3 MICHELIN STARS CHICAGO FULL

The future of two restaurants on this year’s list remains murky. Russell left Kikko in June 2020, and while the restaurant has shifted to Japanese comfort food - think curry and dumplings - inspectors decided to make a change.Ī Michelin spokesperson says this about the decision: “Although the cocktail lounge, Kumiko, is open, the omakase counter, Kikko, has been closed since the departure of its chef last year.” Porto earned a star. Chef Mariya Russell became the first Black woman to preside over a Michelin-starred kitchen after inspectors awarded Kikko a star in 2019. There was one removal: Kikko, the omakase sushi counter in West Loop, in the basement of all-world cocktail lounge Kumiko. “Young chef Marcos Campos’ style is anchored by his Spanish heritage and explores the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal through its conservas, seafood, and specialty rice dishes,” Michelin writes. It’s also a restaurant meant to be enjoyed in person, as the interaction with chef and customer is integral. This lively and intimate restaurant on the corner of Chicago and Ashland gives the Midwest a taste of the Spanish coast. Porto shows that Chicago can deliver premier seafood offerings, according to Michelin. The brewery also brought over Jared Wentworth, a chef who presided over Longman & Eagle in Logan Square during its Michelin-starred days. Moody Tongue relocated from Pilsen, not only moving its brewing operations but also adding a full-service restaurant with a tasting menu. Meanwhile, near McCormick Place, Moody Tongue effectively replaces Band of Bohemia as Chicago’s only Michelin-starred brewpub. Still, Michelin inspectors wrote about Ever, “Chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser have triumphantly returned, and now preside over a bespoke room where the chef’s vision of fine dining enchants palates with complex flavors, stirring textures, and visual fireworks.” Moody Tongue earned two stars. Of course, the opening wasn’t what Duffy and Muser envisioned, with customers required to wear masks and extra safety precautions like pared-down offerings.

The restaurant opened in July 2020, a $5 million project a mile west of Grace on Fulton Market, with a goal to earn a Michelin star. Duffy and former Grace general manager Michael Muser plotted a comeback after their departure, and after a noncompete agreement with Grace’s owner (a clause that barred them from opening another restaurant in Chicago) expired, they announced Ever.

3 MICHELIN STARS CHICAGO FULL

The Ever chef is a perennial Michelin favorite thanks to his work at Grace, a West Loop restaurant that closed at the end of 2017 with a full three stars. In a rare move, Michelin did award two stars to a pair of new restaurants during their first year of eligibility: Ever and Moody Tongue.įor Curtis Duffy, this is a return. There was speculation that Smyth (two stars) in Fulton Market would join chef Grant Achatz’s restaurant, but that didn’t happen. The full three stars is a rare honor that’s been bestowed on about 130 restaurants worldwide. Garrett Sweet/Eater ChicagoĪlinea in Lincoln Park remains Chicago’s only three-starred restaurant. Ever chef Curtis Duffy is back in the Michelin game. In Chicago, Entente (one star) in River North and Acadia (two stars) in South Loop kept their status. For example, restaurants that have remained closed through the pandemic won’t have their stars removed. That complicated the jobs of Michelin inspectors, anonymous agents who visit and evaluate restaurants, and pushed Michelin to develop pandemic policies. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led many municipalities to shut down indoor dining for long stretches of time. Since then, a trio of starred Chicago restaurants have closed: Band of Bohemia, Blackbird, and Everest.Ĭhefs from around the world covet the stars, embracing the notion that the 95-year-old rankings represent the pinnacle of culinary achievement. Michelin last announced stars for Chicago in September 2019, and that list contained 25 restaurants. The tire company began awarding stars to Chicago restaurants in 2011, and the guide is also in other major markets, including New York, Washington, D.C., and LA. Michelin has another ranking, the Bib Gourmand list, that focuses on more casual restaurants. The stars focus on fine dining, mostly upscale restaurants with tasting menus that skew pricey. Michelin Guide Returns to Chicago After a Pandemic Hiatus Michelin’s Chicago Return Features 10 New Bib Gourmands Michelin Announces 2020 Stars for Chicago

3 michelin stars chicago