The Hottest Restaurants in Chicago / Fall, 2019
- Wherewithall
3472 N Elston Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 692-2192
Freshly off winning a James Beard Award, the heralded husband-and-wife chef tandem Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim have unveiled their highly anticipated second restaurant, the neighborhood spot Wherewithall.
- Superkhana International
3059 W Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9028
This Logan Square hotspot is perhaps the most intriguing of the new wave of creative Indian restaurants to hit Chicago in recent months. Superkhana International offers attention-grabbing twists on South Asian dishes including a butter chicken calzone, pork belly vindaloo, and a lamb meatball pizza. A full bar with cocktails from a Violet Hour alum and a back courtyard are also on offer.
- Galit
2429 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 360-8755
Galit, from James Beard Award winner Zach Engel, gives Chicago diners a rare take on food — highlights include Iraqi Kubbeh Halab, falafel with pickled, curried, and pureed green mango, and pitas cooked in a wood-burning hearth.
- Café Cancale
1576 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 904-1121
Inspired by the French seaside, the space is airy and bright and well-made seafood dishes highlight the food menu. French wines highlight the beverage offerings.
- Mozzarella Store, Pizza & Caffè
822 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 285-2449
A Naples, Italy native and dairy farm investor offers an array of pizzas, cheeses, Italian coffee drinks and retail items on two floors from the mornings through dinner at the Mozzarella Store, Pizza & Caffefor.
- Jeong
1460 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
Park’s a la carte and tasting menus include braised short ribs with brown butter confit turnips and brown butter carrot veloute served with pickled carrots and iceberg lettuce. Versions of classic cocktails with Korean ingredients highlight the drinks.
- Flora Fauna
11 W Illinois St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 624-9276
While Flora Fauna’s cocktails are also heatmap-worthy, the food menu is also filling seats thanks to dishes like seafood fritters, tamarind-glazed turkey wings, elote cakes, and four creative hot pots.
- Pizzeria Portofino
317 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 900-9018
Expect some creative thin-crust pizza varieties, a bevy of sparkling beverages, and coal-fired seafood inside a bright, picturesque space. Reservations are recommended at this summertime hotspot.
9. Fulton Galley
1115 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 210-0920
Those include northeastern Thai food at Pink Salt and fresh pasta dishes from a wife-and-husband team, as well as cheffy Jewish deli favorites from established favorite Steingold’s.
- 10. The Hoxton Chicago
200 N Green St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 761-1700
Inside the Hoxton Chicago are chef Chris Pandel’s ground-floor Mediterranean restaurant Cira, Izard’s aforementioned rooftop Peruvian spot Cabra, and the basement cocktail and piano bar Lazy Bird.
11. ROOH
736 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 267-2323
Rooh Chicago is a la carte for now but a tasting menu could be offered soon.
12. Politan Row Chicago
111 N Aberdeen St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 278-3040
The food hall boom has brought this intriguing new New Orleans spinoff to the West Loop. Upstart chefs looking to make their names man the stalls at Politan Row, with food ranging from Creole-Indonesian fusion to Kerala-style South Indian to gourmet sausages and more.
13. The Licking Chicago
5045 W Madison St
Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 413-7666
Hip hop mogul DJ Khaled and his team pulled a surprise opening of his “Miami soul food” restaurant, but that hasn’t stopped lines from forming daily on the West Side at the Licking’s first location outside of South Florida. The casual restaurant’s highlights include an array of seafood, other fried goodies, and its “famous original mystery drink.” It’s been a big win for an underserved neighborhood thus far.
