Restaurants

Kanin will offer longanisa and egg musubi, inari "poke bombs," and more snacks in a bodega-like setting across from Amundsen High School. 

The James Beard Awards, a custodian of Chicago's hospitality industry, have named Chicago's Lem's Bar-B-Q as one of "America's Classics," joining other Chicago spots like Sun Wah and Calumet Fisheries. 

CATSU, from one of the chefs behind the bygone Cat-Su Sando, offers a set yakitori menu of grilled skewers two nights a week out of Flour Power in West Town. 

With dishes from the South, Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa itself, Mahari aims to draw connections between foods of the African diaspora. 

Joe Frillman of the ever-popular Midwest Italian restaurant Daisies shares some of his favorite places to eat, shop for ingredients, and entertain in the Chicago area.

Giuseppe and Ann Marie Quercia met while Ann Marie was picking up pizzas from Freddy's and Giuseppe was working. Decades later, they still run it together with warm hospitality, creating lifelong memories and relationships with customers.

Restaurants serving cuisines from around China keep popping up in Chinatown's neighboring Bridgeport, which Henry Cai of 3 Little Pigs celebrates – but he worries that the Cantonese restaurants he grew up with might disappear.

The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence honor Chicago’s food and beverage industry on home turf. Here are the 2025 winners.

Mister Tiger features the homestyle Korean cooking Charlie Park and Min Lee grew up eating, now prepared by Lee based on her memories. It will also feature a bar with Korean alcohols and fun cocktails like one inspired by Tiger Balm.

Chicago has 22 semifinalists in the "Oscars of food" this year, including in new beverage categories. The Awards will be announced in Chicago in June. 

Erling Wu-Bower's mother made elaborate feasts for Chinese New Year. He's joining with chefs from HaiSous and Momotaro to celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake, and shared one of his mother's recipes with us. 

Erick Williams' Cantina Rosa in Hyde Park celebrates tequila and mezcal, but also offers thoughtful non-alcoholic options like the Horchata Fizz, which you can make at home.

Australian cafés are often cited as responsible for the rise of avocado toast, the flat white, and the refined all-day café. Now Chicago has one in Chapel Street Café.

From January 24 through February 9, hundreds of restaurants offer special fixed price menus during Chicago Restaurant Week. Here are some participants that opened or revamped last year. 

Thanks to non-alcoholic agave spirits, you can enjoy a sunny mocktail with this recipe from the new Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park restaurant Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval.