| With over 200 listed neighborhoods, the Windy City buzzes with a diverse culinary scene. Dazzling Michelin-starred establishments brush up against up-and-coming eateries, resulting in one of the country’s best dining cities. Welcome to Chicago. |
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| Image Courtesy of Monteverde Restaurant & Pacifico. |
| Monteverde Restaurant & Pacifico |
| Top Chef alum and James Beard Award-winning chef Sarah Grueneberg helms Monteverde, an Italian restaurant oozing with soul and rooted in tradition, with plenty of modern flourishes to delight. Simple Midwestern and Italian ingredients inform a menu of stuzzichini (snacks), piattini (small plates), typical and atypical hand-crafted pastas, and dishes for the table—all served in a handsomely elegant setting. |
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| Frontera Grill |
| Frontera Grill is the lauded chef Rick Bayless’ flagship restaurant, and that says it all. Craveworthy ceviches, moles, and wood-grilled meats paired with a fun-loving cantina atmosphere is a combination that will keep on winning for many years to come. Be sure to take note of the daily specials: chile relleno and birria do not disappoint. |
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| Image Courtesy of avec. |
| avec |
| avec is the prettiest shoebox of a restaurant we’ve ever stepped into. Enclosed in wooden slats from floor to ceiling, the West Loop gem continues to draw big crowds, thanks to its vibrant, peasant-style Mediterranean fare and astounding wines, courtesy of the ever-prolific Paul Kahan. |
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| Dove’s Luncheonette |
| Stepping into Dove’s is like going back in time: 60s and 70s blues blast from the jukebox and shiny metal counters line the walls. But restaurateur Paul Kahan updates the diner of bygone days with an electric Tex-Mex menu, and a well-stocked agave cabinet. |
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| Image Courtesy of Bavette’s Bar and Boeuf. |
| Bavette’s Bar and Boeuf |
| Unabashedly carnivorous and with a certain retro luster, Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf is a steakhouse with serious clandestine vibes. The River North destination doesn’t skimp on its cuts (read: USDA prime and butcher’s cuts only) and it’s the ideal place to indulge in an extravagant hot fudge sundae royale, with its carnival of toppings. |
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| Giant |
| Giant’s motto says it all: to make “simple, delicious food for people to eat.” A playful team concocts whimsical New Midwestern dishes, like mind-blowing fried uni shooters; ribeye with sticky rice, peanut, and chili sauce; and lasagna “that we ripped off from Mark Ladner.” Enjoy the lip-smacking fare and revel in the feel-good energy. |
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