The 14 Restaurants You Shouldn’t Leave Chicago Without Trying
Make a reservation ASAP.
Summer in Chicago is a time to come alive. After months of lingering winter and fickle spring, the sun is shining, the rooftop bars are booming, street festivals are a weekly occurrence, and social calendars runneth over. This also means, of course, an invigorated craving for restaurants old and new, from revisiting classic neighborhood standbys to queuing up at the hot new Italian place with 40-foot windows inside a $1 billion skyscraper. Conveniently, Chicago is teeming with all of it, ready to lull you out into a full slate of dining reservations all season-long. From a slew of buzzy newcomers in Avondale and a chef-driven stunner in Fulton Market to a newly minted James Beard Award-winner, here are Chicago’s best places to drink, dine, and delight in this season—and all year-long.
Fulton Market
In always-hot Fulton Market, which has evolved into a veritable amusement park for foodies, it takes an extra-special entry to stand out. One such stunner is Maxwells Trading, which emerged earlier this year in a former manufacturing warehouse in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor. The handiwork of Underscore Hospitality (of Pacific Standard Time renown), led by chef-partner Erling Wu-Bower, and inspired by the seasoned chef’s identity as a Louisiana native and the child of a Chinese immigrant. Working with their impressive lofty space, the design team leaned into the industrial-chic potential of the lofty facility, blending old remnants with sleek new upgrades—like rotating artwork inspired by the urban farm, Roof Crop, upstairs. Being directly underneath a farm, seasonal cookery naturally takes the stage, while incorporating Wu-Bower’s diverse culinary background. Working with Chris Jung as executive chef, and Kristina Magro as beverage lead, the Maxwells crew cooks up an always-changing medley of fresh menu items, like soft-shell crab with Singapore-style black pepper sauce, turbot with Swiss chard and kombu beurre blanc, and forbidden rice pudding with coconut and mango. Pair it all with an assortment of esoteric martinis, N/A cocktails, and “Interpreted Classics,” like a sugar snap pea-infused Last Word.
Logan Square
There’s never a wrong time to dine at Lula Cafe. An evergreen dining destination in Chicago, this Logan Square O.G., open since 1999, somehow feels hotter than ever—transcending city limits to become one of the most enduringly sought-after restaurants in the nation. It’s a sentiment cemented at the recent James Beard Foundation Awards, when the longstanding restaurant took home the award for Outstanding Hospitality. That’s thanks to chef/owner Jason Hammel and his wife and co-owner Amalea Tshilds, consummate restaurant pros who have perfected the recipe for success and longevity, through award-worthy hospitality and rigorously seasonal all-day menus that exceed the hype. A few items remain always-on mainstays, like the crowd-loving buttermilk pancakes and the cinnamon-kissed Pasta Yiayia with feta, brown butter, and garlic. Much of the menus, though, rotate constantly according to seasonal availability and farm access. It makes every meal here an adventure, and you never know what you might taste, be it green garlic bisque with black harissa and wild bay leaf, tagliatelle with garlic scapes and Sicilian pistachio, or a sweet-and-savory Pecorino Cake with sour cherries and olive oil ice cream.
River East
The year is still young-ish, but the blockbuster restaurant opening of the year belongs to Tre Dita, a decadent Tuscan beacon perched inside the $1 billion St. Regis Chicago tower. A powerhouse collab between Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and Los Angeles-based chef Evan Funke, the restaurant takes Italian cuisine into the upper echelons—the name, which translates to “three fingers,” is a reference to the exact thickness of a properly cut bistecca Fiorentina. Located on the second floor of the city’s newest skyscraper, with 40-foot windows overlooking Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the restaurant features a humidity-controlled “pasta lab,” an exclusively Italian wine list, and a bi-level space clad in walnut timber paneling, arched portals, terracotta, wrought-iron light fixtures, and Tuscan marble. Adjoining the main restaurant is Bar Tre Dita, a more casual Italian bar focused on Italian spirits, wines, and whiskies from across the globe. The Tuscan menu travels off the beaten path for regional recipes rooted in less-frequented towns like Chiusi and Pienza. In addition to Funke’s meticulously crafted pastas, this includes his signature Schiacciata Bianca, a rosemary and sea salt focaccia, ricotta-filled fried squash blossoms, prawns bathed in Italian salsa verde, and wood-fired swordfish on-the-bone. Naturally, considering its meaty name, steak is a centerpiece of the menu, and several options are served—fresh off the wood-fired grill—sliced for sharing, like the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, 42-ounce prime porterhouse aged for 60 days.
