16 Chicago Restaurants Beloved By Celebrity Chefs

When it comes to the country's vast and varied foodie landscape, we'd go as far as to suggest that every city has its own unique personality. What do we mean by that? Take New York. There are a variety of Big Apple-specific foods done better there than anywhere else, including bagels and a New York slice. The same can be said for Chicago: Whenever anyone leaves the Windy City, there are bound to be some foods they miss. (We're looking at you, you oh-so-delicious pizza puffs.) It turns out that there are quite a few celebrity chefs who feel the same, and who have name-dropped their favorite Chicago restaurants — along with the dishes they have to order.

There's a shocking cross-section of the Chicago dining scene represented, from fine dining and experimental gastropubs to hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops and pizza places. Will you see some of the restaurants widely believed to be the best in Chicago here? Of course — but some picks might surprise you, too.

So, let's talk about which places celebrity chefs find the most irresistible, and where you might just catch a glimpse of them. These are the restaurants they've mentioned in interviews, serving the dishes they've extolled on television, and the hotspots they've shared on social media. And yes, some have toured the country and visited dozens, if not hundreds, of different spots. Not all are praised as a favorite, though, which makes the good things said about these Chicago staples that much more important.

Journalists over at our sister site, Mashed, caught up with Aarón Sánchez at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival back in 2024. The conversation quickly turned to tacos and tips, and even though they were far from Chicago, it was the Windy City that got a shout-out when they asked Sánchez about the best taco city in the U.S. He didn't pull punches, saying, "I think personally, Chicago has some of the best Mexican food in the country." The best of the best? Carnitas Uruapan, which Sánchez said "does really great carnitas tacos."

He's not the only one who has a soft spot for this longtime Chicago hotspot. It's been around since 1975 and has gotten all kinds of buzzy press, lauded for serving up carnitas that have their roots firmly planted in Michoacan, Mexico. You'll hear plenty of people saying that the carnitas do, in fact, live up to the hype, as they're delicious, flavorful morsels that inspire those who dine there to hope to seek out the real deal down in Michoacan. 

carnitasuruapanchi.com

Multiple locations

Lou Malnati's advertises itself as a Chicago legend, serving up the same pizza that made Grandpa Malnati such a hit way back in 1943. Recipes are secret, ingredients are carefully-sourced, and the result is a pizzeria chain that the late Anne Burrell called her favorite. She sang the chain's praises on an episode of "All-Star Best Thing I Ever Ate," saying that it was the combination of the chain's thin butter crust, the high-quality ingredients, reliably golden-brown cheese, and perfectly proportioned and prepped pies that sets Lou's head and shoulders above the others.

She also revealed her go-to order, and it included everything: Pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black olives. Although Burrell made it perfectly clear that it was the thin crust that had secured a place in her heart as the best pizza around, Lou's has plenty of other fans who celebrate it as the place to go for a rich, flavorful, carefully-crafted pie that's the perfect example of the city's most famous style of pizza. 

loumalnatis.com

Multiple locations

It's no secret that the sandwiches being served at Chicago's Johnnie's Beef are among the most celebrated roast beef sandwiches in the U.S. That's not an exaggeration, and this longtime favorite counts a few celebrities among its fans. This is the sandwich shop that Anthony Bourdain praised as one of his favorites, and he featured it on an episode of "The Layover." He also mentioned it in a Reddit Ask Me Anything, describing it simply as, "Good stuff."

Bourdain was not the only one who spoke of their affinity for Johnnie's Beef, and back in 2016, Alton Brown did a blind taste test between sandwiches from Johnnie's and its fellow Chicago heavy hitter, Al's. The winner was, of course, Johnnie's, which Brown said had the better bread, flavor, and peppers. It only added to the high praise Johnnie's has long gotten for flavorful sandwiches that are the ideal example of an Italian beef.

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064877400220

Multiple locations

Chicago's Tempesta Market has gotten a lot of attention for its deli sandwiches, locally-made cured meats, and 'Nduja (a spicy Italian pork paste). It's also gotten a shout-out from Jeff Mauro, who's both a Chicago native and a chef who's known for his dedication to perfecting the art form that is the sandwich. When he sat down with the BBC to discuss all things sandwich, the conversation turned to which Chicago restaurant did it best.

"Tempesta serves quite possibly one of my favorite sandwiches on the planet, the Dante," he told the outlet. "It has the best-cured meats on the best bread topped with the best spread. It's made with Tempesta's very own 'Nduja — and get one of their [Southside] Johnny pork sandwiches on the side ... trust me." His love for this place — and the Dante — runs deep, as he's also mentioned it on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." Plenty of other locals agree, saying Tempesta has some of the best sandwiches in the city.

tempestamarket.com

(312) 929-2551

1372 West Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Since 2005, Alinea has been serving up the kind of dishes that look like they are just as worthy of a place in an art museum as they are on a restaurant's table, and it's accumulated a ton of accolades. That includes some serious admiration from Andrew Zimmern, who stopped there for an episode of "Bizarre Foods." Yes, Zimmern has been to many places, but when it came to this restaurant, he said, "Alinea may well be, and I do not say this lightly, the most important restaurant in America — and universally considered among the top ten in the world."

