Chicago's new restaurant scene once again raised the ceiling on the city's dining in 2016. While many older spots sadly went away and some new spots didn't last long, most of the ones with staying power didn't jump on trends — they came with originality, gumption, imagination, and some of the best food, drinks, and chefs that the country has ever seen.
2016's common dining threads in Chicago included the evolution of steakhouses, a return to beautiful and progressive fine dining, wood-fired cooking, and throwback neighborhood bars. Don't expect any of those themes to die down soon. But the following 15 restaurants and bars started something new and did it their own way, which is why they're the most important openings of the year. It's why they should have staying power and if any sadly don't, they've already made their mark on Chicago dining.
So read through them via the map below and plan your outing if you haven't been to them yet. Listed in alphabetical order.
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