By Lauren Brocato By Lauren Brocato | March 18, 2022 | Food & Drink Feature
Chicago Restaurant Week is back for its 15th iteration, and there’s never been a better time to fete the city’s world-class cuisine. This year, from Friday, March 25 through Sunday, April 10, dine-in, takeout and delivery deals are on the table from hundreds of Chicago’s top dining destinations. Here, the essential eateries you won’t want to miss during this year’s 17-day event. Enjoy!
Mediterranean hotspot Aba is dishing up brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and dinner menus for this year’s restaurant week. Both experiences start with one of Aba’s inventive beverages, such as the passionfruit G&T or the zero proof-blueberry tonic, and are followed by a selection from the spreads & mezze, main plate and dessert offerings. Brunch, $25, Dinner, $55, 302 N. Green St., Floor 3
Situated on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, Adorn is helmed by James-Beard award-winning chef, and Chicago native, Jonathon Sawyer and Jean Banchet-nominated pastry chef Juan Gutierrez. During CRW, kick off the culinary journey with a golden tomato gazpacho followed by a Thai brussels sprouts salad or triple garlic Caesar salad before moving on to cedar roasted salmon and alliums or the alla chitarra pasta and ox. Top it all off with Colombia tierra querida. $55, 120 E. Delaware Place
At Avli on The Park, which celebrates its one-year anniversary this May, executive chef Nikos Kapernaros’s CRW bill of fare is a can’t-miss. Three-course menu starts with a classic Greek salad, followed by your choice of either saganaki with house-made tomato jam, or Kremidodolmades, stuffed onion leaves with beef, herbs, bulgur and lemon yogurt sauce. Round out the meal with a choice of chicken souvlaki, branzino, gluten-free and vegan imamakia, or vegetarian pasta, all of which are equally mouthwatering. $39, 180 N. Field Boulevard
Recently opened last June, Fulton Market’s Chikatana dishes up delectable bites that reflect Mexican cuisine and are shaped through the lens of seasonal Midwestern produce. This year, chef Guillermo Reyes offers a lunch and two dinner menus, with standouts including chorizo gnocchi from the three-course dinner menu and fried shrimp tacos for lunch. The dishes are beautifully prepped, so be sure to snap a pic before digging in. Lunch, $25, Dinner, $39, Dinner, $55, 850 W. Fulton Market
At The Exchange, inside architect Daniel Burnham's Railway Exchange, James Beard-nominated chef Brian Huston offers three courses of elevated American fare for CRW. First up, select either burrata, a gem salad or chicken live mouse. Second course options are gnocchi, chicken vesuvio and roasted lamb chop. End on a sweet note with either the cinnamon bread pudding or strawberries romanoff. $55, 224 S. Michigan Ave.
See also: The 13 Best Tasting Menus in Chicago
CRW is the perfect excuse to stop by acclaimed chef José Andrés’ new River North hotspot Jaleo. Drop in for a festive tapas experience featuring a selection of iconic Spanish bites, such as patatas bravas, croquetas de pollo and gazpacho de remolacha. Diners can finish off with a postres item of their choice for dessert. $39, 500 N. Clark St.
Oenophiles, listen up—Kostali by NAHA at The Gwen hotel, with chef Carrie Nahabedian at the helm, has prepared a superb wine and dine experience for CRW. First and second course dinner options, including broccoli and cauliflower fritto misto and braised chicken thigh, are each paired with the vino that best suits each dish. Finish off with your choice of lemon granita and brioche or pistachio bombe for dessert, both of which pair excellently with the 2019 Marenco “Strev” Moscato D’Asti Piedmonte from Italy. After dinner, head upstairs to the patio for a nightcap. $55, $80 optional wine pairing, 521 N. Rush St.
Dining at Petterino’s is always a blast, whether you're headed to a show at Goodman after or not. This year, the eatery’s CRW menus star dishes such as the mouthwatering cacio e pepe, frutti di mare with white wine sauce, and, of course, gelato or sorbet for dessert. Buon appetito! Lunch, $25, Dinner $55, 150 N. Dearborn St.
Head to Streeterville for elevated comfort food from Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. The CRW lunch and dinner menus feature the spot’s brick-oven, thin-crust artisan pizzas, plus your choice of sides such as arancini, burrata or mussels. Save room for dessert because strawberry panna cotta and brownie a la mode are both on the menus as well. Be sure to check out the brunch menu as well, complete with mimosas, bloody marys and a selection of delicious dishes like the egg and bacon pizza. Brunch, $25, Lunch, $25, Dinner, $39, 465 N. McClurg Court
Michelin-starred Sepia’s menu is sure to make a splash this year. Chef Andrew Zimmerman has prepared a seasonally inspired four-course dining experience featuring dishes such as beef tartare au poivre, truffle fried chicken, roasted monkfish, and pink peppercorn pavlova for dessert and more. Dinner, $55, 123 N. Jefferson St.
There’s something for everyone on The Smith’s lunch and dinner experiences during this year’s CRW. Choose from tasty daytime dishes like the chicken parm sandwich and rigatoni alla vodka, and the dinner selects including the branzino, eggplant milanese and red wine braised short ribs. The desserts are equally as enticing—sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate layer cake and sorbet are all on offer. Lunch, $25, Dinner, $55, 400 N. Clark St.
Sunda New Asian takes a modern approach to elevated Asian fare, and they’ve prepared a vegetarian-friendly menu that’s packed with mouthwatering dishes. Appetizers include crispy brussels sprouts and oxtail pot stickers, and the sushi selection ranges from hamachi jalapeno with cilantro, garlic and yuzu ponzu to the sweet potato poke maki featuring sweet potatoes, cucumber and avocado. Enjoy entrees such as the tofu pad thai and hainanese salmon before rounding out the meal with vegetarian coconut cheesecake. $55 per person, 110 W. Illinois St.
Photography by: Photo by Jer Chung/Pexels
