Chicago's Fare: Top Restaurants in the Windy City

Opened in April 2008, Big Jones didn’t have it easy, to say the least. But the Great Recession and Covid couldn’t shut this place down, because the popularity of the eatery serving arguably the best fried chicken in America has grown insane. The moment you step inside the spacious sunlit dining hall, full of natural warm wooden colors and textures, you immediately feel genuinely welcomed by all staff members. The secret is, Big Jones values their employees and creates a convenient working environment for them, therefore they are truly passionate and determined to deliver top-notch service.

With a focus on Southern cuisine and seasonal cooking, Bud Jones aggregates produce for their bread, barbecue, pastries, pickles, and preserves from local farms because they strongly believe in creating truly unique and delicious specialties not available anywhere else. On their menu, you will find delicacies, such as a house-made pickle board, shrimp and grits, buttermilk biscuits, Creole seafood pasta, and crawfish with mushroom risotto. Come visit Big Jones in Chicago and treat yourself to a culinary adventure!

The fact that the Kie-Gol-Lanee restaurant has won the Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards in 2020, 2021, and 2023 should alone be enough to persuade you to come over for dinner there. Serving Traditional Oaxacan Cuisine since its opening in September 2016, this quiet restaurant has earned love of many local foodies and visitors to the city. The modest interior design of the eatery helps you focus on its main attraction – delicious fare.

For a flavorful dining experience, start by ordering garnacha (masa patty stuffed with marinated pork, onion, cilantro, radish, cabbage, red sauce, and cheese). Next, try their Oaxacan-style tamales with chicken, pork, or mushrooms and tomato sauce. You can also go for a 10-inch homemade tortilla topped with black beans, cheese, cabbage, tomato, red onion, and various types of meat. Accompany your feast with a bottle of fizzy grape soda or a fruity homemade fresh-squeezed lemonade.

The mission of Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen is to promote veganism with delicious food that consists of 100% plant-based ingredients. Many people think that converting to veganism means saying “goodbye” to tasty fare and switching to bland limited options. At this lovely eatery, you will be pleasantly surprised by how flavorful, filling, and diverse meatless dishes can be, all thanks to their talented team: Chef Ruby and three cooks – Byron, Luis, And Gusi.

One of the best-selling dishes on the menu here is the vegan version of crab rangoon. We also recommend you relish their nut-free roasted sesame miso ramen, sweet & sour cauliflower, chow mein, and kung pao ding with a choice of fried tofu, king oyster mushroom, or soybean protein. Leave some room for dessert, because you will fall in love with their gluten-free green tea cheesecake and raw tiramisu. To quench your thirst, order a glass of tropical or Thai iced tea.

For an authentic Asian vibe in Chicago, head down to Nepal House. Founded ten years ago, this restaurant has been providing the highest quality traditional Nepali and Indian food to its customers. If you have never heard of chicken tikka masala, chicken momo, and garlic naan, now is the time to book a table at Nepal House and dive into the exotic world of these flavorful delicacies. Fear not to be unfamiliar with local specialties – the knowledgeable and friendly team at this eatery will readily explain every dish to you.

Our favorite specialties at this unique place are chicken makhani (Indian butter chicken), veg samosas filled with mixed green peas and potatoes, lamb vindaloo – a strongly seasoned spicy curry with lamb, and palak paneer with creamed spinach. On a hot sunny day, you can cool down with a bottle of ice-cold Indian Taj Mahal premium lager.

The Purple Pig, a place that has been consistently receiving Michelin Bib Gourmand awards since 2011, is a must-visit restaurant in Chicago. It is a brainchild of a young professional chef, Jimmy Bannos Jr., who was destined to reach the top of culinary Olympus, being a fourth-generation restaurateur who developed his passion for gourmet cooking recipes at such a young age, when most of us were developing a passion for Hershey Bars. Jimmy has worked with talented chefs in New York, Italy, and Greece, hence the global approach to the food at The Purple Pig.

Among their dining options inspired by different regions of the world, you will find many Mediterranean specialties, including Spanish octopus with green beans, potatoes, and salsa verde, salmon with potato gnocchi, half duck with Greek yogurt and brioche buns, or chicken roulade. Each dish has a recommended sort of wine given on the menu, such as cabernet sauvignon for filet mignon or riesling for chicken, to name a few. For a sweet culmination of your meal at The Purple Pig, sip on a glass of sweet Portuguese Tawny Port or Madeira.

From its bright patio full of sunlight and greenery to the spacious colorful dining hall, decorated with stained-glass chandeliers, Cedar Palace is a fabulous place to visit for a delicious Lebanese fare. Located near the picturesque Oz Park, this eatery is an ideal location after a day full of fresh air activities. At Cedar Palace, you will get bountiful portions with excellent service.

We suggest you go for their Arabic-style beef shawarma sandwich served with fries and a drink, shish tawook with tomatoes, onions, green pepper, and falafel lunch plate. Their smokey, juicy meats, grilled to perfection over charcoal, are impossible to resist. You can also choose one of the light Lebanese salads to complete your fantastic meal at Cedar Palace.

To describe the last restaurant on our list most accurately, we would need to use only superlative form: the most elegant ambiance, the best service, and the most unforgettable fine dining experience. All these flattering words are not exaggerations but facts: GT Prime Steakhouse – the project of Chef Giuseppe Tentori – is a true gem among Chicago’s top restaurants. The stylish, tranquil vibe of the entire dining area is a result of the usage of rich dark colors and natural materials in the interior design.

Their menu focuses on implementing exclusively local produce and highlighting each dish’s uniqueness by adding seasonal ingredients. Their dry-aged burger, bison tenderloin, and bone-in prime ribeye won’t disappoint any meat lover. For a joyful evening, check out the bar card of GT Prime Steakhouse featuring bold cocktails, such as Formal Affair – a mix of tequila, lime, and aloe, Everything – a spicy combination of rum and ginger liqueur, and A Stone’s Throw – an intriguing fusion of mezcal and peach.

Chicago is a must-see destination due to its impressive museums, thriving music festivals, monumental architecture, and endless waterways with lush greenery. Thanks to the rich cultural diversity of the city, its culinary scene never stays the same: it keeps evolving, growing, and changing, with new talented chefs coming from all around the world to conquer the Windy City.

Which of these restaurants would you come over to on your visit to Chicago? Share your thoughts with other foodies in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our latest articles.