In the middle of a recession, Chicago restaurants experienced an astonishing upswing. The Trib called Chicago in 2008 a “chef magnet.” Travel + Leisure listed L2O, Perennial, The Publican and UrbanBelly in their “50 Best New American Restaurants.”
Does this make up for Blagojevich’s shamefaced media stint? All told, not a bad year. Here is a short list of Chicago restaurant debuts that everyone should visit before New Year’s Eve.
Dining Chicago’s 2009 Fresh Meat Awards
33 Club, Old Town.
C-House, Streeterville.
Cibo matto, Loop.
Fred’s at Barneys New York, Gold Coast.
Gemini Bistro, Lincoln Park.
Jam, Ukrainian Village.
L2O, Lincoln Park.
Mercat a la Planxa, Loop.
Mexique, West Town.
Perennial, Lincoln Park.
Piccolo Sogno, West Town.
Province, West Loop.
The Publican, West Loop.
Rustico, Logan Square.
SugarToad, Naperville.
Sunda, River North.
Tocco, Wicker Park.
UrbanBelly, Avondale.
Continue reading about The Fresh Meat Award winners at Dining Chicago →