Zimmern went on to call chef and owner Grant Achatz "100% genius," praising his ability to bring science into the kitchen to create something completely revolutionary — dishes he sampled included things like a solidified pea soup with seven garnishes (like a solid cube of olive oil), and the so-called "World's Smallest Sandwich," served on a skewer in a single bite. Spoiling too much is generally frowned upon as the experience relies on a bit of surprise, but we will say that the edible balloon and liquid cake are a major favorite.

Decades after opening, Alinea still schedules bookings about two months in advance, and still has two Michelin stars. It's a bucket-list sort of thing, with countless rave reviews from those who agree with Zimmern that it's a one-of-a-kind meal. 

alinearestaurant.com

(312) 867-0110

1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Chefs and critics alike have called "The Bear" a show that's almost too real, thanks to the writers and showrunners' dedication to showing what it's really like behind the scenes. Real-life chef Matty Matheson stars (and acts as a show consultant), and since that means he's spending a lot of time in Chicago, he's definitely found his go-to spots. He name-dropped them in an email to Esquire, writing, "Tufano's grilled calamari and sausage and peppers are to die for. It's really the perfect restaurant."

Matheson has discovered what locals have known for years. Tufano's opened way back in 1930, and it's still run by the same family. It's still getting rave reviews for everything from the fettuccine Alfredo to the mussels, but now you can take Matheson's advice and opt for his favorites.

sites.google.com/site/tufanosrestaurant

(312) 733-3393

1073 W Vernon Park Pl, Chicago, IL 60607

There are several different styles of deep-dish pizza, and it's the ultra-unique pizza pot pie at Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co. that got the attention of Marc Murphy. He gave this place — and dish — a moment in the spotlight on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," A ton of Wisconsin brick cheese, scratch-made pork sausage in a top-secret sauce, and a Sicilian crust come together to make magic happen, and this impressed Murphy enough for him to say, "This is one of the best pizzas I've ever had."

This place has been serving Chicago since 1972, and pizza pot pies — which come in half-pound or one-pound sizes — have been a staple for a long time. They're so good — and so popular — that those in the know say you might find yourself facing a bit of a wait. Is it worth it? With a buttery crust folded around flavorful sauce and perfectly melty cheese, it's definitely worth it. 

chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/

(773) 248-2570

2121 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

Manny's Deli is often featured in conversations about the best Jewish delis in the U.S., celebrated for outstanding corned beef, to-die-for pastrami, and staples like matzo ball soup. It's the sort of place that everyone in Chicago knows, and when Guy Fieri headed there for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives," he called Manny's one of the reasons that Chicago was one of his favorite cities.

Fieri got a behind-the-scenes look at just what goes into Manny's corned beef and pastrami, and learned some interesting numbers: The deli goes through about 40,000 pounds of pastrami each and every month. Marinated for days and sliced to order, the meat might be the backbone of the deli, but dishes like cabbage rolls — also scratch-made, of course — also have fans that have kept this place popular since it opened in 1942.

mannysdeli.com

(312) 939-2855

1141 South Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60607

Anthony Bourdain was never, ever shy about sharing his opinions on the places that he visited, and one of those places that earned his respect was Girl & The Goat. It opened in 2010 and is helmed by Stephanie Izard, and Bourdain's admiration for her was obvious, too — she joined him on a Chicago episode of "Parts Unknown," and they headed into Chinatown. As for her flagship restaurant, Bourdain gave it a shout-out multiple times, including in a post on X that simply read, "Girl and the Goat magnificent. That is all."

He also named it in an Ask Me Anything Reddit thread, and both critics and customers agree that this is one place that lives up to its reputation. Many dishes — from the crispy pork shank to the chickpea fritters — are praised as inventive and delicious by customers.

girlandthegoat.com/chicago

(312) 492-6262

809 W Randolph, Chicago, IL 60607

Twin Anchors is one of the old-school restaurants that's keeping Chicago's history alive, and it's been satisfying the Windy City's craving for outstanding BBQ ribs since 1932. It's also a favorite of Emeril Lagasse, who headed there for an episode of "The Originals." He got a tour of everything from the once-secret, Prohibition-era escape tunnel to Frank Sinatra's booth, and — of course — what went into the ribs.

Sampling the ribs right out of the oven made Lagasse next to speechless, and the finished product had him lauding the fact that the spices, rubs, and sauces elevated the meat rather than overpowering it. Loyal fans still love the ribs and say that it's worth the wait, undoubtedly agreeing with Lagasse's observation: "Twin Anchors could be a poster child for Chicago. Great food, great people, great neighborhood — that's how they do it here in Chi-Town."

twinanchorsribs.com

(312) 266-1616

1655 N Segdwick St, Chicago, IL 60614

Since 1946, Gene & Jude's has had a reputation as one of the top spots for Chicago-style dogs in the city, and it's found a major fan in chef and actor Matty Matheson. He told Esquire, "Gene & Jude's is by far my favorite hot dog in all of Chicagoland. It's the perfect size and snap, and I always get it with an orange pop. Two dogs, mustard, onion, sport peppers, and extra salt on the fries."

