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The heartland of the United States is blessed with seasonality like few areas in the country. Chefs in Chicago’s top restaurants are known for their creativity and skill, and their farm-fresh ingredients are a big part of why they’re considered among America’s best. If you’re looking for some of the best restaurants in Chicago, go no further than this list of our favorites right now.
1. Luella’s Southern Kitchen
Chef Darnell Reed dreamed of building a restaurant in memory of his great-grandmother Luella, who arrived in Chicago from Mississippi in 1943, as he worked in hotel kitchens in downtown Chicago. Those dishes and a massive platter of fried chicken and waffles can now be found in his teeny-tiny Lincoln Square eatery. Brunch is also a big draw for the North Side’s first and only Black-owned restaurant. Although it’s a laid-back restaurant with counter service, it offers a substantial menu with something for everyone.
2. Community Tavern
It’s no longer just a neighborhood steakhouse anymore at Community Tavern in Portage Park, thanks to new owners Joey and Brenna Beato. Despite this, the neighborhood aspect is still intact. On select days, children under 12 dine for free at the bar. Some may find the menu’s variety off-putting, but it’s perfectly understandable for those who want to eat good food. The bimbimbap can be spruced up with skirt steak and prawn carbonara, both Thai and Italian dishes. Some of the dumplings are made in the style of Asian cuisine, and one of them has a mushroom butter filling.
3. Superkhana International
Find a terrific burger and a tasty pizza topped with the freshest seasonal vegetables if you’re looking. The food at Superkhana International isn’t what diners are looking for. Subcontinental cuisine is at the heart of this restaurant, and customers will notice the recognizable flavors that make it so distinct. This, however, is not Tata’s Indian American Restaurant. In a way, it’s like a deconstructed vindaloo, but with pork. Appam, the Indian griddle cakes laced with fresh veggies such as spring peas, might be the best brunch in town. Vegetables can be made more appealing to meat-eaters by sprinkling on bacon. The Hakka noodles are made to order and are the best that Chicagoans can get of this Indo-Chinese delicacy. Superkhana’s cooks are still getting their feet wet in the kitchen. The innovations are still available, such as the delicious butter chicken calzones. But there’s more to the eatery than just awe-inspiring food. Indian cuisine is more than just spicy.
4. Mi Tocaya Antojería
Very few cooks have Diana Dávila’s combination of talent and passion, which she displays in her Logan Square restaurant, where she serves up a mouthwatering array of small Mexican dishes. When it comes to taking chances, Dávila isn’t afraid to do so; she isn’t catering to the traditional American restaurant demographic. Dávila quit her last work because the proprietors tried to put those expectations on her, which isn’t the place for that. However, the guacamole, steak burrito, and fried oyster tacos have distinct flavours. The peanut butter Lengua and tlacoyo de nopalitos exemplify Dávila’s love of pre-Hispanic Mexico, so customers should try them.
5. Daisies
Even though Daisies is known for its exquisite pastas, it has expanded into more than just that. In the face of the pandemic’s many challenges, Chef Joe Frillman and his family have always found creative solutions. When the state banned indoor dining, they repurposed the back dining room into a marketplace for local sellers. They’ve been going to the farmers’ market weekly with gusto. Lunch menu items, including wagyu cheesesteaks and sour cream-and-onion dip, are now available at Daisies during this period. Daisies is one of a kind, with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere owing to the small details. But then there are the pastas, all of which are made from produce grown by Frillman’s brother, a farmer.
6. Pequod’s Pizza
There is a lot of hostility in the city of Chicago about the national media’s usage of deep-dish pizza as a way to comprehend the city. As good as deep dish pizza may be, Chicagoans do not want the city to be known solely by this particular type of pizza. No matter how many travel publications depict filled pizzas, Pequod’s rendition is still the prime example of the style, even though it isn’t the deep dish that tourists expect. Chewy caramelized cheese rims the crust, giving it a unique flavor that sets it apart from the rest. There are locations in Lincoln Park and Morton Grove, Illinois. Weekends might be particularly frustrating if you’re not prepared to wait.
7. Redhot Ranch
In Chicago, it’s difficult for hot dog stands to separate from the crowd because they all utilize the same product: Vienna Beef. However, Red Hot Ranch has succeeded. First, the sausages sold at the stand are wrapped in natural skins. While many Americans have grown up eating Oscar Mayers, this gives the dogs a distinct flavor that many prefer. Also available are Chicago-style Depression Dogs, with fries baked right into the bun.
On the other hand, don’t forget to check out the griddle-cooked hamburgers. Late-night suppers are rarely as satisfying. There are Red Hot Ranch outlets in Lakeview and Bucktown, as well as 35th Street Red Hots near Bridgeport’s Sox Park, which is owned by the same people and serves the same food.
