Chicago is famous for its iconic foods: Italian beef, deep dish pizza, and its namesake hot dogs. On the other end of the spectrum, it is also home to some of the country’s most innovative restaurants. Twelve restaurants in the city hold at least one Michelin star. Here, we’ve chosen the best of the best to highlight.
Creative fare at Smyth. (Photo: Huge Galdones)
Smyth
Named for the rural county in Virginia where the owners – husband and wife team John Shields and Karen Urie Shields – began their restaurant empire, Smyth may shatter any preconceived notions you may have about fine dining. The 2-Star Michelin restaurant features an open kitchen, casual decor, warm atmosphere, and lack of a dress code – nods to the rustic farm life the menu celebrates. In fact, a large part of the bounty that makes its way into Symth’s tables is grown at a farm just an hour south of the city. Guests can choose from five, eight, or 12-course menus ($95-$205) with optional beverage pairings.
Beausoleil Oyster and Jamon Mangalica (Photo: Oriole)
Oriole
With a heavy focus on sustainably-caught seafood, Oriole has a beautifully-curated 14-course menu ($190). There’s also a fun twist with the pairings: guests who don’t imbibe can choose the non-alcoholic pairing menu ($85 – delightful even if you do drink); standard wine pairings ($125) or reserve wine pairings featuring older vintages and iconic producers ($250). The restaurant received two Michelin stars in its first year of operation, an impressive feat. Located down a nondescript alley in Chicago’s West Loop, this is definitely one of Chi-Town’s hidden treasures.
61 W Walnut St
Forward-thinking fare at Acadia (Photo: Acadia)
Acadia
Receiving its first Michelin star only nine months after opening in 2011, Acadia has retained the honor for the seventh year running. In 2018, it was awarded a second star. The menu at Acadia is inspired by Chef Ryan McCaskey’s connections to coastal Maine. In fact, many of the items on the menu are purchased directly from the Deer Isle area, specifically Penobscot Bay and its surrounding islands. Guests can choose from five-course ($115) or nine-course ($195) tasting menus, or order from the bar menu, which doesn’t disappoint.
1639 S. Wabash Ave.
Blackbird
Offering both a 10-course tasting menu ($125) and an à la carte menu, Blackbird is known not only for its creative cuisine, but for its minimalist design. In addition to one Michelin star, the restaurant boasts a number of James Beard awards, including Chef Paul Kahan’s win for Outstanding Chef in 2013. A perennial favorite on the Chicago dining scene since its opening in 1997, the restaurant is also famous for its three-course lunch prix fixe menu – at $25, it’s the best deal in town.
619 W. Randolph St.
Dining at Alinea includes fun surprises, theatrical elements, and sensory enhancing culinary techniques. (Photo: Allen Hemberger)
Alinea
The pride of Chicago’s dining scene, Alinea is the only restaurant in the city to earn the coveted 3-Star Michelin rating. To dine here is an experience like no other. Not only is the food phenomenally creative, the entire affair is an emotional endeavor – the food is fun, provocative, edible art. Alinea has three dining options: The Salon ($175-$255), where parties as small as one can dine on a 10-14 course menu; The Gallery ($285-$355), which serves a 16-18 course “fine dining with experimental moments” menu; and the Alinea Kitchen Table ($385), available for parties of six or more and the restaurant’s most over-the-top experience.
1723 N. Halsted St.
By: Davina van Buren
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