Maybe it’s the Bear effect, the charisma of chefs Tim Flores and Genie Kwon (pictured above), or the way the ube Basque cake cannot not look mouthwatering on Instagram. Whatever the reason, this Filipino spot — bakery and café by day, Michelin two-star restaurant by night — has neither let go of its hold on the dining public nor let its quality control slip. To sample the daytime menu, skip the hourlong line of food tourists and call ahead, giving up the comfort of the dining room for a paper box on the patio. The mushroom adobo with a fried egg and garlic rice tastes even better with one of Kwon’s stupid-good pastries, like the apple hand pie. At night, the tasting menu offers a creative tour of the Filipino repertoire: Vinegary chicken inasal is reborn as squab with foie gras, and lumpia takes a detour to Vietnam with fresh greenery and rice paper for a flavor explosion of hot and cool. The simple dining room may not seem in keeping with the cost, but where casual meets exquisite is Kasama’s sweet spot. 

Price: $$ (daytime menu); $$$$$ (tasting menu)
Address: 1001 N. Winchester Ave.
Website: kasamachicago.com