Chicago
The Loop needed a forward-thinking food court, and Revival Food Hall delivered. Come lunchtime, hip office workers pack the blond-wood tables of this…
Must-see restaurants in The Great Lakes
Minneapolis
Young Joni fuses two seemingly unrelated types: pizza and Korean food. Here, you can order a wood-fired, crisp-crusted prosciutto, gruyere and ricotta pie…
Chicago
One of the world's best restaurants, the triple-Michelin-starred Alinea purveys multiple courses of molecular gastronomy. Dishes may emanate from a…
Illinois
This fiercely sustainable, farm-to-fork destination restaurant in Effingham (of all places!) is arguably Illinois' top gastronomic haven outside of…
Chicago
Tribune and Sun Times reporters have guzzled in the subterranean Billy Goat for decades. Order a 'cheezborger' and Schlitz beer, then look around at the…
Detroit
Owner Lisa Ludwinski (a 2019 James Beard Award finalist) and her army of female bakers create amazing treats at this corner storefront. The milk chocolate…
Indiana
This former general store dating to 1851 (tin roof and metal facade still intact!) drips with countrified rustic charm, beckoning foodies for culinary…
Indianapolis
Breakfast lovers of the world unite at artsy Milktooth, a can't-miss morning hot spot set in a tchotchke-peppered garage. In 2015, Jonathan Brooks was…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Soothing 1950s pastels and antique pie tins set the Americana vibe at Paula Haney's celebrated pie shop, where hand-rolled, buttery-flaky crust is plumped…
Chicago
Stephanie Izard's flagship restaurant rocks. The soaring ceilings, polished wood tables and cartoon-y art on the walls offer a convivial atmosphere where…
Chicago
A cozy, European-like tavern, Hopleaf draws crowds for its Montreal-style smoked brisket, cashew-butter-and-fig-jam sandwich, ubercreamy macaroni and…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Margie’s has held court at Bucktown’s edge for more than 90 years, scooping ice cream sundaes into giant clamshell bowls for everyone from Al Capone to…
Cincinnati
It’s odd that for all its German heritage, Cincinnati doesn’t have many German restaurants. Enter downtown’s Bauer Farm Kitchen, which specializes in…
Ohio
It’s hard not to fall for this Nepalese dumpling counter hiding inside a global foods supermarket. Look for the bright-hued prayer flags fluttering over…
Chicago
Step into the dark-wood, candlelit room, where ceiling fans swirl lazily and big-leafed palms sway in the breeze, and you'd swear you were in 1920s Saigon…
Cleveland
Set in a historic firehouse, Larder has an old-time vibe. Jars of pickled veggies line the wall, and the pantry sells everything from hickory nuts to…
Gold Coast
While it could coast on its looks – the shabby-chic farmhouse decor is cute as a button – the deli ups the ante with seriously top-notch food. The Cubano…
Indiana
Octave Grill's burgers made with grass-fed beef and piled high with gourmet goodness were voted best in Porter County. Indeed, they are cooked to…
Chicago
Giordano's makes 'stuffed' pizza, a bigger, doughier version of deep dish. It's awesome. If you want a slice of heaven, order the ‘special,' a stuffed pie…
Detroit
Step inside this light-wood cafe staffed by hippies and fork into splendid soul food dishes that just happen to be vegan. The soul platter, with black…
Chicago
At this no-frills meat den, a man with a machete salutes you at the front counter. He awaits your command to hack off pork pieces and then wraps the thick…
Chicago
Michelin-starred Goosefoot serves a cutting-edge, modern American tasting menu that never fails to surprise. For instance, your dessert – a vanilla…
Chicago
Follow your nose to Pleasant House, which bakes tall, fluffy, savory pies. Daily flavors include chicken and chutney, steak and ale, or kale and mushroom,…
Indianapolis
Fork into seasonal dishes such as Indiana mushroom stroganoff with pappardelle, sherry, crème fraîche and parsley pistou or an incredible pork belly with…
Chicago
This LGBTIQ+-friendly bakery mixes Filipino and American flavors. The teeny room couldn't be any cuter. Chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, and a handful…
Chicago
Korean American chef Jennifer Kim showcases the food of her childhood through the influences of Italian cooking at Andersonville's hottest new restaurant…
Indianapolis
This nearly 120-year-old carnivore haunt is Indy's best – and one of its only – independent steakhouses. It receives consistent accolades for service,…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Chicago’s lone Costa Rican eatery turns out burritos bursting with chicken, black beans and fresh avocado, and sandwiches dressed in a heavenly, spicy…
Chicago
You’ll feel transported to Dakar upon entering this tidy, white-curtained cafe where spicy yassa chicken (marinated in lemon and onion), bissap (hibiscus…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Sit at the retro counter for Tex-Mex plates of pork-shoulder posole and buttermilk fried chicken with chorizo-verde gravy. Dessert? It's pie, of course –…
Chicago
The owners, who hail from southern Turkey, prepare meals from their Kurdish homeland. Dishes include sac tawa, a traditional stir-fry of meat, peppers and…
Chicago
This Barcelona-style tapas and seafood restaurant buzzes in an enormous, convivial room where light streams in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It…
Chicago
Housemade pastas are the specialty here. They seem simple in concept, such as the cacio whey pepe (small tube pasta with pecorino Romano, ricotta whey and…
Chicago
Ground Control is an industrial, trippy mural-clad restaurant with pinball machines and craft beer on tap. That it's meat-free is incidental. The dishes…
Chicago
This wee storefront eatery produces huge flavors in its heady comfort food. Dishes like the king-crab tagliatelle, biscuits with jalapeño butter and sweet…
Michigan
Burgers, green curry, and barbecue pork and polenta feature on the menu, where everything is made with sustainably farmed ingredients. Beer plays a role…
Ohio
This teeny restaurant in German Village serves rustic, locally sourced brunch fare. The menu changes, but you might fill a plate with griddled cinnamon…
Chicago
Seafood restaurants can be fusty. Not so GT Fish & Oyster. The clean-lined room bustles with date-night couples and groups of friends drinking fizzy wines…
Chicago
Home Bistro (aka ‘HB’) feels as cozy as the nouveau comfort food it serves. Cider-soaked mussels, goat's cheese risotto and buttermilk fried rabbit leg…
Milwaukee
Birch + Butcher claims to have the city's only open-fire hearth for serious searing and grilling. However it does it, we love the results. Choose from a…
