Bagels, Butter Wars, and Bold New Steakhouses: Inside Chicago's Delicious Drama

Food Scene Chicago

Windy City, Hot Kitchen: Chicago’s Next Wave of Dining

Listeners, Chicago is cooking with a new kind of swagger, and it’s not just about deep-dish and steakhouses anymore. The city’s latest restaurants are remixing Midwestern comfort with global technique, turning familiar flavors into something that feels thrillingly new.

In Logan Square, chef Joe Frillman’s upcoming The Radicle at 237 North Avenue is a prime example, marrying coastal Italian ideas with Midwestern produce. Expect bright crudos and wood-kissed vegetables built on the same farm-driven ethos that made Daisies a darling, all grounded in the bounty of Illinois growers. Over in the West Loop, Bar Tutto from Rose Mary chef Joe Flamm takes the “all-day café” trend and stretches it from espresso to Negronis, a place where a simple lunch of focaccia and olive oil can drift lazily into a plate of pork collar at dusk, as described by The Infatuation’s look at 2026 trends.

Bagels, of all things, have become a full-blown obsession. Chicago magazine’s Dish podcast points to spots like Holey Dough, Beachwater Bagels at Bungalow by Middle Brow, and Zeitlin’s Deli in Lincoln Park as proof that listeners now line up for blistered, boiled rings of dough the way they once did for cronuts. In Pilsen, Rosca spins out Mexican-inspired bagels scented with mango, pepitas, and even red mole, capturing Chicago’s layered Latin influences in a single chewy bite.

The pastry arms race doesn’t stop there. Chicago magazine also highlights bakers like Del Sur and Daeji Dough Co., where croissants become culinary passports: think toasted rice or even tteokbokki-stuffed versions that shatter, then give way to buttery, chewy, distinctly Chicago creativity.

Steakhouses still have their moment, but they are far from stodgy. Chicago magazine name-checks Trino in the West Loop and Adalina Prime as examples of a new breed, where the best bite might be a meticulously roasted carrot or a French-onion-inspired side rich with caramelized onions and Gruyère, reflecting a broader French onion flavor craze across town.

Events keep the momentum high. Axios Chicago notes that Chicago Restaurant Week 2026 has over 500 participating restaurants, plus a sold-out Bites Bash kickoff, giving listeners an efficient way to taste everything from Khmerican supper clubs at Hermosa by chef Ethan Eang Lim to polished newcomers like Ambar and Akiro Handroll Bar, mentioned by WTTW.

What makes Chicago’s scene unique right now is its mix of humility and ambition: tavern-style pizza and giardiniera cream cheese sharing the stage with omakase counters and tasting menus like Atsumeru, referenced by Chicago magazine. This is a city where local farms, immigrant stories, and a relentless urge to tinker all end up on the plate. For food lovers paying attention, Chicago isn’t following trends—it’s quietly, confidently writing the next chapter..


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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI