How to eat your way through Chicago like you're in an episode of The Bear

The Bear will soon be no longer ... long live The Bear! One of the most successful TV series ever - it's won 21 Emmys and five Golden Globes - is ending after season five, which premieres on June 25. Based around a chef, Carmy, who returns to Chicago to run the family Italian beef sandwich shop, it's helped put Chicago on the map as one of America's best food cities. In remembrance, why not visit the Chicago restaurants and shops which have featured on the show. We reveal the best of them ...

ON THE BEAR: Mr Beef was The Bear. Almost all the exterior street shots, alley and parking sequences used to represent The Bear in season one and two were filmed here. The very first episode was shot entirely on location here.

IN REAL LIFE: Chicago is famous for this kind of beef sandwich stand - the inspiration for the show - serving simple but delicious Italian beef sandwiches. Don't ask for extras whatever you do: take it as it comes because this is the taste of Chicago: Italian beef dipped in the juices that came off it with broth, on French bread. They also serve a mean Italian sausage sandwich, or try a hot dog, Chicago-style, with mustard, no ketchup; please DO NOT ask for ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago. It's sinful. Which is weird, I know, but it's just what they do. 666 North Orleans Street, River North; theoriginalmrbeef.com

ON THE BEAR: It's the primary filming location for the Michelin-starred restaurant where Richie is sent by Carmy in season one to intern for a week to learn how to run front-of-house. Oscar-winner Olivia Colman plays the head chef there.

IN REAL LIFE: It had two Michelin stars for four years - if you want to see why Chicago has a reputation as America's most under-rated food city, check this joint out. Call your bank manager though, an eight-to-10-course tasting menu costs $US325 ($455), plus $185 to match with wines. But the food's insane, and the dining room feels like a cinema with no windows and concrete walls so you focus on the food. That's their theory, anyway. Or save dollars by eating next door at After (get it: Ever, After ...); their cocktail bar offers small plates from $US10 (the scenes where Marcus is in Copenhagen to perfect his pastry skills in season two are filmed here). 1340 West Fulton Street, West Loop; ever-restaurant.com

ON THE BEAR: In season two (episode three) Sydney goes on a foodie tour of Chicago looking for inspiration for her new menu. The first stop she makes is at Kasama to order their breakfast sandwich.

IN REAL LIFE: The best thing about Kasama is it's "doable". It's the first Filipino restaurant on Earth to earn two Michelin stars - and to try its 13-course tasting menu (for $US325 per person) will require booking a long way ahead (it's been listed as a top-five restaurant in the US). But the owners wanted Kasama to be for everyone; offering pastries and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. The Filipino breakfast sandwich ($US19) is out of this world - there's more flavour in this sandwich than most restaurants have in their entire degustation menu. It's got fried egg, garlic rice and longanisa sausage, though the pork belly adobo with poached egg, garlic oil and egg ($US19.50) is my fave. 1001 North Winchester Avenue, Ukranian Village; kasamachicago.com

ON THE BEAR: In season four, episode two, Sweeps (Gary) visits Alpana for guidance from Alpana's owner, master sommelier Alpana Singh, about how to best pair food with wine.

ON THE BEAR: During season two, Richie runs there to buy a deep-dish pizza after overhearing diners complain they're leaving Chicago without trying one; he has a fine-dining chef replace it for them.

IN REAL LIFE: This is the biggest myth about Chicago; locals barely eat deep-dish pizza, just like the Swiss don't regularly eat raclette or fondue. But, if they do eat it (for special occasions) they eat it at Pequod's Pizza. The Bear didn't make this place famous, it already was. It's been a fixture in trendy Lincoln Park for 40 years because it's great. Chicago's best deep-dish pizza is focaccia-like with a soft bready crust and a ring of caramelised mozzarella cheese. It's pan-baked, and pie-like - so different from thin crust pizza it's a wonder they still call it pizza - and allow 45 minutes for them to cook it. 2207 North Clybourn Avenue, Lincoln Park; pequodspizza.com/chicago

ON THE BEAR: When Sydney takes her foodie tour of Chicago in season two to research her new menu, she also calls in at Lao Peng You to feast on their dumplings. The brothers who own it cameo throughout season two.

IN REAL LIFE: Don't go thinking Chicago is just about steak houses, Italian beef sandwiches and pizza. This is one of the most multicultural places in the US, home to more than 175 distinct ethnic communities. Including Chinese. And perhaps the best home-made noodles and dumplings you'll taste outside China or Hong Kong is here, at Lao Peng You. The beef and green onion dumplings are insanely good, you get a set of 10 in a bowl of broth made with dried shrimp, soy and sesame sauce and chilli oil (for $US16). There's always a line as there's no reservations, but get here just before noon to avoid the rush (Chicagoans don't do early lunches). If you don't like chilli, stay away. 2020 West Chicago Avenue, West Town; oldfriendchicago.com