Chicago: Where to Eat: Overview

The city’s food scene is hot, and everyone is reveling in it, from international and homegrown restaurateurs to people who pack the local favorites night after night. There’s so much innovation, such devotion to ingredients and presentation, yet dishes are delivered without the pomp and self-importance that so often accompany haute cuisine in other big cities, like New York. I had one of the best meals of my life at Alinea, a culinary shrine of artistic presentations and extraordinary flavors. Alinea is one of a handful of restaurants dazzling diners with avant-garde food. Others are Tru, Moto and Avenues.

“When I came to Chicago from Hong Kong seven years ago to work at NoMI, the food scene was completely different,” says restaurateur Emmanuel Nony, who just opened Sepia, a new hot spot in River West. “The standard portions were much larger, the dishes more predictable, and we weren’t sure how far we could push the envelope with diners. But Chicagoans have really embraced adventurous dining. When we put rabbit on the menu at Sepia, I never guessed that it would become one of the most popular items.”

In addition to Alinea, foodies should also visit Blackbird (Paul Kahan) and Topolobampo (Rick Bayless)—and yes, Charlie Trotter is still delicious. Fun lunch spots include RL, off the Magnificent Mile, and Sepia. NoMI is great for cocktails.

Read the 2008 James Beard Award nominations for Chicago.