For 25 years, Jason Hammel’s (pictured) Lula Cafe has been the standard-bearer for Logan Square dining, and his success is all about simplicity and seasonality. You could stick to Lula signatures for dinner — baked French feta, Caesar salad, Pasta Yiayia, carrot cake — and leave full and happy, but take time to try the seasonal plates on offer. … Read more
When patio season arrives, there’s no place we’d rather be than at one of the picnic benches alongside this multifaceted spot that manages to be an all-day café, brewery, bakery, pizzeria, and overall celebration of delicious things made with yeast. If you’re in the mood for an early dinner, then feast on a half-price sausage … Read more
Iliana Regan’s Elizabeth was such a hothouse flower that when general manager Tim Lacey bought the business and announced he’d keep it going under a new name, it didn’t seem like anything could take its place. Lucky for him (and us) his search for a chef led him to Christian Hunter (pictured), who has established … Read more
This is a city filled with great tacos, but La Chaparrita stands above the rest. Is it the grocery store ambience, with papel picado, which make it feel like it’s straight from Mexico City? Is it the squeeze bottles filled with piquant salsas (the orange habanero one, please) and the little plastic bowls of lime … Read more
Chicago has a number of great old-school Korean barbecue spots, but when the desire for galbi, marinated short ribs, and all the banchan hits, more often than not, we’re heading here. Executive chef Andrew Lim’s dishes draw on his experiences as a second-generation Korean American. Think Korean fried chicken wings with ranch; kimchi fried rice … Read more
The goat-whisperers at this family-run birria spot, which recently added an Uptown location, butcher the animals in house, then steam the meat, marinate it in mole, and finish by roasting it. The result is meltingly tender birria that’s available in all kinds of formats. You can order plates of birria with tortillas and consommé, cilantro, … Read more
Once you have tried Lem’s, you can’t help but develop a particular craving for it whenever you want barbecue. Because nowhere else in town does it quite as well. Lem’s, run by sisters Carmen Lemons and Lynn Walker Harvey, whose father and uncle started the business in 1954, is the city’s oldest Black-owned barbecue joint … Read more
When we want a fun tasting menu that doesn’t completely break the budget, we go to Indienne. There, in the muted roses and teals of the beautiful dining room, chef-owner Sujan Sarkar (pictured, below) and culinary director Sahil Sethi explore Indian cuisine through a fine-dining lens. The bites that begin every meal set the tone: … Read more
Tigist Reda’s warm and joyful Ethiopian restaurant never delivers a less-than-stellar experience. Start with an order of flaky sambusas (we like the ones stuffed with lentils) and kay seer salata, a bright and spicy beet salad mixed with pickled onions, jalapeños, and a lime vinaigrette. Then, feast. Order platters loaded with silky collards, split yellow … Read more
In a city of great sandwiches, Chris Cunningham’s friendly spot stands apart, thanks to terrific renditions of American regional offerings. Picking a favorite is impossible. Is it the pork tenderloin sandwich, tender as can be and topped with red onion, pickles, mayo, and mustard? Or the beans and greens melt, a play on the Philly … Read more
