As Time Out Chicago, Chicagoist and Eater Chicago are devouring at the moment, Conde Nast Traveler and its editors have dubbed the Second City number one when it comes to amazing restaurants.
The claim comes in its article rounding up the 19 best restaurants in Chicago. It states: "Sorry, Los Angeles, but this is the best restaurant city in America right now."
As it notes, the James Beard Foundation, since 2015, celebrates its awards here. It's also absolutely festooned with celebrity chefs ready to dazzle the taste buds with delicious delicacies. It then continues its case with 19 glorious reasons this is indeed the city you should visit for a whirlwind food tour:
Restaurants like Grant Achatz's Alinea have led to new fare in the form of Roister. Rick Bayless continues to dole out marvelous Mexican dishes at the budding spot Lena Brava.
You can also devour a life-altering burger at Au Cheval, get messy at Mr. Beef or treat yourself to something a bit more refined at Katsu. Not to mention the deep-dish pizza, sausages and steaks that pepper every avenue in this grand Mecca of marvelous meals.
Incidentally, Alinea was particularly lauded in TripAdvisor's 2016 roundup of the best restaurants in the United States and the world. It ranked No. 6 on its list of global locations and No. 1 in regards to national restaurants.
The Chicago Tribune also recently broke down some of the city's more famed chefs and offers a bit of a biography on each. It's a great way to get to know some of the people behind nationally renowned restaurants such as the aforementioned Achatz, who has a way of turning dining into a form of art and theater without missing a single iota of taste.
In case you forgot, the city is also home to a wealth of folks you have seen on "Top Chef," such as Sarah Grueneberg, Fabio Viviani and Stephanie Izard.
As for Bayless, the Tribune reminds, "With a focus on serving up authentic Mexican cuisine, Bayless opened two wildly popular, award-winning restaurants in Chicago within just a few years of each other-Frontera Grill in 1987 and four-star Toplobampo in 1989." From there it was a hit PBS show and various James Beard awards.
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CNT still has love for Los Angeles, despite its opening remarks.
It compiled a list of the 23 best restaurants in that city back in February. While Chicago throws down a gastro-gauntlet, L.A. is to be respected with pristine pasta coming out of Alinea, impeccable French fare at the tucked-away Petit Trois and the abundant options you have in the form of Mexican, Korean and sushi places around the city.
This is all one big reminder that now is a perfect time to plan a food trip to a big city. If you choose wisely, you can cover a wide swath of culinary possibilities in one weekend.
You will be in a good company. AAA recently unveiled its findings that 22 million Americans plan to make a food-related trip this year.
Pack the bib, fork and knife accordingly.
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