The Purple Pig
A Mediterranean small-plates spot near the Magnificent Mile built around pork, cheese, and wine.
The call
Worth it if you're traveling as a couple and you're traveling solo.
Short answer
Is The Purple Pig worth it?
The Purple Pig deserves a place on most first itineraries. Go early or reserve ahead. Crowds are part of the cost.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
Snug, bustling, and centrally located for a Michigan Avenue break — the kind of place you graze at over a long lunch or early dinner.
- 02
Cramped and busy at peak.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, The Purple Pig is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, The Purple Pig is an easy yes.
Food is a reason to travel
The Purple Pig rewards a trip built around food & drink.
Think twice if
You're traveling with kids
With kids, skip The Purple Pig.
You're watching the budget
The Purple Pig can strain a tight budget. Go only when it is a priority.
You only have one day
Keep The Purple Pig only when it outranks a half-day elsewhere.
You prefer local life to spectacle
The Purple Pig offers some local authenticity, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
The plates that decide it
- Milk-braised pork shoulder with mashed potatoes — the dish regulars and chefs single out — order it even at a small-plates spot
- Fried pig ears and the JLT (pork-jowl LT) — the cheffy pork plates that built the reputation, with a by-the-glass pour
- Treating it like a sit-down entree meal — it's a small-plates room — order to share
Plan it well
- Cost
- $$$ — small plates that accumulate
- Timing
- Late afternoon between lunch and dinner
- Booking
- Limited reservations; mostly walk-in
- Allow
- 1–1.5 hours
- Accessibility
- Cramped at peak; strong vegetable plates