8. Johnnie’s Beef
The tastiest Chicago Italian beef sandwiches may be found in the suburbs at Johnnie’s Beef’s two locations. The original facility in Elmwood Park is a relic, having opened in 1961. A second location can be found in Arlington Heights. Menu items include hot dogs, charcoal-grilled Italian sausage, and Italian beef. The oregano-seasoned thin-cut beef is juicy and flavorful. The heat doesn’t overpower the meat from the hot peppers. Make sure you don’t forget about the beef and sausage sandwich, which features succulent pieces of Italian beef and a strong sausage. For those who want a meat-free option on Lent Fridays, pepper-and-egg sandwiches are also offered daily. Lemon Italian ice is the dessert of choice. Johnnie’s is worth the trek from the city to the suburbs, even if you don’t like beef.
9. Kasama
Despite the pandemic, Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, a husband-and-wife pair, opened a restaurant in 2020. For the first time, Kasama was selected as one of Eater’s top 11 new restaurants in the United States. For breakfast and brunch, Flores makes a variety of Filipino foods, including tocino (roasted char siu-like pork) and longaniza-stuffed lumpias, as well as a croissant topped with Serrano ham or salmon. Kasama recently offered a fine-dining supper tasting menu, one of the few Filipino tasting menus in the country, and it quickly became one of the city’s most sought-after events.
10. Ever Restaurant
Never expecting to help Ever gain two Michelin stars after only a few months of service, as they did with Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago and Grace, was a pleasant surprise in 2020. Chef Curtis Duffy and his business partner, Michael Muser, are behind the concept of Ever, which is currently available for evening service from Tuesday through Saturday each week. Lawton Stanley Architects designed the restaurant, which seats up to 75 people, including 10 in the private dining area. With just an 8-10 course tasting menu available, the entire experience typically lasts up to two and a half hours; dining at Ever is a truly immersive experience.
11. Omakase Yume
Omakase Yume, a small omakase restaurant in Chicago’s hip West Loop, is run by chef SangTae Park. Guests are escorted to seats at the restaurant’s signature sushi counter bar because it only takes eight diners at a time – and only has two seatings per evening! There is a 16-course tasting menu at Omakase Yume produced and presented by chef SangTae Park that translates to “chef’s choice” (Omakase) and “dream” (Yume). Sushi and seafood are featured prominently, with a shifting selection based on what is in season and what is in season in terms of the freshest ingredients. It’s a good idea to make reservations for this unique spot well in advance.
12. Elske
With the help of husband-and-wife team David and Anna Posey, Elske is bringing a fresh take on Michelin-level cuisine to Chicago’s culinary scene. Love in Danish is a nod to David’s mother and Copenhagen, where they got engaged. The Scandinavian influence extends beyond the name: the restaurant is clean, basic, and lit by soothing lighting. Creative and ambitious menus emphasize the use of locally sourced and sustainable foods. They serve food directly to diners on community tables from an open kitchen, where David, Anna, and their cooks work together.
13. Superdawg Drive-In
The Superdawg drive-in near the intersection of Devon, Nagle, and Milwaukee is guarded by avatars of owners Maurie and Flaurie Berman. They can be spotted from blocks away by customers. Superdawg is a nostalgic eating experience where guests park their cars and converse to staff through crackling drive-in speakers and carhops bring-out food trays. This is not it if you’re looking for a Chicago-style hot dog. Instead of Vienna Beef franks, Superdawg serves a thick, unique all-beef sausage with mustard, pickled green tomatoes, and chopped Spanish onions. A box of crinkle fries is holding it all in. Additionally, there’s a Wheeling site for those in the surrounding suburbs.
14. Moody Tongue
A visit to this restaurant is a must for craft beer fans. The fine dining business was awarded two Michelin stars in 2021 for its innovative menu that perfectly paired hyper-seasonal meals with an excellent assortment of house-crafted brews. With executive chef Jared Wentworth and brewmaster Jared Rouben at the helm, guests can anticipate meticulously prepared dishes that are as visually appealing as they are flavorful. Alaskan halibut with marble potatoes, charred spring onions, and smoked potato fondant are just a few of the highlights of the tasting menu, including a delightful orange blossom Belgian blonde beer.
15. Sepia
The menu changes seasonally to highlight the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Zimmerman’s menu varies periodically to ensure that only the greatest and freshest local product is used. Traditional American cooking is complemented by subtle Asian, Korean, and Mediterranean influences. Chef Zimmerman’s years of classical French training show in the meals he creates, which showcase his ability to innovate while also being precise with the ingredients. Duck breast with foie gras, blueberries, and sauce poivrade is among the most recent culinary joys. This Michelin-starred experience can be enjoyed in a private setting by Sepia’s guests. For an elegant cocktail party or a special family occasion, a private room with deep, neutral colors, gorgeous Tony Duquette light fixtures, and a walnut and pewter bar is the ideal setting.
Photo Credit: moodytongue on Instagram
