an intense hit of spice to pair with the aggressive crunch. That combo, for me at least, is a hard one to stop eating. $5. 226 W. Chicago Ave., 312-600-9268, goodmeasurechicago.com — Nick Kindelsperger