Four of Chicago's Spiciest Dishes You Can Enjoy Sweating Through this Summer

Level 5 Spicy Challenge at String'sMichelle I./Yelp

Summer is heating up in Chicago. Even though it has been hot so far (and only going to get hotter), there are some restaurants in the city that always bring the heat. And by bring the heat, we mean literally, measured by the Scoville scale.

If you’re not familiar with the Scoville scale, it is a measurement of how hot a pepper is. A jalapeno measures in between 2,500-8,000 on the Scoville scale. The ghost pepper, can measure between 855,000 to over 1,000,000. That is some serious heat.

For us, the key to great spicy food is that the food has to not only be spicy, but also taste delicious as well.

Pho's Spicy Pad ThaiAlika S./Yelp

Pho’s Spicier Thai Cuisine

You can often find some heat when eating Thai food. You don’t often find a place that puts that heat in the name like Pho’s Spicier Thai Cuisine. It’s been one of our favorite spots in the city for a long time.

As we said earlier, the key to great spicy food is that it has to deliver on flavor as well. Pho’s brings the heat and the flavor. Our go to dishes are pad bai grapaow, basil fried rice, and pad thai.

Pro tip: if you go spicy enough, you get your photo on the wall. Another Pro tip: you’ll be in some serious hurt earning this distriction.

Pho’s Spicier Thai Cuisine is located at 3332 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.

Hot Wings at Jake Melnick'sRachel K./Yelp

Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap

Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, located in downtown Chicago, is known for their wings. They’re pretty famous for their wings, having been mentioned on the Today Show as the “Top Chicken Wing Spot in the USA.” Many Chicagoans surely agree, as do we.

We love to eat at Jake Melnick’s because it is a laid-back option in downtown Chicago. They have pretty tasty burgers, and yea, their wings are definitely legit. Our go to wings are not what you’d expect. They’re the Poncho wings, which are grilled, and marinated in garlic and cayenne. Trust us on this one.

Their spiciest wing sauce is the XXXX. That’s one more X than you’re used to seeing. The reason why…the peppers that it is made from are the habanero, ghost pepper, scorpion and the Carolina reaper. Holy bleep.

Jake Melnick’s is located at 41 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611.

String’s Ramen Shop

It’s no surprise that a ramen shop would make this list. String’s Ramen Shop brings the heat to a whole new level. If you suffer through their famous Monster Hell Ramen Challenge you win a t-shirt, a $50 dollar gift certificate, and you get your bowl for free. What’s the catch? You have to finish the entire bowl (broth included) in 20 minutes and you only get one glass of water during the challenge. You also have to sign a waiver beforehand!

What makes the level 5 hell ramen so spicy? A mix of some of the hottest peppers in the world including ghost peppers, habaneros, and pequin chili peppers. If you aren’t feeling brave enough to try the level 5 you can try a lower level but fair warning those are still pretty spicy!

String’s Ramen Shop is located at 919 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Cumin Restaurant

If you are at an Indian restaurant and the menu says an entrée is spicy, then you can bet that it is spicy! Cumin in Bucktown knows how to turn up the heat with their Chicken Vindaalu. Marinated and stewed in a mix of spices and hot chilis this spicy tangy curry will certainly test your spice tolerance!

The rest of the menu at Cumin is spot on and their garlic naan is fluffy and addicting. If you aren’t feeling spicy when visiting Cumin we would recommend ordering the butter chicken, as it is absolutely delicious!

Cumin Restaurant is located at 1414 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622.

Do you know of any other spots in Chicago with spicy food? Let us know in the comments below!

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