Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
This former gas station is now a taco-serving honky-tonk bar from big-name Chicago chef Paul Kahan. The place gets packed but it's worth the wait – pork…
Must-see restaurants in Illinois
Chicago
With an Instagrammable vibe and supercreative flavors such as gooey butter cake and goat's cheese with red cherries, the Wrigleyville location of beloved…
Chicago
South Siders of all stripes have been finding burger nirvana at this unassuming greasy spoon since 1942. Don't let the lack of fancy toppings and…
Chicago
You’ve seen chef-owner Rick Bayless on TV, stirring pepper sauces and other jump-off-the-tongue Mexican creations. His isn’t your typical taco menu:…
Chicago
Step inside the bright-pink shop, and you're greeted with an overwhelming choice of frozen novelties. There are custard bars (rich, chocolate-covered ice…
Chicago
Smyth is a homey spot that's bagged a pair of Michelin stars for its seasonal tasting menus. Prepare to spend two to three hours making your way through…
Chicago
Like the ship in Moby Dick from which this neighborhood restaurant takes its name, Pequod’s pan-style (akin to deep-dish) pizza is a thing of legend –…
Chicago
Hard to say whether this shabby-chic tavern is best for eating or drinking. Let's say eating, thanks to its beautifully cooked comfort foods such as duck…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
The thin, flour-dusted crust of ‘New Haven–style’ pizza at this spacious Wicker Park microbrewery offers a welcome reprieve from the city’s omnipresent…
Chicago
This buzzy destination for Chicago’s young and trendy perches atop best-of lists for its exciting, seasonal menu. The warm-ups – like cauliflower soup and…
Chicago
Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard opened this diner for the foodie masses across the street from her ever-booked main restaurant, Girl & the Goat. Scooch…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
‘Come for dessert, stay for dinner’ might be the motto of award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal's mod restaurant. With five kinds of hot chocolate…
Chicago
This butcher shop and 32-seat eatery is the casual, cheaper sibling to nearby Publican. Grab a seat at a table in back and bite into a sandwich of…
Chicago
South African chain Nando’s is about hot-spiced, flame-grilled chicken. Peri peri, for the uninitiated, is a vinegary, chili-laden sauce in which the meat…
Chicago
This squeaky-clean barbecue joint is all about slow-cooked meats. The baby-back and St Louis–style ribs are what line 'em up: they’re smoked over oak and…
Chicago
Michelin-starred Parachute puts an American spin on Korean street-food classics – say, mackerel and barbecued onion bibimbap (mixed vegetables and rice)…
Chicago
This cheerful diner is worth the long wait – you'll dig into the best traditional breakfast in the South Loop. The five-egg omelets include healthy…
Chicago
In the great deep-dish pizza wars, Gino’s is easily one of the top-five heavies. And it encourages customers to do something wacky: cover every available…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
In a field rich with contenders, Stan's may just have Chicago's best doughnuts. Staff are always super nice, the retro vibe rocks, and the Biscoff pockets…
Chicago
Band of Bohemia is the first brewpub to earn a Michelin star. You can see what's cooking in the open kitchen: maybe roasted hen with woodsy vegetables, or…
Chicago
Funky, arty Lula led the way for Logan Square’s dining scene, and appreciative neighborhood folks still crowd in for the seasonal, locally sourced menu…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Loud and fun with brightly painted wood cutouts of Indian gods on the walls, Royale serves distinctive Anglo-Indian pub grub. Sit at a booth or one of the…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Maybe you've heard of Au Cheval, the foodie-adored West Loop joint with two-hour waits for its famed burgers, once crowned the nation's best by Bon…
Chicago
Eat creations by molecular gastronomist Grant Achatz, the chef of three-Michelin-star Alinea, on the (relative) cheap at Roister. The restaurant cooks…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Candlelit and cozy, family-run Enoteca Roma feels like an old country ristorante. Specialties include venison bolognese lasagna, polenta served piping-hot…
Chicago
Feeling social? This happening spot gives diners a chance to rub elbows at eight-person communal tables. The mini room looks like a Finnish sauna and…
Illinois
Handcrafted baked goods and naturally fermented breads are an increasingly rare commodity in the convenience-loving US. Not so at this Evanston charmer,…
Chicago
Casual sophistication oozes from this cozy, candlelit bistro tucked down an Andersonville side street. A local crowd of older gay men and young families…
Chicago
The creaking floorboards, matronly staff and soulful home cookin’ lend the Sweet Maple Cafe the bucolic appeal of a Southern roadside diner. The signature…
Chicago
The chef hails from France's Alsace region and he fills his narrow, rustic-wood bakery with bright-hued macarons (purple passionfruit, green pistachio,…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
A Bucktown mainstay for over 25 years, this small bistro has a warm, French-cafe atmosphere where conversation buzzes over clinking wineglasses. The menu…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Chef Michael Carlson once worked at Lincoln Park's Alinea, which is apparent in his avant-garde, nine-course menu that redefines American comfort food via…
Chicago
Congenial Pizano's gets lost amid Chicago's pizza places, which is a shame since it's one of the best and has an illustrious pedigree (founded by Rudy…
Chicago
A cafe by day and bistro by night, Cellar Door's teeny space only has about 20 seats. The rotating menu of bright, seasonal dishes might include carrot…
Chicago
Shaw’s beautiful old dining room and adjoining lounge have an elegant, historic feel, complemented by dark woods and sea-worn nautical decor. The…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Chicago has many steakhouses, but none like European-style Boeufhaus in Ukrainian Village. Sit in a snug banquette and carve into dry-aged steaks and…
Chicago
A storefront restaurant painted yellow, green and blue, 5 Rabanitos looks like any other taqueria on 18th St, except the chef learned his craft from…
Chicago
One of the city's premier deep-dish pizza makers, Lou Malnati's claims to have invented the gooey behemoth (though that's a matter of never-ending dispute…
Chicago
Everyone from hipsters nursing hangovers to moms nursing babies piles in to family-run Tiztal for brunch. The chorizo scrambles, gravy-slathered biscuits…
Chicago
Upscale burger shack Small Cheval does one thing and it does it well – serve up delicious all-beef patties, with or without cheese, and a side of golden…