Avondale
After amassing a fanbase as one of the vendors at Politan Row, Margaret Pak, and Vinod Kalathil ventured off on their own with a standalone evolution of their south Indian gem, Thattu. Inspired by ingredients and recipes of Kerala, a state in southern India, the restaurant serves shareable plates in a convivial, gallery-like space in the suddenly red-hot northwest side neighborhood of Avondale. Indian street food forms the crux of the small plates, meant to be shared and grazed upon. This includes Kappa Bonda, fried yucca balls with onion-tamarind chutney; Mushroom Mezhukkupuratti, seared mushrooms with pea puree and coconut chips; Kadala Curry with black chickpeas and roasted coconut gravy; and Meen Pollichatchu, steamed whitefish in banana leaves with tomato-basil gravy and turmeric-lime rice. Desserts are worth waiting for: Payasam is a rice pasta pudding with jaggery, coconut milk, cashews, and raisins. There’s also a small menu of local craft beer, California wine, and Indian-inspired cocktail riffs, like a spiced daiquiri with mace syrup and candied lime.
Pilsen
Before Thai Dang opens Crying Tiger with Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants next year, the acclaimed chef is still manning the stoves at one of Chicago’s quintessential neighborhood restaurants. Co-owned with his wife, Danielle Dang, the Pilsen cornerstone is a lavish love letter to Vietnam, presented in ways—like the Grand Tasting Menu—unseen elsewhere in Chicago. And if that wasn’t enough, you can literally visit Vietnam with the chef next year. HaiSous’ expansive menu explores the multifaceted techniques and traditions of Vietnamese cooking, from grilled seafood and vegetarian curries to noodles, fried rice, and grilled steaks. Try the Octopus Salad with confit eggplant and coconut cream, or the Chopped Clams with toasted peanuts and rice crackers. Chef’s Signatures include Fried Whole Fluke with nước mắm tỏi and lettuce wraps, and platters of garlic butter-poached prawns and snow crab claws. Later, finish with Pandan Crinkle Cookies or Cookie Crust Cream Puffs with Vietnamese coffee cream.
Logan Square
From pasta to oatmeal cream pie, savory and sweet are in perfect harmony sharing the spotlight at Daisies, a locally sourced Logan Square icon that has come a long way from its earlier iteration as a small neighborhood nook. Nowadays, from its expansive new location, and through a partnership between chef/owner Joe Frillman and pastry chef/partner Leigh Omilinsky, Daisies is bigger and brighter than ever. Optimal for both grab-and-go pastries or a full-blown decadent date night, Daisies has something for everyone. Especially if you’re carbo-loading. True to its earliest roots, handmade pasta is still the bread and butter, often incorporating seasonal ingredients, like Gnocchi with spruce tips and morel mushrooms, Raviolo with pickled ramps and ricotta, and Spaghetti with lobster and peas. Beyond pasta, look for starters like Beef Tongue with clam vinaigrette and Shaved Zucchini with feta and cashews, along with burlier proteins like Salmon Collars with horseradish gremolata and a Center Cut Pork Loin with rhubarb. On the sweet side, Omilinsky makes a variety of gelati, sorbets, pastries (e.g. Gooey Butter Cake, Oatmeal Cream Pie), and composed desserts, like Black Raspberry Cheesecake and Crème Brulée Pie.
Avondale
When one door closes, another one swings open. Such is the case with husband-wife duo Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim, who closed their adored Wherewithall, only to replace it with something deeply personal—a Ukrainian restaurant, named after Clark’s grandmother Anelya Ochatchinskiya, and inspired by his Ukrainian-American roots. Homey and warm, Anelya’s main dining room sports a rustic-chic motif with natural elements of wood, plants, and dark green hues. Fermentation and seasonal preservation are a major through line of the menu, starting with signature Zakusky (aka starters and snacks) like Trout Roe Tarts, Fried Crimean Olives, and Herring in cold-pressed sunflower seed oil. These are followed by a Dumpling and Noodle section (try the Varenky with huckleberries, sour cream, and bacon-pecan praline), a pair of Borschts (including one with duck and smoked pears!), Potato Pancakes with sea buckthorn, and Fish and Meat dishes like Smoked Mackerel with marble potatoes and ramps, Beer-Braised Pork Ribs with plum glaze. To drink, the wine list skews heavily Eastern European, while cocktails—like the Blind Beauty martini with horseradish vodka, birch juice, and vermouth—are named after poems and writings from Ukrainian artist Taras Shevchenko.
Fulton Market
Most late-night snacks involve regrettable fast-food and post-booze stops at the Wiener Circle, but if you’re a night owl with your wits about you (and some cash to burn), it doesn’t get much better than After, an after-dinner bar that far exceeds the call of digestif duty. Created as a late-night counterpart to tasting menu sister restaurant Ever, this posh parlor is a project from chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser, who have put together a space that’s dark, sultry, and romantic, with intricate bites and drinks that are well worth the second wind. Most of the eating to be done in this corner of Fulton Market involves hours-long degustations at seasonally driven Ever, but for those who want a taste of Duffy’s cuisine without the budgetary blowout, After scratches the itch with snacks like sticky-sweet Vietnamese Duck Wings, Roasted Beets with hazelnuts and apricots, and Purple Sweet Potatoes with pecorino, brown butter, and mascarpone. There’s also Caviar Service, with roe so ritzy that it costs upwards of $2,000. The drink list shares top billing, with decadent riffs like a black garlic-infused Smoke Blossom and the truffle-scented 24K Espresso Martinis.
