The best restaurants in Chicago indeed lay claim to pizza, seven-ingredient hot dogs, and Italian beef—but the city’s taste in good food hardly stops there. These days, cuisines and culinary experiences are as varied as the city’s dozens of neighborhoods, with plenty of accolades drawing diners from across city, state, and country lines for a seat at their chef counters. Credit the unflappable industry workers for that coveted reputation, and they’ll likely turn your focus to all that sustains their service—the farmers markets, the Midwest’s seasons (and creativity sparked by such timeliness), and the tight-knit community here—a rare bond that so many restaurant pros in these parts admit to cherishing.
The fact that Chicago has one of the busiest, most connected airports in the world only further enhances the industry’s ability to keep a finger on the international pulse—constant R&D assignment for them; constant joy for all of us. Whether it’s Asian-inspired cooking off Fulton Market, Southern fare on the South Side, or Ethiopian share plates uptown, here are the best restaurants in Chicago right now, according to our local experts.
Read our complete Chicago travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best restaurants in Chicago
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve.
