Insider Tip: Chicago Restaurants
The windy city is well known for being the home of deep-dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches, but on a recent visit a couple of in-the-know foodies took the time to educate me on the current upscale dining scene.
“It’s as if a promising new restaurant opens every day,” Gregg Lemkau told me. “If you just write about pizza and Chicago dogs you’re doing your readers a disservice.
Here’s his shortlist of dining and drinking and foodie favorites:
- Girl and the Goat – Stephanie Izard’s new place (charcuterie using local ingredients)
- The Publican – Paul Kahan’s place (he also just opened Publican Quality Meats – where he serves up great sandwiches in a little store where one can purchase all sorts of limited Chicago- based foodie items
- Virtue Cider. Gregory Hall was the award-winning brew master at Goose Island Beer Company. Now he’s making pure English style ciders without any additives. Find tasting locations at their website
- Goosefoot Restaurant just won best new BYOB for 2012 (contemporary American food; high-end relaxed dining
- Epic Burger (a chain in Chicago – great quick burgers and shakes)
- Pleasant House Bakery – real English pies; they only make about 10 different items
- Next – Grant Achatz’s new restaurant – a completely different dining experience every few months
- The Aviary – the bar that is changing the way people think about high-end cocktails (also owned by Achatz)
- Perennial Virant Restaurant, modern American bistro dining from Chef Paul Viran
- Longman & Eagle, regional American fare
- GT Fish & Oyster, modern American seafood
- Hot Chocolate – restaurant, dessert, pastries. Mindy Segal (best pastry chef of the year).
“I could go on and on. This list doesn’t even include the smaller gems – and there are plenty of those in more obscure parts of the city.” Gregg continued. “And I haven’t even mentioned the well known Bayless restaurants: Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, and now XOCO (doing authentic Mexican soups and sandwiches with brewed-on-the-spot cacao bean hot chocolate).
Chicago area residents Bill and Jane Hensge also gave me some hot-off-the-press news: The city’s Doughnut Vaultwas recently voted best donut shop in America by Food & Wine Magazine.
That’s what I love about Chicagoans. They appreciate innovative cuisine, support the slow food movement, and can still enjoy a delicious donut.
Category: USA Midwestern States
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Hello,
Wonderful blog & good post. It’s really helpful for me, awaiting for more new post. Keep Blogging!
Wow, those oysters look amazing! I haven’t yet made it to the windy city but my friends live there and are always raving about the restaurants. I will have to schedule in a trip this year