Lincoln Square
Some of the most talented bakers in Chicago are constantly evolving, constantly raising the bar, and constantly impressing. Founding alums of Bang Bang Pie Shop, Dave and Megan Miller branched out on their own with Lincoln Square’s instant-hit Baker Miller, earning rave reviews and consistent queues for everything from pies and biscuits to oatmeal and grits. Their latest plot twist, though, is a refined focus on bagels, bagel sandwiches, and deli-style sides—all served in the same quaint and colorful cafe space that’s long felt like home for Lincoln Square loyalists. While much of the previous Baker Miller menus have been retired, the bagels are the star nowadays, available in flavors like poppy, everything, and cinnamon sugar, with schmears such as giardiniera, gochujang, strawberry, and vegan dill. Even better? Opt for a bagel sandwich, like the Joni (gochujang cream cheese, bacon, cucumber, pickled carrot, nori), the Mikey (egg, white American cheese, sausage, Mike’s Hot Honey), or the Pastrami (chopped pastrami and mustard).
Hyde Park
Chef Erick Williams won a James Beard Award for his work at this Southern American restaurant, located in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Enter and feel instantly welcomed—warm lighting, inviting banquettes, and local artwork beckon guests to linger inside, while a patio does the trick in warmer months. As if you needed any more reason to visit, chef de cuisine Damarr Brown was a finalist on a recent season of Top Chef, only adding to the creativity coming out of this kitchen. Elevated takes on Southern comfort cooking populate the menu here, including green tomatoes with Gulf shrimp, Gizzards with gravy, and catfish with blackened “Carolina Gold” rice. The lamb loin, with black lentils and charred asparagus, is a favorite—as are the kitchen-inspired house cocktails.
West Town
The One Off Hospitality team’s wholesale bakery has been supplying Chicago’s culinary landscape with choice loaves, baguettes, and beyond for upwards of a decade—and now they have a brick and mortar to accompany their efforts (with a follow-up location in Oak Park). Managing partner and head baker Greg Wade (James Beard Award “Outstanding Baker” winner) offers a daily menu that reflects the team’s small-production and local-sourcing philosophies (working with family-owned farms across the Midwest to grow rare heritage grains for their flours). Experience them to-go or onsite—if the latter, take advantage of the patio during summer months, and inside, peruse the retail space (which features carb-centric items from Wade and team, along with other local finds). Opt for whimsical offerings like Berry Cheesecake Croissants and Blackberry Coffee Cake, alongside a daily retail menu of rotating bread offerings including toasted sesame sourdough and malted rye loaves. Other musts: the Strawberry Orange Curd Brioche and the Mortadella Big Sandwich, a meaty behemoth that lives up to its name with strawberry-rhubarb spread, pesto, Burrata, arugula, and mortadella.
West Loop
Kumiko, the Japanese-inspired drinking den from award-winners Julia Momose and Noah Sandoval, continues to dazzle longtime and newfound fans alike with artful cocktail flights and food pairings. Those yearning for a taste of Sandoval’s fare without the Oriole sticker shock can enjoy Michelin-grade handiwork for wallet-friendly prices in the form of expressions like Karaage with Kanzuri-spiked mayo and charred pickled shishitos, Pan-Seared Suzuki with fried radish greens, A5 Miyazaki Wagyū Katsu Sandos, and Truffle Milk Toast for a fancy-ass dessert. Elsewhere, Thrillist 2020 Local Hero Momose makes her cocktail prowess known through expertly crafted concoctions (both boozy and non) as well as a world-class lineup of specialty spirits and sake.
Ukrainian Village
Fun French-American pastries and contemporary Filipino fare from Genie Kwon and Tim Flores—two Chicago chefs with an impressive culinary CV and exciting accolades as of late (including a James Beard Award nomination for “Best New Restaurant”). The space—formerly occupied by the late-great Winchester—is both sleek and inviting with an open kitchen, custom tilework, and spacious twin patios for al fresco snacking (when weather permits). Expect big flavors in every direction, from a house-made Lumpia Shanghai and soy-braised Mushroom Adobo to killer Breakfast Sandwiches heaped with Longanisa sausage, egg, and cheese. Top it off with one of Kwon’s game-changing sweets—namely the ube and huckleberry Basque cake or the custardy Boston Crème Brioche.
Lakeview
Expect to be charmed at this Lakeview abode, thanks to warm, welcoming décor and comforting French-Canadian fare from chef Ryan Brosseau. He draws on his Ontario upbringing to inform a menu that is equally rooted in Midwestern sensibilities, made capable through the kitchen team’s close relations with local farmers and purveyors. It goes a long way in the hands of Brosseau, whose previous Chicago posts range from Perennial Virant to Table, Donkey, and Stick. Prepare for bold, earthy flavors beginning with apps like Fried Smelts cooked in beef tallow, or Escargots Beignets, and moving onto mains like the Crispy Skinned Sablefish with kohlrabi puree, or Fried Buttermilk Brined Guinea Hen Thigh with polenta and snap peas.