Restaurants

Growing up in Bronzeville, Chloe Gould didn't know that a being a chef was a career or what ginger root was. Now she's opening a restaurant that combines the Southeast Asian flavors of her time in Singapore with her American Southern heritage. 

The nominations for the 2026 Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence have been announced in 12 categories recognizing chefs, restaurants, designers, and bartenders from fine dining jewels to counter service gems. 

César Murillo was a semifinalist on Top Chef season 22 and is the executive chef at Chicago's North Pond Restaurant. He shares his favorite places to eat, drink, and shop in the city. 

Crying Tiger ranges as far afield as Hong Kong and the Philippines, with a core focus on Thai and Vietnamese dishes, including ones you might be surprised to find in touristed River North. 

Pequod’s Pizza has been named the best pizza in America on Yelp and appeared on The Bear, and continues to draw both tourists and locals for its pan pizza, a subcategory of deep dish.

"I will do everything the old-school way even if it takes longer if I think it’s the best way to do it,” says Ryan Brosseau, chef of Dear Margaret, which offers glimpses into the kitchen's process via social media videos.

Providing food for a professional sports team, as The Publican's One Off Hospitality does for the Chicago Fire, involves much more than just sustenance.

One Off Hospitality is opening a third location of its Mediterranean hotspot avec in the northern suburb of Highwood, while Rob Levitt takes over the kitchen and refreshes the menu at the West Loop's Publican. 

Namhee Kim not only provides Korean barbecue at locations of Daebak in Wicker Park and Chinatown; she also owns a K-pop gift shop. She shared Chicago recommendations with us.

Milli by Metric, located in a century-old warehouse with a large patio, just offers coffee and ambitious pastries for now. But it will eventually expand into dinner service and more. 

Phil Stefani of Stefani Restaurant Group and Art Smith, who came to fame as Oprah's personal chef, are opening a public restaurant in partnership with the Vatican on the grounds of a historic papal retreat.

Creepies incorporates Chicago into the French bistro with dishes like a tavern-style tarte flambé and giardiniera on top of mussels. 

“We’re hoping to be able to spark a renaissance, and we’re happy to start it,” says Kosti Demos. “I just want more Greek-owned businesses” in Greektown again, like his new Ithaki Estiatorio.

Alex Payne draws the elaborate cocktails of the Three Dots and a Dash menu, the comic-book style illustrations at Sushi-san, and much more, in a unique restaurant industry job. 

The tiny restaurant located next to an Asian supermarket in a mall not only has esteemed fans, but also hosts regular public demonstrations of tuna butchering. The team behind it has a new restaurant planned.