Matheson even praised Gene & Jude's to Seth Meyers, saying that he was more than happy to wait for the sweet, sweet dogs here. There's no tables, and Matheson said that's fine — he likes to just eat on the hood of his car. He's not alone in saying these dogs are worth a long drive and a wait in line, especially considering the accompanying fries are just as high-quality and just as delicious. 

geneandjudes.com

(708) 452-7634

2720 N River Rd, River Grove, IL 60171

We here at Tasting Table caught up with Jeff Mauro at the Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival in 2024, and he chatted with us about a subject clearly near and dear to his heart: Pizza. He called the entire experience — from that first whiff to those cold drinks — as simply transcendent, and obliged when we asked him about his favorite places in Chicago. He named several, but we'd like to talk about Pizano's. Why? Because it's a big deal, and it was opened by the son of deep-dish inventor Rudy Malnati Sr. 

That pretty much makes Pizano's pizza royalty, and Mauro said as much, calling it "part of a dynasty of deep dish makers." He gave a shout-out to the crust in particular, and he's not the only one. Plenty of customers love this place for the perfectly sturdy crust that can stand up to all those delicious fillings that make this a best-ever sort of pie. 

pizanoschicago.com

Multiple locations

Little Goat Diner is another restaurant helmed by Chef Stephanie Izard, and back in 2017, she got a major shout-out on the "Rachael Ray Show." Ray had started to survey various chefs to find out their favorite restaurants, and it was Izard's diner that Graham Elliot called his favorite place for comfort food. The idea is that it's not just any regular old comfort food but comfort food from around the world, and the spotlight segment included Izard demonstrating what she called her favorite dish — a corned beef hash made with meat that was brined and smoked in-house.

Elliot definitely isn't alone in his love for this place, as Izard gets some major praise for being something of a culinary powerhouse in Chicago. It's the kind of place where you're just not going to go wrong: Whether you're in the mood for a deconstructed breakfast sandwich, extra-fancy avocado toast, or some to-die-for pancakes, Little Goat definitely doesn't disappoint.

littlegoatchicago.com

(773) 819-7673

3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Guy Fieri has sampled scores of incredible dishes from countless restaurants across the country, but Chicago's La Scarola stands apart from the rest. In an interview with Travel + Leisure, Fieri named Chicago as the most underrated foodie destination, and when asked about his favorite restaurant, responded, "La Scarola. It's a great little Italian restaurant. It feels like you're walking into a mob movie." He's posted about his love for this place on social media, too, including an Instagram post with a photo and caption that read, "Every visit to Chicago MUST include a visit to one of my all time faves."

To say La Scarola is much-beloved by a good percentage of Chicago might be an understatement, with fans singing the praises of everything from the pasta to the kind, attentive service that makes strangers feel like they're being welcomed by family. The pasta e fagiola? The best ever. 

lascarola.com

(312) 243-1740

721 West Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60610

The pancakes in our featured image are m.henry's Blackberry Bliss Cakes, and that's the menu item that earned the restaurant a spot on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." The chef giving the shout-out was Pati Jinich, who wrote on her Facebook page, "I had the fluffiest, most delicious pancakes in Chicago, ... [and] Now you'll all want breakfast for dinner."

She's not the only one to give m.henry kudos for the early-morning meals, and it was also featured on the show as Geoffrey Zakarian's pick for best brunch. Specifically, he was talking about the cinnamon roll French toast, and customers are still raving about both of the chefs' picks. The idea here is that the food is the sort of comfort food that feels like a hug, and honestly, that's precisely the kind of thing the world needs more of. In addition to the two chefs' picks, the omelettes have their share of fans, too.

mhenry.net

(773) 561-1600

5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660

Gordon Ramsay's compliments to Asador Bastian are a little more subtle than some of the comments and praise we've been featuring, but if Ramsay posted a picture of something we'd served him on his Instagram, we'd take that as a pretty good sign. (Mostly. Probably.) Ramsay posted a photo of a spider crab dish alongside a massive thank-you to the city of Chicago, and it makes sense: The upscale steakhouse has been named as one of the world's best. It's also gotten features done specifically on the quality of its martinis, so it sort of seems like it's right in Ramsay's wheelhouse.

Interestingly, it's also one of the Chicago restaurants that Alinea's Chef Grant Achatz told the Michelin Guide that he recommended for a date night.  It'll definitely impress, lauded for incredible steaks, outstanding service and atmosphere, and a price tag to match. 

asadorbastian.com

(312) 800-8935

214 West Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654