Conference days are long. Between the keynotes, the workshops, and the "quick" hallway chats that turn into forty-five minutes of debating dependency injection, you'll work up an appetite. Good news: the food options around PHP Tek 2027 (April 27–29 at the Sheraton O'Hare in Rosemont) are only the beginning. Chicago is one of the great food cities of the world, and one of our team's personal favorite places to wander, snack, and eat is Eataly Chicago.

Yes, Chicago is famous for deep-dish pizza. But this series is Not Your Normal Trip to Chicago, so today we're going somewhere that has a little bit of everything.

Not Your Normal Trip to Chicago is a series of fun things to do in Chicago with your family and friends while you're here for PHP Tek 2027 (April 27–29, 2027). Whether you're extending your stay, bringing the family along, or looking for something to do with fellow attendees after the sessions wrap up, each post in this series highlights a place to eat, explore, or enjoy that goes beyond the usual tourist list.

What is Eataly?

Eataly is a giant Italian marketplace-meets-food-hall, and the Chicago location is at 43 East Ohio Street, just off the Magnificent Mile. It's two floors of Italian-inspired food outlets, and the fun of it is that you don't have to commit to one restaurant. You walk around, see what looks and smells amazing, and choose.

Inside you'll find sit-down restaurants, quick counters and cafes, a market full of Italian groceries and specialty foods, and a wine shop. It's open early and late (typically 7 AM to 10 PM Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 PM on Friday and Saturday, but check the Eataly Chicago page for current hours before you go).

Why it works so well for a group

If you've ever tried to pick one restaurant for six developers, you know the pain. Someone is vegetarian. Someone wants pasta. Someone is "fine with anything" and then vetoes every suggestion. Eataly solves that beautifully. Tables are on the second floor, and you pick from the open-plan restaurants and counters around you. Everyone can order what they actually want and still sit together.

That makes it ideal for the sort of spontaneous meetup that PHP Tek is so good at. Met a group of people in the afternoon session? Say, "A few of us are heading to Eataly for lunch, want to come?" You don't have to book a big reservation or lock in a menu. You just show up and figure it out together.

Beyond the meal: the shopping

Eataly is also a great place to pick up gifts, and that matters if you're the person who's expected to come back from a work trip with something for the family. There's olive oil, pasta, preserves, and other Italian pantry staples, plus accessories and cookbooks. It's the sort of souvenir that gets eaten and enjoyed, rather than dusted on a shelf.

Even if you're not shopping, walking the aisles is entertaining on its own. Everything is beautifully laid out, and there's always something you haven't seen before.

Pair it with the Magnificent Mile

Eataly sits right by Michigan Avenue's famous shopping district, so it slots into a downtown afternoon nicely. If you've got family along for the trip, this can be their perfect day while you're in sessions: shop the Mag Mile in the morning, meet for lunch at Eataly, and walk down to the river afterwards. It's also close to some of the other places we'll be featuring in this series, so you can string several together.

A simple day might go like this:

• Morning: wander the shops along Michigan Avenue.
• Lunch: pick a spot inside Eataly and try something you haven't had before.
• Afternoon: pick up a few gifts and pantry treats, then head to the river for a stroll.
• Evening: bring everyone back for the conference social events and tell them what they missed.

A few ideas for what to try

With so many options under one roof, it helps to have a game plan. Start with something you can share, like a plate of cured meats and cheeses or a few appetizers, and let everyone pick from the counters. Pasta is an obvious choice for a big meal, but don't skip the pizza, the seafood, or the fresh-baked goods. If you're a coffee person, an espresso at the end of the meal is basically required. For a lighter option, browse the cafes and counters for sandwiches, salads, and gelato, and you can eat well without a two-hour sit-down.

The market side is just as fun. Wander through the shelves and pick up something you can carry home in your bag: a bottle of good olive oil, a box of a pasta shape you've never seen, or a jar of something you'll use to impress people at your next dinner party. Ask the staff for suggestions, because they love to talk about the food.

Where it is

Open Eataly Chicago in Google Maps

Getting there from Rosemont

The Sheraton O'Hare has a free airport shuttle, and the CTA Blue Line runs from O'Hare through Rosemont into the Loop in about 36 minutes. From there you can transfer or grab a rideshare up to the Mag Mile area. It's an easy trip, and a great reason to explore a piece of downtown Chicago you might not otherwise see.

Tips for enjoying Eataly

Go a little off-peak. Lunchtime is busy, especially on weekends. If you can go around 11 AM or in the mid-afternoon, you'll find a table faster.

Reserve for the sit-down restaurants. The full-service restaurants take reservations, which is helpful for bigger groups. Counters and cafes are more casual and easier for a quick bite.

Share and sample. The best strategy with a group is to order a few different things from different counters and pass them around.

Leave room for dessert and coffee. Trust us on this.

Make it a PHP Tek tradition

The best conference memories often aren't from the sessions themselves (although we work hard to make those great, too). They're the dinners, the late coffees, and the moment you realize the person you've been trading code reviews with for two years is even more fun in person. Organize a lunch, an early dinner, or a Saturday-morning breakfast for anyone who's sticking around after the conference ends on April 29.

If you're thinking about bringing a partner or kids and turning the trip into a longer stay, a place like Eataly is a great anchor for a day. Everyone finds something they like, nobody has to compromise, and the city is right outside the door. Combined with the conference's discounted room rates at the Sheraton and the easy airport shuttle, extending your trip is easier than you'd expect.

Join us at PHP Tek 2027

PHP Tek is the longest-running independent PHP conference in North America, with 19 years of multi-track programming, hands-on workshops, and one of the friendliest communities in tech. It's three days packed with things you can use at work the very next week, and a lot of good company on the side.

Ready to join us? Visit phptek.io for tickets, the schedule, and group rates. Come hungry for knowledge, and bring an appetite for the rest of Chicago too. We'll see you in April!