SoJu BBQ is a carnivore’s dream, with the owner sticking behind his mission to use high-caliber cuts of meat in Korean food. Find brisket, bulgogi, and a few different cuts of short ribs. Available for pickup and delivery.

One of Chicago’s finest restaurants has switched to-go operations to barbecue, where customers can order up ribs and brisket. The Smyth also serves a sophisticated meal kit so diners can masquerade as workers at the Michelin-starred restaurant. The Loyalist, the owners’ basement bar, also offers one of the best burgers in the city to go.

Monteverde chef and Top Chef alum Sarah Grueneberg is no stranger to the spotlight, and this year was no exception — she took the title for “Best Chef: Great Lakes” at the James Beard Awards for her work at this buzzing Italian eatery. An in-house pastificio means pasta reigns here. There’s a heated and tented patio, as well as expanded to-go offerings.

Formento’s is an Italian-American favorite inside a spacious dining room that has reopened for indoor dining (its owners were very frustrated by the government’s restrictions). Find chops, pastas, and salads — the appetizers (meatballs, tempura fried calamari) are great, quick snacks. Outdoor dining is also available. For those who love sandwiches, Nonna’s is located around the corner. The turkey sub might be the best in the city.

Randolph Street is filled with fine-dining restaurants, but Graziano’s continues to thrive. The old Italian grocer has pivoted toward using those artisan ingredients in some of the city’s best sandwiches. The Mr. G is their signature submarine, something all Chicagoans should try.

The Darling is a club, located on the second floor above sandwich icon J.P. Graziano’s. One of the most inspiring efforts of the pandemic came from its date package. It’s a meal kit that comes with a QR code so diners can stream a burlesque show and enjoy dinner and a show. As restaurants adapt to the pandemic, this was one of the most creative ways to offer customers a dose of what they miss.

Bandit dips into ‘90s nostalgia — it feels like the college keg party that you probably never got invited to — but has very solid bar food that goes beyond boring pub grub. The pull-apart sliders and kung pao cauliflower are highlights. They’re available via Caviar for pickup and delivery. They’re also taking reservations for dine in.

The company that opened Au Cheval, where customers routinely lineup for diner fare (including an infamous burger), have a far tastier option down the street. High Five Ramen serves one of the city’s most popular bowls. In the same complex, Hogsalt also has Green Street Smoked Meats, one of the city’s most consistent barbecues. 

Out-of-towners and locals continue to line up for a table at Iron Chef Stephanie Izard’s first restaurant, an outpost for the Top Chef winner’s playful takes on contemporary American cuisine. For Izard, that means plates that are just as approachable (e.g. roasted cauliflower, pan fried shishito peppers, pan roasted halibut), as they are daring (wood oven roasted pig face, goat carpaccio, braised beef tongue).

Greektown continues to shrink as this once thriving immigrant enclave is threatened by developers. But Greek Islands continues to be one of the best restaurants in the neighborhood, with Greek-American favorites like gyros, moussaka, and grilled octopus. There’s also a suburban Lombard location.

The modern Indian fare at Rooh continues to impress, pushing the boundaries of staples like butter chicken, while introducing diners to sea bass wrapped in banana leaves, and tandoori-smoked pork belly. The patio features a unique hexagon tent, and they’ve recently reopened indoors. There’s also a new to-go operation that serves Indian-spiced chicken wings and nachos.

Yugen is one of the priciest meals in Chicago, but it captured Michelin’s approval in its first year with a one-star rating. Much of the credit falls to chef Mari Katsumura, a veteran pastry chef who has demonstrably proven that her talents extend beyond desserts. It’s an 11-course tasting menu with optional A5 wagyu and truffle pasta supplements.

Omakase Yume as quickly earned a loyal following without much fanfare; it’s a rare independent restaurant in a growing sea of chains and hospitality groups in the West Loop. This omakase focused restaurant also earned a Michelin star, with inspectors delighting in “lightly vinegared” fluke. The restaurant is open for indoor dining, but also has a pair of to-go offerings. Chef Sangtae Park developed his customer base while at this suburban Niles restaurant.

Avec’s focus is the same now as it’s always been: Mediterranean and Midwestern-influenced shared plates made possible with a wood-fired oven. Those dishes take the form of established go-tos, such as chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with bacon and piquillo pepper-tomato sauce. Chef Dylan Patel has taken over Paul Kahan and Donnie Madia’s now-oldest restaurant.

This neighborhood spot features global, street-food inspired eats from executive chef and partner Andrew Zimmerman (who also helms the kitchen next door at Sepia). Find sweet potato chat, shrimp dumplings, and more.